Acadia

Acadia Mountain Trail follows up the east and west side of the mountain with views of the surrounding mountains and bodies of water. With the Island Explorer bus, visitors won't need to park along the road and can ride to the trailhead stress-free.

The trails up Sargent and Penobscot Mountains are located a short distance from the Jordan Pond House restaurant and gift shop.     

If looking for a way to relax, to take in some magnificent views, or to just burn some of the calories from the popovers consumed at the Jordan Pond house, the Jordan Pond Path is a great choice. Even just walking along the eastern shoreline is a certain way to enjoy some scenic vistas of one of Acadia’s iconic locations.  

The trails from Sieur de Monts to Jesup Path are located adjacent to the Nature Center and the Wild Gardens of Acadia in a wooded area.  

The trek from Sieur de Monts to Sand Beach connects four trails and summits Champlain Mountain. Hikers will be treated to views of lakes, mountains and ocean while exploring woodlands, ponds and bare summits. By hiking with the use of the Island Explorer Bus, these trails are transformed from out-and-back hikes to a scenic trek across Acadia National Park.

The Beech Cliff Trail climbs a steep rock face from the southern end of Echo Lake to the top of the cliffs. Continue north along the short and fun Beech Cliff Loop to be treated to even more views from the top of the cliffs. The descent is more gradual and goes down a forested area via the Canada Cliffs Trail back to the beginning of the hike.

Great Head Trial provides visitors a chance to hike a shorter trail and get amazing views of the ocean and forest in the same hike. Enjoy the views while relaxing on the beach afterward.

Ocean Path follows atop Acadia’s granite cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean. While exploring the Ocean Path, visitors can enjoy scenic vistas and iconic park locations including Sand beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs. Combining this hike with Acadia’s Island Explorer bus gives hikers flexibility in trail distance on what would otherwise be an out-and-back hike.

The hike up and over Pemetic takes hikers to the shores of both Bubble and Jordan Pond and summits Pemetic Mountain. Nearly 360-degree views look out over Cadillac, Sargent and Penobscot peaks, the Atlantic Ocean and the Cranberry Isles. Hiking this peak with use of the Island Explorer Bus offers hikers a bus-stop-only starting point for a strenuous hike with minimal mileage.

The trek to summit both Bubbles and Conners Nubble summits three peaks and accesses iconic park locations. Hikers will be treated to views of lakes and mountains while exploring woodlands. By hiking with the use of the Island Explorer Bus, these trails are accessible in a unique way and helps hikers overcome the crowds while exploring popular viewpoints.

This is a great option for hiking to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. It follows Kebo Brook which cuts deeply through the granite bedrock with views of steep canyons walls from the gorge below. The final portion of the path ascends a steep rock face and gives hikers vistas of Dorr Mountain, Frenchman Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, as well the deeply cut gorge itself. The summit of Cadillac Mountain provides a 360-degree view out over Mount Desert Island.

Explore rocky tidepools at the far end of this coastal forest trail on the west side of Mount Desert Island.

Rising over 1,000 feet in 0.9 miles, the Precipice Trail requires physical and mental strength. It is a rugged, non-technical climb with open cliff faces and iron rungs, and reaches the summit of Champlain Mountain.

Cadillac Mountain is a popular destination for visitors to Acadia National Park. Accessible by car, it is the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the U.S., and offers magnificent views of a glaciated coastal and island landscape. The short, paved Cadillac Summit Loop Trail, interpretive waysides, restrooms, and gift shop are located at the summit.

Explore a historic site near Bar Harbor and enjoy a dramatic shoreline with views of Frenchman Bay and Ironbound Island.

Embark on an exciting journey through time to discover how glaciers have shaped Acadia National Park. Using your GPS unit and a set of clues obtained from this website and hidden along the journey, you can guide yourself to a series of sites in the park.

Winding through the heart of the park, the 45 miles of historic carriage roads have crushed rock surfaces perfect for miles of bicycling.

Beginning at the Village Green in Bar Harbor and ending at the Sieur de Mont Area this hike includes the Great Meadow Loop, the Hemlock Road Trail, and the Jesup Path. With virtually no elevation gain it traverses a Bar Harbor neighborhood, crosses the Great Meadow, and finishes with a boardwalk at the Nature Center.

Wind your way through forests, past lakes and mountains, and along the shoreline on scenic Park Loop Road. The 27-mile (43 km) road also provides access to popular areas such as Sieur de Monts, Sand Beach, Otter Point, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain.

The Gorham Mountain Loop is 3.5 miles featuring mountains and a rocky coastline with panoramic views of Mount Desert Island, Frenchman Bay, and the outlying islands.

Gaze in awe at Acadia's night sky from the highest mountain summit in the park.

Eat at Acadia's only restaurant, the historic Jordan Pond House, or bring your own picnic. This popular spot on Park Loop Road is a crossroad for historic carriage roads and hiking trails, as well as a launch point for canoeing and kayaking.

Explore Acadia's longest pond by boat.

Explore Eagle Lake by canoe or kayak.

Launch at Ikes Point to explore Echo Lake by boat.

Paddle Jordan Pond in the center of Mount Desert Island.

This 1.7 mile trail has spectacular ocean views along a coastal headland with some wooded sections. This historic trail also includes the ruins of an early 1900's tea house.

Ship Harbor Trail is a 1.3 mile figure-8 loop near Seawall. Great for families and birders, and a variety of habitats can be seen along the shore.

Many carriage roads intersect with hiking trails. They can be incorporated into a hike to create a loop, add distance, or provide opportunities for more even terrain to gain or lose elevation.

Head towards the west side of the island to visit an example of 1800s island life at Carroll Homestead, a time capsule of early Euro-american settlement before Mount Desert Island became a tourist destination and Acadia National Park came into being.

Enjoy excellent birding opportunities from Acadia's highest point. In the fall (late August-October), join park rangers and volunteers daily at the Cadillac Mountain Hawkwatch.

In the early 1880's members if the Champlain Society documented bird species breeding on Mount Desert Island. Follow along the same trails they took and observe what birds we find in those places. Are they the same, or different?

Enjoy Acadia's rugged coastline along Otter Point and search for passing seabirds and listen for songbirds in the nearby forest.

Echo Lake Beach is a popular, freshwater swimming area on the southern end of Echo Lake. It is accessible off Route 102 in Southwest Harbor.

This is a 1.4 mile loop trail that ascends a 450 ft cliff face. Exposed cliffs, iron rungs, and granite staircases climb this trail revealing scenic ocean views.

Explore the night sky from the west side of Mount Desert Island while enjoying the ocean soundscape.

Explore tidepooling opportunities on the rocky shoreline off this easy figure-8 coastal forest trail.

Walk along a gravel sand bar during low tide to reach Bar Island. Once on the island, hike another mile to the highest point on the island for views of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay.

Explore migratory shorebirds, terns, and gulls (August-October) on the mudflats of Mt. Desert Narrows.

The ocean path is a spectacular 2.2 mile long out and back trail takes you along the bold coast of Maine with ocean views, granite slabs, and rocky cliffs. This trail is a great way to access Thunder Hole and Otter Point from the Sand Beach parking area.

This out and back trail is the longer option for hiking Cadillac Mountain with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and outlying islands before reaching the summit.

This 1.4 out and back trail on an old gravel fire road is family-friendly and provides direct access to the coastline with birding opportunities.

This 7.5 mile network of hiking trails leads across the peninsula, from Winter Harbor in the north through spruce-fir forests, pine woodlands, and a shrubland, terminating on the southern end at Blueberry Hill. Enjoy views from the Anvil and Schoodic Head, as well as some challenging steep climbs from the East Trail.

The Jordan Cliffs Loop offers a challenging 5 mile hike across steep slopes, iron rungs, and a strenuous climb up Sargent Mountain. Hikers are rewarded with panoramic views from two mountain summits and Jordan Pond nestled between the mountains.

Grab a bike and binoculars and take a ride. Just about everywhere you go you can find a feeding flock of songbirds. Great starting locations and loops: Eagle Lake, Witch Hole Pond Loop, Aunt Betty Pond, Jordan Pond, and Bubble Pond.

Explore the Wild Gardens of Acadia and Great Meadow, or take a walk on Jesup Path, Hemlock Trail and Stratheden Trail for birding opportunities.

This forested path continues to a boardwalk with multiple interpretive signs and benches. It opens up to a meadow before looping back on an old fire road. Views of Dorr Mountain are interspersed in this walk along a birch and hemlock forest.

The Beachcroft Path is an historic memorial pathway, constructed in 1915. Take this trail to reach Champlain Mountain for panoramic coastal mountain views of Mount Desert Island, Frenchman Bay, and the outlying islands.

A moderate out-and-back hike to the highest point both in Acadia and on the eastern seaboard. The trail is mostly exposed, providing hikers with sweeping vistas of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula.

Gorge Path follows a narrow, rocky gorge separating Dorr and Cadillac Mountains. It crosses streams, climbs steep, granite steps, and intersects other trails leading to either summit.