Lake Sunapee

Lake in New Hampshire · 4,294 acres · near Georges Mills, New London, Newbury, Sunapee

Lake Sunapee is a glacial lake in Sullivan and Merrimack counties in western New Hampshire, bordered by Sunapee (including the villages of Sunapee Harbor and Georges Mills), Newbury and New London. It is about 8.1 miles long, covers roughly 4,085 acres according to NH State Parks, and is about 105 feet deep at its deepest point. Its only outlet, at Sunapee Harbor, is the head of the Sugar River, a tributary of the Connecticut River. Mill owners built the first outlet dam in 1821; it was replaced in 1927, and the state took control in 1961. The New Hampshire Dam Bureau holds the lake within a three-foot range agreed to in 1905.

Public ramps include those at Sunapee Harbor and Georges Mills, both owned by the Town of Sunapee, and one at Mount Sunapee State Park, where launching is allowed with some restrictions. The town bans power loading at its launches and limits docking to two hours at Sunapee Harbor and one hour at Georges Mills. State rules make Sunapee Harbor, Georges Mills Harbor and an area near the Newbury public dock no-wake zones. They also set a 6 mph limit in Burkehaven and Gardiner Bay and a 10 mph limit in Georges Mills Bay. The Lake Sunapee Protective Association runs a Lake Host program that offers courtesy invasive-species inspections at all five ramps from May through September.

In the 19th century, steamboats carried passengers to hotels and cottages around the lake. Three of its lighthouses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Boating rules

No-wake area in Sunapee Harbor, west of a line from the Indian Cave Lodge dock source
6 mph speed limit in Burkehaven source
10 mph speed limit in Georges Mills Bay source
6 mph speed limit in Gardiner Bay source
No-wake area from light 12 into Georges Mills Harbor source
No-wake area near the Newbury town public dock source
Power loading prohibited at Town of Sunapee boat launches source
Town dock parking limited to 2 hours at Sunapee Harbor and 1 hour at Georges Mills; no overnight docking source
Docking in the slip closest to a public ramp limited to 20 minutes, for loading and unloading only source
No motorized boats in the Georges Mills swimming area or beach source
Commercial operators need a town permit to use Sunapee launches; town launches and docks open 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM for light commercial use source
Courtesy invasive-species inspections (Lake Host) at ramps, May through September source

Rules change; check with the agency or town before you go.

Launches

Blodgetts Boat Launch · Carry-in (canoe and kayak) · near Newbury · free
Burkehaven Harbor · Boat ramp · near Sunapee · free
Georges Mills Boat Launch · Boat ramp · near Georges Mills · free Residents/permit only
Soo-Nipi Park · Carry-in (canoe and kayak) · near New London · free
Sunapee Harbor · Boat ramp · near Sunapee · free
Sunapee State Park Boat Ramp · Boat ramp · near Newbury

Community

Where people who fish, boat and paddle Lake Sunapee talk about it. Lake associations, clubs and local groups will be added as we find them.

Sources

Researched October 14, 2026 from the sources above. Written content CC BY 4.0. Something wrong? Corrections are welcome.

Wikidata: Q7351772