Sunset Ridge Trail
Reaches Mount Mansfield (4,396 ft), Lower Lip (4,121 ft).
- Length
- 1.7 mi
- Climb
- 1,910 ft
- Time, one way
- about 1 h 55 min
- County
- Chittenden
- Difficulty
- Strenuousestimated
- Surface
- dirt
- Segments
- 3
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About this trail
Sunset Ridge is the open, ridgeline route up Mount Mansfield from the west, reached from Underhill State Park by the Park Road and CCC Road. It follows open ridgeline and joins the Long Trail just south of the Chin, Mansfield's summit (4,395 feet). The Green Mountain Club describes a 6-mile loop with about 2,600 feet of climbing that goes up the Laura Cowles Trail, along the Long Trail to the Chin, and down Sunset Ridge.
Good to know
- Mansfield can be very crowded; the club suggests going early or on a weekday.
- Underhill State Park closes in early October; when the gate is shut, park in the area before it.
- The ridge is exposed to wind, storms and cold. Check the forecast and turn back if weather moves in.
Written by VTHiking from Green Mountain Club, Laura Cowles and Sunset Ridge Loop, checked Oct 24, 2026. Distances in this text are the source's own; the figures above are measured from the mapped line and can differ.
Where to park
Nearest parking
No trailhead is mapped on this trail or within 1 km of it. These are the closest lots you can reach along mapped trails.
- Underhill State Park Verified: PaidNearest parking, 0.69 mi along trails1,864 ft · Chittenden CountyVerified 2026-10-09
- Long Trail Trailhead Fee unconfirmedNearest parking, 1.0 mi along trails3,846 ft · Lamoille County
- Hell Brook Trail Trailhead (Jeffersonville) Fee unconfirmedNearest parking, 1.5 mi along trails1,865 ft · Lamoille County
Walking distances follow the mapped trail network. They are not a route, they ignore slope, and they are not driving directions.
Elevation
Climb, time and difficulty are estimates worked out from the mapped line and USGS elevation data, not measurements or official ratings. Time assumes about 2.5 mph plus an hour per 1,500 ft climbed.
Management
- Network
- lwn
Other trails nearby
Trail geometry and attributes from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Elevation from USGS 3DEP. Lengths are computed from mapped geometry and are approximate. Safety disclaimer.