Lake Sunapee's Lake Host Program

The Lake Host program, managed in collaboration with NH LAKES, is a complimentary boat inspection program to look for and remove any aquatic invasive species (AIS). Lake Hosts educate boaters about how to prevent the spread of invasive species and why it's important to Clean, Drain, & Dry watercraft and gear between waterbodies.

The Lake Sunapee Lake Host program covers all five ramps on the lake and usually consists of ten or more hosts who are on duty from May through September.

In 2025, 14 paid Lake Hosts conducted a total of 5,384 inspections. See below for a breakdown by ramp. There were no saves on Lake Sunapee in 2025 but NH LAKES recorded 8 around the state.

If you would like to become a Lake Host, please contact Susie Burbidge at susieb@lakesunapee.org or fill out this form with NH LAKES.

Click here for a list of boat friendly car washes courtesy of the NH LAKES.

Click here for an interactive map of parking in the Town of Sunapee

2025 Season Summary

Our Lake Hosts conducted over 5,300 courtesy boat inspections in 2025. The pie chart to the right displays the number of inspections by ramp (keep in mind that some watercraft may have been inspected twice in a given day, once upon arrival and again when departing the lake).

History of the Lake Host Program on Lake Sunapee

The Lake Host program at Lake Sunapee was originally established in 2000 and hosts were called Launch Site Monitors. Currently, this program is administered by NH LAKES, a non-profit organization devoted to protecting NH waterbodies and we work in partnership with them to bring the program to Lake Sunapee. In 2001, variable milfoil, an invasive aquatic plant, was first discovered in Georges Mills, and later in Sunapee Harbor. In both cases, LSPA, with the assistance of NHDES, successfully eradicated the plant.