Sunset Ridge Trail (Mount Mansfield) Hiking Guide
Sunset Ridge is the west-side classic on Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest mountain. From Underhill State Park the trail breaks out of the trees early and spends a long stretch on open rock with the Champlain Valley at your back, then joins the Long Trail for the last push to the Chin at 4,395 feet. Vermont State Parks calls it the park's most popular route, and on a clear fall weekend it shows.
Permit: Underhill State Park charges the Vermont State Parks day-use fee while it is open (Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October): $5 for visitors 14 and older, $2 for ages 4-13, free under 4. Season passes and 10-punch cards are accepted.
CCC Road, Then Open Rock
The Green Mountain Club lists this hike at 6.2 miles round trip with 2,628 feet of climbing and rates it difficult, though it calls Sunset Ridge the easiest way to the summit from the west. You start by walking about a mile up the gravel CCC Road from the Underhill State Park lot; vehicles are not allowed on it. The blue-blazed trail leaves the road on the left at a sign and trail register, crosses several streams, passes the start of the Laura Cowles Trail and climbs steadily through woods. Once on the ridgeline it runs about 1.4 miles over rocky, exposed ledges, meets the Long Trail, and turns north along the crest to the Chin. Trail Finder notes a few short pitches that feel like climbing a ladder, with plenty of hand- and footholds.
Cantilever Rock and the Summit Ridge
About 1.5 miles from the parking lot by the club's count, a 0.1-mile spur on the left leads to Cantilever Rock, a slab that sticks straight out of the cliff like a knife blade. Higher up, the summit ridge belongs to the University of Vermont, which manages nearly 400 acres there as a natural area. The Green Mountain Club puts Mansfield's alpine zone at roughly 110 acres, the largest in the state, and its caretakers and trail stewards work the summit in summer. Walk on bare rock or inside the white string lines; the tundra plants up here are rare and easily killed by boots or paws.
Fee, Season and Parking
Underhill State Park is staffed from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October, open 8 a.m. to sunset, and charges the standard state park day-use fee of $5 per person 14 and up and $2 for children 4 to 13. Parking is limited: the park recommends carpooling and says that at peak times you may have to park along Mountain Road below the entrance. After the park closes for the season the gate shuts, and the Green Mountain Club says to park in the area before it and walk; in winter, Trail Finder says the parking is along Mountain Road, so keep clear of the driving lane.
Dogs on the Ridge
Pets are allowed throughout Underhill State Park, and Vermont State Parks requires a leash shorter than 10 feet, a current rabies vaccination and that you clean up after your dog. On the summit ridge the Green Mountain Club asks that dogs be leashed and kept off the alpine plants. The ledge steps on the upper ridge are a real test for some dogs, so be honest about yours before committing to the climb.
Mud Season and Mountain Weather
This is not a spring hike. Vermont State Parks says trails on Mansfield and Camel's Hump are closed from April 15 through the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, and earlier if the mud arrives early; the Green Mountain Club and the state post weekly closures on Trail Finder as snow melts. Above treeline the ridge has no cover, and the club warns that heat, rain, wind, snow and thunderstorms all pose a risk. Check the mountain forecast, not the Burlington one, and be off the ledges before afternoon storms build.
Hiking tips for Sunset Ridge Trail (Mount Mansfield)
- Carpool and arrive early; the Underhill lot is small and overflow means parking down Mountain Road.
- Bring cash or a state parks pass for the day-use fee during the staffed season.
- Take the 0.1-mile Cantilever Rock spur on the way up while your legs are fresh.
- Stay on bare rock or inside the white strings once you reach the alpine zone.
- Skip the Laura Cowles Trail on the descent; Trail Finder says it is slippery and wet coming down.
Nearby trails to explore
- Mount Mansfield via the Long Trail from Route 108
- Burrows Trail (Camel's Hump)
- Sterling Pond Trail (Smugglers' Notch)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Sunset Ridge is the long, open approach to the top of Vermont. Use TrailMates to find Burlington-area hikers heading to Mount Mansfield. Download the TrailMates app to connect.