Down East Sunrise Trail
- 13.8 mi
- round trip
- 1,042 ft
- climb
- 284 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
The Down East Sunrise Trail is a cross-country skiing route in Maine, about half a mile from the town of Unionville. It is an out-and-back with a total length of about 27.6 miles, and the round trip adds up to roughly 335 feet of elevation gain. The trail starts at about 72 feet and reaches a high point of 284 feet, with the steepest stretch coming within the first 0.14 miles at about a 5% grade. Winter is the natural season for this trail. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Jonesboro show January highs around 29°F with lows near 9°F, while February runs about 32°F by day and 12°F at night. July and August are the warmest months, with highs in the mid-70s. Several other outdoor spots lie within a short drive. The Narraguagus River, about 3 miles away, offers river fishing. The Tunk Maintain Ridge Loop, Hidden Ponds Loop and Salt Marsh Trail are all roughly 6.5 miles off.
Best time to go · May–Oct
Best time to visit Down East Sunrise Trail
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
29° / 9°
10 wet
Feb
32° / 12°
9 wet
Mar
39° / 22°
11 wet
Apr
51° / 32°
10 wet
May
61° / 42°
11 wet
Jun
70° / 51°
11 wet
Jul
76° / 56°
10 wet
Aug
76° / 55°
8 wet
Sep
69° / 48°
8 wet
Oct
57° / 39°
9 wet
Nov
46° / 30°
9 wet
Dec
35° / 19°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Jonesboro, ME, 16.9 mi away at 194 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Down East Sunrise Trail
~19 min drive
3.80-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 314 ft of elevation gain.
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Trail No. 6
~1h 12m drive
0.65-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 12 ft of elevation gain.
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Beaver Trail
~1h 12m drive
0.5-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 6 feet of elevation gain.
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Trail No. 6
~1h 13m drive
0.25-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 19 ft of elevation gain.
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Smith Farm Trail
~1h 13m drive
0.4 mi
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Down East Sunrise Trail
~24 min drive
6.60-mile out-and-back route in Maine with 387 ft elevation gain.
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Heron Loop
~1h 13m drive
0.35-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Maine with 29 feet of elevation gain.
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Down East Sunrise Trail
~34 min drive
0.60-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 15 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Kirkland Connector
~1h 14m drive
1.02-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 61 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Down East Sunrise Trail
~34 min drive
1.22-mile out-and-back ski trail in Maine with 36 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
