The 5 Best Hiking Trails in Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is a breathtaking protected area in coastal Maine. From ocean views to wooded trails, the variety of this park is incredible. But, with more than 150 miles of hiking trails in Acadia National Park, it can be challenging to know where to start exploring.
I fell in love with Acadia last year and I quickly decided it needed to become an annual trip. There is so much to do- like biking on carriage roads, sampling popovers at the Jordan Pond House and watching the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. But, my absolute favorite thing about Acadia are the hikes.
In this post, I’m diving into my top five hiking trails in Acadia National Park. Of course, there are tons of other hikes but these are my can’t miss treks. Most are fairly short so you could easily fit a few trails into a day or weekend trip.
Need to Know
You must purchase a pass to visit Acadia National Park.
- Private Vehicle Passes cost $30 and are valid for 7 consecutive days.
- Motorcycle Passes cost $25 and are valid for 7 consecutive days.
- Individual Passes (for pedestrians or cyclists) cost $15 and are valid for 7 consecutive days.
- Acadia Annual Passes cost $55 and are valid for 12 months.
- The Interagency Pass costs $80 and is valid for 12 months for entrance to all federal recreation lands.
- The Annual Senior Pass costs $20 and the Lifetime Senior Pass costs $80.
More information can be found here + you can also purchase and print your pass from this site.
2020 Updates: For October 1-18, 2020, additional vehicle reservations are required for entrance to Cadillac Summit Road and the Sand Beach Entrance. Timed entrance passes can be purchased from Recreation.gov for $2.
The Island Explorer buses are postponed indefinitely and campgrounds are closed for the season. Check the website for any additional alerts and current conditions.
The 5 Best Hiking Trails in Acadia National Park
Beehive Loop Trail
Distance: 1.4 miles round trip
Trailhead: Use the Bowl Trail access across from the Sand Beach
If you are looking for a challenge, The Beehive is a great option. As you follow the trail, you will climb rungs and ladders to reach the summit. At points, you will walk on a precipice so be prepared if you (like me) have a fear of heights. This is one of the most popular trails so it can get a bit busy and backed up. There isn’t a great place to pass people, so you might end up waiting on the ledge for a bit as the trail clears.
This trail offers an incredible view of Sand Beach and the surrounding mountains. I visited during October and enjoyed spectacular autumn colors during the climb.
Bubbles Trail
Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Trailhead: Bubbles Divide parking lot (This is a pretty small lot and fills up quickly. Plan to arrive early or look for parking along the main road).
This is a short and sweet trail that offers sweeping views of Jordan Pond and leafy mountains. Unfortunately during my hike, it was very foggy so I didn’t get to see much of the view. But I loved the actual hike so much that it still makes my list of the best hiking trails in Acadia National Park.
During the hike, you will reach a divide where you can break off for North Bubble. After doing that short trail, you can come back to the divide and break off for the South Bubble. You will then return to the junction and make your way to the parking lot. The hike is not too strenuous and you don’t need a Sand Beach Entrance reservation to reach this trailhead.
Ocean Path
Distance: 4.4 miles round trip
Trailhead: Sand Beach
If you want a flat, scenic path that gives you the best of Acadia- this is it! Ocean Path travels from Sand Beach to Otter Point. Along the way you will enjoy views of rugged coastline. About 0.7 miles from Sand Beach you will reach the iconic Thunder Hole.
You can easily decide to turn around before reaching Otter Point if you don’t want to hike 4 miles. There are also plenty of spots to depart from the trail and sit on a cliff and take in the scenery.
Jordan Pond Path
Distance: 3.3 mile loop
Trailhead: Jordan Pond House boat launch
This is such a classic trail that gives you some of the best views in Acadia. As you follow the flat path around the pond, you’ll see the Bubbles which I recommended earlier in this list. If you hike in October, there should be tons of fall foliage during your hike.
The trail starts near the Jordan Pond House where you can visit a gift shop or stop by the bathrooms. Plus, the Pond House is where you can try the famous popovers. There will probably be a line but it went quickly and the pastries were worth the wait.
Gorham Mountain Trail
Distance: 3.5 miles round trip
Trailhead: Gorham Mountain parking lot (this is near Thunder Hole)
Gorham Mountain was a surprisingly great trail. I didn’t see it on a ton of lists so I almost didn’t add it to my trip. But we were looking for an additional hike to add to the Ocean Path trail, and Gorham Mountain was perfect. We walked from Sand Beach to the Gorham Mountain trail, hiked the trial, then continued on Ocean Path trail to Otter Point. You absolutely don’t have to do this but if you are looking for a longer hike, this is a nice option.
The Gorham Mountain trail offers a stunning view of the coastline. During the hike you can also opt to follow the Cadillac Cliffs section to climb on rocks and use rungs and ladders. This is optional and doesn’t add any distance- it is just a slightly harder part of the trail.
Extra Time?
Finished exploring the hiking trails in Acadia National Park and looking for more? Here are a few of my favorite non-hiking options:
- Bike the Carriage Roads– Rent bikes from a shop in Bar Harbor (there are a few options) and bring them to the Carriage Roads for a fun adventure. You can start a loop trail from the Jordan Pond House.
- Picnic at Joran Pond House– Order the famous popovers (which has been a tradition in this park since 1893) and find a spot on the grass to take in the view while you eat.
- Explore Bar Harbor– Head into the nearby town for some shopping or dining. There’s tons to do so wander and enjoy!
I hope you enjoyed this guide about the best hiking trails in Acadia National Park. Do you have a favorite that I left off the list? Let me know below!
Looking for more? Check out this post:
7 Places to See in Acadia National Park
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