This July our family went to Bar Harbor, Maine. We rented a home that was located on Somes Sound. A 15 minute drive into Bar Harbor and a 10 minute drive to Acadia National Park.
It was a great week that we had in the area. We did a number of things as a family and everyone had time to do things by themselves or with other people.
What was nice being in the area for the week was that we were able to go into Acadia National Park numerous times over the course of the week. We did some hiking as a family and Tonya and I did numerous hikes on our own.
So, what I want to do is give you some details about hiking in Acadia. I also want to share with you the hikes that we did and give you some tips for each one.
Acadia Hiking Trails
Acadia National Park has more than 150 miles of hiking trails. There are hikes that range from easy, moderate to hard. There are hikes that go through woods along the coast, others go around lakes and ponds, while others go along cliffs to mountain tops. Some trails have all of these features in one hike.
There are a few trails in the park that are out and back hikes. Most of the hikes are looped trails. Many times you can add other trails onto a loop to make it longer since numerous trails intersect.
The peaks in the park aren’t tremendously high but many are quite challenging nonetheless.
1. Ocean Path (4.4 Miles, Easy, 2-4 Hours)
If you are looking for an easy and very scenic hike then Ocean Path will be the trail for you. It is really a must if you are a first time visitor to the park. The trail is located on the Loop Road and stretches from Sand Beach to Otter Cliff.
The trail begins at the Sand Beach parking lot. Many times the Sand Beach parking lot will be full. This section of the Loop Road runs only one way and the right hand lane is open for people to park.
It beats driving around in a parking lot looking for a spot. It is a great feature of the park in my opinion. The trial itself is a relatively flat trail and is 4.4 miles round trip. The trail is very well maintained and is easy to follow.
As you hike the trail, there will be off shoots of it, where you can go explore more of the coast. I am a sucker for pink/red granite rocks and you will see a lot of this type of rock on this hike.
Some of the more notable places to stop and explore include Thunder Hole. Depending on whether it is high or low tide will determine if you will see the full force of the Thunder Hole.
You can also see Monument Cove and Boulder Beach. Monument Cove is a small rocky beach cove with a tall pillar guarding it. Boulder Beach is a beach covered with, you guessed it, boulders.
A little further south, you will find Otter Cliff and then Otter Point. Otter Cliff is where the coast line has more stunning cliffs. Finally, Otter Point is a great place to sit down, relax and take in the stunning scenery.
Tips
If you aren’t able to or don’t feel like hiking the whole 4.4 miles, you can drive to the various locations. The downside to this is that you won’t get to see the coast along the way.
Arriving early in the morning can help you beat the crowds. The other option is coming into the park later in the day. Parking in the right lane is a great option as I mentioned before. If you are going during the busy time of the day, it may be a little hike for you to get to the place you want to go.
Dogs are welcomed on the path but they must be on a leash.
Jim’s Thoughts
I think that most people are going to love this hike. I know that I did. It is easy, has great views and you can really enjoy it by yourself or with a group of people.
There are many opportunities to stop and sit down and enjoy the crashing waves and the ocean views.
2. Cadillac Summit Loop Trail (.5 Miles, Easy, 10-30 Minutes )
The highest summit in Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain. It rises up 1,529 feet. It is a must stop if you are visiting Acadia National Park.
There are 4 different trails that you can hike to get to the top of Cadillac Mountain but the easiest way is to drive a 3.5 mile windy road to get to the top.
You can enter the park at the Cadillac Mountain Entrance. Once through the entrance, you will drive a little over a mile down Cadillac Mountain Loop Road.
You will take a left to the Cadillac Mountain Gate. There is plenty of signage so you won’t miss it. As you drive up the road, there are places for you to pull off and take pictures. I would wait since the main event is on top of the mountain.
After you reach the top, there are a couple of different parking areas to choose. There are also restrooms and a gift shop. The Cadillac Summit Loop Trail is a .5 miles loop trail which is rough concrete. The trail gives you great views of the surrounding area.
Along the path, you will find a number of different plaques that describe the geology of the surrounding area. We did the hike after we watched the sunrise in the morning. It was a nice relaxing hike and a great way to end our time at the park.
Cadillac Mountain Sunrise
When it comes to going to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the most popular time is during sunrise. During part of the winter, Cadillac Mountain is the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise and one of the first places to see it all other times of the year.
I have been to the top of Cadillac Mountain twice and they were both during sunrise. It is well worth getting up very early to see the sun come up.
The first time was a clear morning. There was hardly a cloud in the sky. The last morning it was clear at the top of the mountain with clouds covering the surrounding area below. Each was quite different and beautiful in their own ways.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you are driving to the top of the mountain, from May 25 to October 22 you must make a reservation.
The National Park service releases 30% of the reservations 90 days out from the date. They release the other 70% at 10 am ET two days ahead of each date.
For most of the time slots, getting to the top of the mountain isn’t a problem. This isn’t true when it comes to seeing the sunrise.
My recommendation is try to make the reservation to get to the top 3 months out from your date.
If you don’t it is quite hard to get one of the available slots two days from the time you want to do it. They are all usually taken within a minute or two once they are released.
We needed two reservations when we went this last time. We had all 7 of us trying to get two reservations and we were fortunate enough to do so.
The reservation is separate from the pass to get into the park. You can visit recreation.gov to get a reservation. There is an extra cost when it comes to the reservation.
Jim’s Thoughts
This is one of the easiest hikes in the park. It is a great way to top off your time on top of Cadillac Mountain especially if you do the sunrise time.
3. Jordan Pond Loop (3.5 Miles, Easy, 1-2 Hours)
The Jordan Pond Loop is another easy hike that you can do to enjoy the park. The trail itself is 3.5 miles in length. The path is mostly flat with one area of the path being large rocks that you have to navigate.
There are a number of different ways to access the loop. The most direct ways are the Jordan Pond North parking lot and the smaller Jordan House parking lot.
Both of these lots are off of the Park Loop Road. This section of the Park Loop Road is two ways. You can enter the park from the Cadillac Mountain entrance to get to the parking lots.
Once you leave the Jordan Pond North parking lot you will head northwest to boat landing. You have a great view of the pond at the boat landing. At the far end of the pond you can see the Bubble Mountains.
Tonya and I hiked the loop in a clockwise direction. So, that is how I will be describing what you will experience.
After leaving the boat dock area, the path goes through the woods with it being in the woods at times and close to the shore of the pond at other times.
You start out on a gravel path but the majority of the time you walk on elevated flat wooden planks. This part of the path goes through the wetlands area.
The planks aren’t wide enough to let people pass from the other direction. So, every 100 feet or so there are little pull offs for people to stand to let people pass.
As you get close to the end of the pond, there is an area of large boulders and rocks that you have to navigate. This is by far the roughest park of the hike.
At the end of the pond, there are two artistic bridges that cross a couple streams that enter the pond. You can also see back across the pond to the boat landing area. As you head back to the landing, the trail is nice and wide in most parts and it is gravel.
Tips
Before or after the hike, you can eat at the Jordan Pond House. It is one of the more highly rated national park restaurants.
The food is good but a little pricey. One thing that I would recommend are the popovers. I am a sucker for sweets so this was right up my alley. They are very light, airy and delicious.
The parking lots at Jordan Pond fill up fast. So, if you want to try to beat the crowds I would recommend getting there early in the day.
The rock portion of the hike is quite challenging. So, if you have someone with you that has health issues you may want to reconsider doing this part of the hike.
Jim’s Thoughts
If you like a nice leisurely hike then this is a good one to do. Besides the small stretch of rocky terrain, it is a flat and easy hike to do. Plus, you have great views of the pond and the Bubble Mountains.
4. Great Head Trail (1.9 Miles, Easy, 1-2 Hours)
The Great Head Trail is a loop trail and it has a mixture of ocean views, rocky terrain and woods. The hike is 1.9 miles in length. It can be shortened to 1.3 miles.
You can park in the Sand Beach parking lot or on the road near the parking lot. We got there relatively early and the parking lot was already full. The area isn’t marked very well for where the trail is.
After you go down the steps to Sand Beach, continue straight to the other side of the beach. You need to cross over a stream. This can be done much easier at low tide.
The trail starts with some granite steps that lead up to the main trail which is relatively flat. Once to the top you can follow the path along the headland.
The trail gradually rises reaching its highest point of 145 feet. You can see views of Sand Beach, the Ocean Path and Penobscot Bay along the way.
After you loop around, you can take a left which heads back to the parking lot. This is the 1.3 mile loop or you can continue straight to do the longer 1.9 mile hike.
The trail eventually turns away from the shore and goes through the woods. You eventually end back at the steps that lead back down to Sand Beach.
Tips
Just like with all of the other hikes, the earlier that you get into the park to do them the less people you will have to deal with.
Depending on the day, there may be some fog. There was fog the day that we did the hike. If you wait until later in the day some of the fog could burn off.
Jim’s Thoughts
One thing that I liked about this hike is the fact that it isn’t one of the more popular hikes in the park. We didn’t see that many people when we hiked it. Plus, it does give you nice views along the coast and in the woods.
5. Beehive/Bowl Trails Loop (1.4 Miles, Hard, 1-3 Hours)
If you like to get your adrenaline flowing and you like beautiful views then the Beehive/Bowl Loop Trail should be on your list. This hike is considered hard/strenuous and isn’t for the weak of heart. You will climb ladders, use rungs and experience exposed cliff faces.
The loop is 1.4 miles in length. You will also climb 450 feet to get to the top of the summit of the Beehive. If you can handle all of that, the payout with the great views of Sand Beach, Tunderhole and the Gulf of Maine is worth it.
The trailhead is located right across from the parking lot for Sand Beach. So, you can try to find a parking spot in the lot or park in the right hand lane on the road.
The first .2 miles of the trail is the Bowl’s Trail which travels up a creek bed. This section is quite rocky and uneven. The Beehive Trail then goes to the right and you will start climbing up to the top of the Beehive. As you go there will be sections where ladders and rungs will have to be used to climb.
You will experience some exposed cliff faces as you climb. There is also a section where you have to walk across iron bars with no ground under you. As you continue to get higher, there are places where you can stop and take in the view.
At the top, you will be 520 feet above the surrounding area. There are places where you can sit down, catch your breath, get some water, and have a snack as you enjoy the view.
The rest of the hike is easier than the first part. You descend down the west side where there are no rungs and ladders to deal with.
You will eventually arrive at the Bowl Pond. It is located between the Beehive and Champlain Mountain. The trail continues along the edge of the bowl.
There is an intersection where the sign reads Bowl Trail and Champagne South Trail. You will want to take a left. Once you take a left, you will do some climbing and you will reach the top of the ridge where you will descend back down the other side.
You travel on this path where it eventually comes to the first part of the trail that you started on and eventually back out onto the Park Loop Road where you began.
Tips
Depending on what part of the day that you are going, you will need to pack your patience. This is a very popular hike and there are people that are probably going to navigate it slower than you would like.
You will want to make sure to really watch your footing if you are doing this hike in the rain or if the rocks are wet. They can become pretty slippery.
Since this is a loop trail, it intersects with other trails. So, if you want to extend your hike you can do so on this trail.
If you have fear of heights then this may not be the hike for you. Another way to look at it is that it may be the hike to help you get over your fear.
Once at the top make sure to take some time and just enjoy what you accomplished by getting to the top and enjoying the views. The top has some open areas where you can sit down.
You want to make sure that you are wearing proper shoes. Out of all of the hikes on the list, this is the one where you want to make sure that you have good shoes.
As always, starting early or going later in the day will help you beat the crowds.
Jim’s Thoughts
I hadn’t done this hike in the park before. I would say that it was my favorite hike out of all of the hikes that we did.
So, if you want a little adventure and you like a challenge then I would say make sure to put this hike on your list.
6. Bar Island Trail (2.1 Miles, Easy, 1-1.5 Hours)
Bar Island Trail is unique for a number of reasons. First, the trailhead is in the town of Bar Harbor. The island itself is part of Acadia National Park. You can only access the trail 1.5 hours before low tide and 1.5 hours after low tide. Plus, part of the walk is on the bar where Bar Harbor got its name.
The trail is a 2.1 mile out and back trail. You will need to park in Bar Harbor to access the trailhead which is located at the end of Bridge Street. The first part of the hike is on the bottom of Frenchman’s Bay. I think it is kind of cool that you are walking on the bottom of the bay.
I was surprised to see how dry the landbridge actually was out to the island. As the tide goes out, there is more to explore on each side of the trail out to the island. Once you get to the island, you will continue past the trailhead signs onto the Bar Island Trail. The trail gradually climbs on an old road.
You will follow the road to the top of the island which has some nice views back into Bar Harbor and Frenchman’s Bay. On the way up or down, there is an offshoot of the trail that you can follow that goes back to an old house that overlooks the bay. To get back to Bar Harbor all you need to do is retrace your steps.
Tips
You want to make sure that you are timing your walk correctly. As I mentioned before, the trail is accessible from Bar Harbor to the island 1.5 hours before low tide and 1.5 hours after low tide.
If you miss that window and are stuck on the island, you can wait 9 hours until the bar is exposed to safely walk across. You can also call a water taxi.
Since this isn’t a remote hike like some of the hikes in Acadia, there are quite a few people on this walk. So, be prepared to share the island.
It had rained and the trail was wet on the island. There were places that were kind of slick so you want to be careful while on the trail.
Dogs are allowed on this trail with the leash being no more than 6 feet long.
Jim’s Thoughts
Since this is such a unique hike in the fact that you walk on a landbridge that is underwater half of the day is cool. It is a nice leisurely walk and is well worth your time to try out.
7. The Bubble’s Hike (1.5 Miles, Moderate, 1-1.5 Hours)
The day that Tonya and I hiked Jordan Pond we started from the Bubbles Parking lot. The lot is located on the Park Loop Road and is north of Jordan Pond.
Most people park here to hike up to the top of North and South Bubbles. We wanted to make it a longer hike so we combined two hikes into one. From the parking lot, we took the Bubbles Divide Trail to the Jordan Pond Carry. Jordan Pond Carry took us down to Jordan Pond.
We then hiked around the pond and came back to where we started on the Jordan Pond trail. We were then going to take the Bubbles Trail to the top of the Bubbles. As we started up the trail, it started to rain.
A couple was coming down the trail and they talked us out of going that way since it was rocky, getting slippery and at the top there was a steep climb.
So, Tonya and I went back up the Jordan Pond Carry trail to Bubbles Divide Trail. We then took the Bubbles Trail. During this whole time it was raining pretty hard. It wasn’t that bad since it was warm outside. As you would expect, it got slippery at places.
We eventually made it to the top of the North Bubble. It had some great views down to Jordan Pond. The mistake that we made was that we didn’t then go to South Bubble. That is where you will see the famous Bubble Rock.
I feel embarrassed to say that I didn’t really know about Bubble Rock. In looking up different trails to do, I either missed it or totally forgot about it. So, don’t make the mistake that we made and make sure to go see Bubble Rock.
Tips
The Bubble’s Trail parking lot isn’t that big. So, you will want to make sure that you get in early to find a spot. If you don’t, you will have to wait around for someone to leave.
The parking lot is the best place to start to see the Bubbles if you want a shorter hike. It would be a 1.6 miles out and back hike from the parking lot.
If you want to have a longer hike, there are many different trails that intersect in the area of the Bubbles so it is easy to extend the hike.
Jim’s Thoughts
The hike from the parking lot up to the Bubble’s is really a nice hike. There are areas that are a little steeper but not terrible.
The views from North Bubble were great. Seeing pictures of the South Bubble area is just as nice or better. So, it is definitely a hike that is worth doing.
Final Thoughts
The following 7 hikes that I have shared are a great way to see and experience the beauty of Acadia National Park. Most of the hikes are easy but there are a couple that are a little more challenging. When you do hike them, I hope that you enjoy them as much as my wife and I did.
Make sure to read my two other posts about Acaida. The first post is about 10 great things to do in Acadia and the other is about things to do in Bar Harbor.
If you want to learn more about how to save on travel, credit card points and miles, and travel itineraries make sure to go to Travelwidstom.
