From the West (3.6 mile roundtrip)

Directions to Norris Road Trailhead:
From Orford Bridge, take Route 10 North and turn right onto Archertown Road at the Orford Cemetery. Stay on Archertown for 2 miles and then turn right onto Norris Road (dirt). Trailhead is just before the 4th driveway on the left. Park across the road and please respect the privacy of the neighboring houses.

The trail follows a stone wall to the east, then swings to the left and back to the right before crossing the stonewall. The trail switches back to the left below ledges in a mixed forest. Cross the stonewall again and climb gradually NE through managed hardwoods and then hemlocks, crossing four logging roads and several skidder trails. Be sure to follow the blue blazes as this side of the mountain is crisscrossed with trails used for fox hunting. Pass below the saddle and continue to the NE until you reach the north shoulder of the mountain (about 1.0 miles). Turn right above ledge to gain the north ridge. A spur trail leads N for 150’ to a fine vista of Mount Mooselauke in the distance and closer, the Nichol’s Tree Farm on Indian Pond Road. The main trail heads S from this junction and follows a sharp ridgeline in and out of clearings. Wind and storm damage is evident as you arrive at the north saddle. The trail ascends moderately, switching back twice, and then follows ledge bands along the east side of the mountain to a junction 0.2 miles below the summit. The trail to Indian Pond Road descends to the left, and a spur trail heads straight ahead to the summit (el. 1823’) with fine view of the hill country of Piermont, Warren, Wentworth, and Mooselauke (el. 4802’), which is about 20 miles to the NE. When you are ready to descend, the trail returns east and back to the junction. To continue on to Indian Pond Road, turn right and follow return directions below. To return to Norris Road, stay left to descend the ledge bands. Switchback down to the saddle and follow the ridge to the vista junction. Descend left (SW) and cross the 4 logging roads until you return to the stone wall. Cross the wall below ledge, switchback to the right, cross the wall again and descend to the trailhead--3.6 miles roundtrip.

From the East (4.4 mile roundtrip)

Directions to the Indian Pond Road Trailhead:
From Orford Bridge, take Route 10 South and turn left onto Route 25 East. Continue past Orfordville and the West end of Dame Hill Road. Go another 2 miles and when the road widens, watch for the East end of Dame Hill Road on your left. Turn left here and in 100’ turn right into an old roadway. Park on the edge of the roadway so as not to block fire access straight ahead. A kiosk provides trail information.

Trail Description:
The trail leads back out the old roadway and to the right along the bank above Dame Hill Road. Turn right again onto Indian Pond Road. STAY ON THE SHOULDER AND WATCH OUT FOR TRAFIC. In 250’ the trail leaves the road to the left at the NE corner of a hayfield/cornfield. (Please do not park here.)Follow the band of trees along the right edge of the field, keeping the stone wall on your right. (Please do not walk on cultivated land.) Stay straight to cut through a short stretch of woods, cross the NW corner of the field, and turn left to follow the trees along the west edge of the field, again, keeping the stonewall on your right. At the end of the stonewall, turn right and cross several bog bridges. Continue along a pine forest to a logging road. Turn left on this road and in 100’, veer to the right to cross a stone wall and descend through hardwoods and then hemlock blowdowns. Cross a skidder trail and another stonewall to a stream crossing. Climb over a knoll and descend to a second stream crossing/wet area. Continue to a logging road junction at the edge of a field on your left. Take the logging road straight ahead and slightly to your right (not sharply to your right and not into the field). Continue along the road for 0.4 miles to a high point on the road where the trail turns sharply left into the woods. Ascend slightly through beach trees, switch back to the right and ascend moderately over ledge bands. Switch back again to the left and climb through hemlocks. Climb a stone stair pinned to a rock face in deep hemlocks and one more stone stair with 11 steps before reaching a ledgy traverse to the SE Shoulder of Sunday Mountain, 1.7 miles from the trailhead. The view to the SE includes Mt. Cube (el. 2911’) on the left, Smarts Mountain (el. 3240’) to the right and Dame Hill Road and cemetery below. The trail turns to the right and climbs gradually through a unique landscape of grasses and scrub oak, more reminiscent of coastal woodlands than alpine forests. 2.0 miles from the trailhead you will reach the junction with the trail ascending from Norris Road. To continue along this trail, turn right and follow return directions above. To reach the summit, turn left and climb moderately, switching back over ledge until you reach the summit. While wooded, the summit provides a fine view to the NE. See if you can find the dated etchings in the granite outcropping just to the south of the summit. To return to Indian Pond Road, descend to the E until you reach the trail junction. Stay right and descend to the vista on the SE Shoulder. Traverse the ledges to the left and then descend several stone stairs as you switch back down to the logging road. Turn right onto the logging road and follow it until you reach a field. Just before the field, stay straight and to the left onto the trail (don’t take the logging road to the left or enter the field). Cross two streams and continue over a small stonewall to cross a skidder trail. Climb through hemlock blowdowns, then hardwoods, to a second stonewall and another logging road. Stay straight onto the logging road and then in 100’ turn right onto the trail. Cross bog bridges and turn left before the field. Turn right to cross the corner of the field and continue through a wooded area, then follow the line of trees to the road. To reach the parking area, turn right on Indian Pond Poad and then left at Dame Hill Road. The Parking area is on the left.