Hiking
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There is no backpacking or "wild camping" allowed on Mount Desert Island. Day hiking is the only option. But these are some of the most spectacular, challenging and sometimes dangerous day trails in the nation. The views are often breathtaking, looking out over mountains, the ocean and islands. You should not only be in good shape but be pretty flexible and athletic because there's a lot of scrambling and vertical climbing. You should have good body balance and tolerance for heights. Then you need to come well equipped. You need good, rugged shoes; a good day pack; and two bottles of water. You need good lightweight parkas for rain and cold, since the weather can change here in minutes and either bring intense rain or high wind and 40 degree cold, or sometimes all three. A good camera and binoculars are nice but they should fit in your pack because during certain sections you can't have them hanging around your neck. Do Not try to take pictures of the risky sections while hiking them. People fall here to serious injury or death every year while they try to take selfies or great shots while using only one hand to hold on. Instead, take photos of others, then put away your camera and climb with both hands. |
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The Beehive is one of the Triple Crown hikes here, along with Cadillac Mountain and The Precipice. It's a granite dome only 520 feet high and the trail is only two miles round trip, but this is a half day experience. Going up is difficult enough on its own and in Summer you'll have to wait your turn at every section because only one at a time can pass. Once at the top you'll want to linger because the views are among the best you've ever seen. The trailhead is across from the Sand Beach parking lot. Dogs and children can not take this hike. It's a very athletic effort. You need upper body strength to pull yourself up by the rungs and rock ledges, and you'll need to bend your knees and legs quite a bit. Going up is one way. You come back down by a different route, passing a mountain lake called The Bowl. If you want to see the top but don't think you can handle the rungs and narrow ledges, you could hike up the return trail. When you leave the Sand Beach parking lot, turn LEFT onto The Bowl Trail instead of right onto the Beehive Trail. |
| The Precipice Trail is the second Acadia Triple Crown hike and it also involves lots of rungs, ladders and rails. It climbs 900 feet in half a mile. Dogs and children are prohibited. As with The Beehive, you need upper body strength to pull yourself up these rungs and ladders and a certain degree of flexibility and athleticism. It's one way going up; you'll descend by a different route. The route back down is easier but does involve a flight of 85 stone steps, another series of rungs, and a rockslide. So you could go UP the descending trail, but you'll still face those three challenging sections. Why hike this challenging trail? Because you pass a great Peregrine Falcon nesting area, and the view from Champlain Mountain is breathtaking, in one direction over Frenchmans Bay, the ocean and a dozen islands, while the other direction the forested mountains of Acadia National Park. The trail is 2.5 miles total, and the trailhead is on Park Loop Road. This trail is closed most of the Summer --- March through mid August --- during Peregrine Falcon nesting season. |  |
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The third hike of the Acadia Triple Crown is Cadillac Mtn. The peak is popular because it's the first place in the U.S. where the sun's rays strike every morning. It has become a cult ritual to get up in the middle of the night and climb the mountain so you can greet the Sun. To be sure, you don't have to hike it. You can drive up or take the shuttle. You don't have to hike it at 4 a.m. It's a beautiful hike at 9 a.m. or noon. And there are several routes to pick from : West Face, South Ridge, North Ridge and the Gorge Path. The North Ridge is the easiest, as seen in the photo at left. If you hike it in the daytime, almost the whole way up presents you with great views. It's an old Penobscot Indian trail, 2.2 miles to the top. This photo shows a lot of vegetation, but at 1.2 miles you climb above tree line and from there on you're on exposed granite terraces looking around you 360 degrees. Unlike the previous two Triple Crown hikes, this one does not include rungs, rails and ladders. But it can get very windy up on top and temperatures can be 20 degrees below what it is in the valleys. The wind can also blow in rain, ice rain, hail and sleet, so be sure to carry a warm parka and gloves. This is an incredble bird watching trail. You'll see Kestrels, Northern Harriers, Sharp Shinned Hawks, Ospreys, Eagles and other raptors, and you'll actually be looking down on them. If you carry cash, you can take the shuttle back down. Cadillac Mountain is 1,530 feet high. You should also walk the 0.3 mile loop around the peak for excellent viewing platforms and informative plaques. |
| The first three trails we listed are steep climbs, so for our fourth we suggest Jordan Pond Loop, a three mile perfectly level stroll with beautiful scenery. Jordan Pond itself is a charming mountain lake, with side trails heading out in all directions. Coming back along the western shore of the lake the trail is mostly wooden boards to avoid the mud. Keep your camera handy because you're almost certain to see Deer, Moose, Otter, Beaver, Mink, Fox, Porcupine, Raccoon and in the water Salmon and Trout. Not only do you get to hike around this beautiful lake, but when you finish you get to stop at the Jordan Pond House for a Popover, a slice of Blueberry Pie, and either a cup of Blueberry Tea or a glass of Blueberry Lemonade. In good weather you'll be sitting outside at a table under an umbrella. In bad weather you'll be seated indoors, |  |
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It's quirky, but no list of Acadian hiking trails would be complete without the Bar Island Hike. It's a pleasant walk across the bay to the forested island, which has nice views looking back to the town of Bar Island, Cadillac Mountain and the national park. Except. The trail is 15 feet under water 2/3 of the time. You can only hike it 90 minutes before and after low tide. And once that tide begins coming in, it rises fast. Misjudge the time and you'll be stranded on the island for half a day. It happens to people all the time, some intentionally. But the walk is still worth it. You'll see Starfish, Clams, Crabs and Lobsters and Gulls dropping Mussels from high in the air to crack them open on the rocks. It's only a mile across but you can hike another half mile to the top of the island. The trail begins at the base of Bridge Street, which descends from West Street (the main street running along the downtown waterfront). It's a four block walk from the parking pier. |
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