Trip from Charlestown, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Claremont Road, State Route 11, John Stark Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 13.3 miles from Charlestown, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Charlestown, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH?

The route from Charlestown, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Q: Are there national parks near the route from Charlestown, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH?

Yes. Nearby national parks include Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

41m

Distance

26.5 mi

43 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min

4 AM

0h 38m ★

6 AM

0h 41m

8 AM

0h 48m

10 AM

0h 44m

12 PM

0h 43m

3 PM

0h 44m

5 PM

0h 48m

8 PM

0h 39m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Charlestown, NH

Wikimedia Commons

Town of Sunapee, NH

Mohan Nannapaneni

Trip Overview

The drive from Charlestown, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH covers 26.5 miles and takes about 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Claremont Road, State Route 11, John Stark Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.4 miles on Claremont Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.27 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 26.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (19%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 41m drive with frequent turns across 26.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Claremont Road is the longest continuous segment at about 7.4 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NH 12 / North Main Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 26.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (NH 12 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.6 miles (Glidden Street): Navigation decision point; at 10.7 miles (Broad Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 8 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | NH 12 / North Main Street

Turn right onto NH 12 / North Main Street

Navigation decision point

10.6 mi into trip | ~15m in | Glidden Street

Turn right onto Glidden Street

Navigation decision point

10.7 mi into trip | ~16m in | Broad Street

At end of road, turn left onto Broad Street

Navigation decision point

10.8 mi into trip | ~16m in | NH 11; NH 103 / Broad Street

Keep slight right at fork onto NH 11; NH 103 / Broad Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

26.4 mi into trip | ~41m in | Sargent Road

Turn left onto Sargent Road

Navigation decision point

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Claremont Road	7.4 mi	11m
State Route 11	4.8 mi	7m
John Stark Highway	4.6 mi	5m
Sunapee Street	2.8 mi	6m
Washington Street	2.3 mi	2m
Charlestown Road	2.1 mi	3m
West Pleasant Street	0.8 mi	1m
Route 11	0.3 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Claremont Road — 7.4 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Charlestown, NH and Town of Sunapee, NH.

Start on Sullivan Street

90 ft · 2 sec · Sullivan Street

Continue on Sullivan Street

143 ft · 7 sec · Sullivan Street

Turn right onto NH 12

0.2 mi · 16 sec · North Main Street

Continue on NH 12

7.4 mi · 11 min · Claremont Road

Continue on NH 11; NH 12

2.1 mi · 3 min · Charlestown Road

Continue on NH 11; NH 12

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Pleasant Street

Turn right onto Glidden Street

0.1 mi · 28 sec · Glidden Street

At end of road, turn left onto Broad Street

517 ft · 13 sec · Broad Street

Keep slight right at fork onto NH 11; NH 103

0.2 mi · 15 sec · Broad Street

Continue on NH 11; NH 103

2.3 mi · 2 min · Washington Street

Continue on NH 11; NH 103

2.3 mi · 2 min · State Route 11

Continue on NH 11; NH 103

4.6 mi · 5 min · John Stark Highway

Continue on NH 11; NH 103

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Elm Street

Continue on Maple Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · Maple Street

Turn left onto Cross Street

472 ft · 21 sec · Cross Street

Turn right onto Canal Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Canal Street

Turn right onto NH 11; NH 103

2.8 mi · 6 min · Sunapee Street

Turn straight onto NH 11

2.5 mi · 4 min · State Route 11

Continue on NH 11

0.3 mi · 45 sec · Route 11

Turn left onto Sargent Road

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Sargent Road

Arrive at destination

Sargent Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.27 one way

$8.53 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.50	$4.69	$9.39
premium	$4.86	$5.07	$10.15
diesel	$5.61	$5.85	$11.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

Estimated CO2 emission: 9.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	7.9	$2.78	$1.27
Efficient EV	6.6	$2.32	$1.06
EV Truck/SUV	10.6	$3.71	$1.70

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Charlestown, NH

Afternoon in Charlestown on Thursday

Local time

1:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

37°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Town of Sunapee, NH

Afternoon in Town of Sunapee on Thursday

Local time

1:43 PM

EDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

18 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

41m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Charlestown, NH to Town of Sunapee, NH covers 26.5 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Claremont Road, State Route 11, John Stark Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 13.3 miles from Charlestown, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.27 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.