Hike – Champlain Mountain, Huguenot Head, Beachcroft Trail, Champlain North Ridge Trail

The Thrumcap as seen from Champlain Mountain

This post describes a loop hike that traverses Champlain Mountain from west to north, with a walk back along part of the Park Loop Road.  In my opinion, on a clear, sunny day there is no better place to be in Acadia National Park than atop Champlain Mountain with its views of the ocean and surrounding area.

Hike – Four Summits, Bald Peak, Parkman Mountain, Gilmore Peak, and Sargent Mountain via Hadlock Brook Trail, Bald Peak Trail, Bald-Parkman Connector, Parkman Mountain Trail, Grandgent Trail, Sargent South Ridge Trail, Maple Spring Trail

The first three peaks summited (all in foreground)

This post describes a loop hike that summits four of the mountains west of Jordan Pond, including Sargent Mountain (the second highest peak in Acadia National Park), and then ends with a beautiful walk alongside a stream.

Directions: Take Routes 3 and 198 north out of Northeast Harbor.  Just after passing the end of Upper Hadlock Pond, which will be on the right, there will be a small parking area on the left off the side of the road.  Since this is the trailhead for several trails to Parkman Mountain, Bald Peak, Norumbega Mountain, and others, there may be cars also lined up along the side of the road.  The trailhead for this hike is across the highway from the north end of the lot.  Take care crossing since traffic will be going fast.

Hike – Norumbega Mountain, Goat Trail, Norumbega Mountain Trail, Hadlock Ponds Trail, Norumbega Connector

View from the summit of Norumbega Mountain

This post describes a loop hike that traverses Norumbega Mountain, which hugs the east side of Somes Sound in Acadia National Park.  This hike provides a physical challenge at the start, and varied conditions along the way, but the views are in short supply compared to other mountains in the park.

Directions: Take Routes 3 and 198 north out of Northeast Harbor.  Just after passing the end of Upper Hadlock Pond, which will be on the right, there will be a small parking area on the left off the side of the road.  Since this is also the trailhead for several trails to Parkman Mountain, Bald Peak, and others, there may be cars also lined up along the side of the road.  The trailhead for Norumbega is on the same side as the parking, at the north end of the lot.

The hike starts on The Goat Trail.  You will soon see that it is aptly named.  It rises 600 feet in a quarter of a mile.  In fact, almost all the elevation gain for this part of the hike is achieved in just this short starting section.  If you are part mountain goat it will help you to get up over the many steps and switchbacks.  In fact, at one point I passed a mountain goat that had stopped and was sucking wind.

Hike – Cadillac Mountain Summit to Summit Loop Hike Using the South Ridge Trail, Canon Brook Trail, A. Murray Young Trail, and Gorge Path

Looking southwest from Cadillac Mountain

There are four major ways to summit Cadillac Mountain on foot.  I have done all of them and you can find my posts for them here: North Ridge Trail, South Ridge Trail, West Face Trail, Gorge Path (east approach).  They all have one thing in common: they start at a lower elevation, summit Cadillac, then eventually return to their start.  Cadillac Mountain has an auto road to the top of it, so I decided to take advantage of that to do a different kind of hike.  For this one I would start at the summit of Cadillac, descend on the South Ridge Trail, loop back up between Cadillac and Dorr Mountain on the Canon Brook and A. Murray Young Trails, then return to the summit of Cadillac on the Gorge Path.

Hike – Pemetic Mountain, East Cliff Trail, Pemetic Northwest Trail, Jordan Pond Carry Trail, Jordan Pond Trail

The Bubbles as seen from the start of this hike

There are many trails that start from the Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park in Maine.  This post describes one of the more popular ones.  It is a loop hike starting and ending at the Jordan Pond House that will traverse Pemetic Mountain from southeast to northwest then return along the shores of Jordan Pond.



Hike – St. Sauveur Mountain, Valley Peak (St. Sauveur Trail, Valley Peak Trail, East Face Trail, Man O’War Brook Fire Road)

Somes Sound as seen from St. Sauveur Mountain

How would you like to get away from some of the crowds in Acadia National Park, but still do a hike that gives you great views?  The “quiet side” (west side) of Mount Desert Island features several hikes like this.  Today’s post is about hiking the trails on St. Sauveur Mountain.  It can be done from two different starting points and I will describe both.  Each is a loop hike, so only one vehicle is needed.

Hike – The Triad, Day Mountain, Hunters Beach (Hunters Brook Trail, Triad Trail, Day Mountain Trail, Lower Day Mountain Trail, Hunters Cliff Trail, Hunters Beach Trail)

View from trail between Hunters Cliff and Hunters Beach

How would you like to get away from most of the crowds in Acadia National Park, but still do a hike that combines walking alongside a gentle stream, two traverses of smaller mountains, enjoying the view from cliffs right over the ocean, and a walk along a secluded beach?  This post describes such a hike.  It is a loop hike, so only one vehicle is needed.  If you do not want to do the entire hike, I will mention a few places where you can cut it short.

Hike – Sargent Mountain and Penobscot Mountain (Deer Brook Trail, East Cliffs Trail, Sargent South Ridge Trail, Penobscot Mountain Trail)

Jordan Pond as seen from the northern shore

Many people who visit Acadia National Park in Maine either drive or hike to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, which is the highest mountain in the park.  The second highest mountain, however, is almost unvisited in comparison.  That is Sargent Mountain.  It can only be reached by hiking, and even then it’s not straightforward.  On its southeastern shoulder is Penobscot Mountain.  This post describes a loop hike that traverses Sargent Mountain and summits Penobscot Mountain. 

Hike – Schoodic Peninsula Park Loop Road and All Trails on Schoodic Head (Anvil Trail, East Trail, Alder Trail, Schoodic Head Trail)

Plaque describing how Schoodic Peninsula became public

Many people who visit Acadia National Park in Maine never leave Mount Desert Island where the largest part of the park is located.  These people are missing out.  There are also sections of the park on Schoodic Peninsula and on Isle au Haut.  Schoodic Peninsula is the land you can see across Frenchman Bay from Bar Harbor.  It is easy to get to and I will be describing all four hiking trails located there, as well as the drive on the one-way park loop road that is located there.

Hike – Mount Battie, Megunticook Mountain, and Maiden Cliff

Cross overlooking Megunticook Lake at Maiden Cliff

Mount Battie and Megunticook Mountain are located in Camden Hills State Park in Camden, Maine.  They represent the finest coastal mountain hiking outside of Acadia National Park.  Maiden Cliff is just outside of the park and overlooks Megunticook Lake.  This post is a supplement to my original Mt. Battie and Megunticook Mountain post.  It covers the same start, but also includes a complete traverse of Megunticook Mountain all the way to Maiden Cliff.

Hike – Cadillac Mountain Gorge Path (east approach), Dorr Mountain West Trail, North Ridge Trail, Hemlock Trail

East side of Cadillac as seen from the west side of Dorr

Cadillac Mountain is the highest point in Acadia National Park in Maine.  It is also the highest mountain on the Atlantic Ocean anywhere north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  In the Fall and Winter it is the first place in the U.S. that sees the sunrise.  It has a free auto road that allows people to drive right to the top.  It also has multiple hiking trails to the summit.  Some are more challenging than others.  This post describes a hike up the Gorge Path on the east side of the mountain, the second most difficult way to ascend.  It then includes a west to north traverse of Dorr Mountain just to the west, then a loop back to the starting point via the Hemlock Trail. 

Hike – Shore Path

Looking towards Bar Island on The Shore Path

Some folks like getting away from all the people on the streets of downtown Bar Harbor by taking a walk along The Shore Path.  This path has existed for more than 130 years so that “genteel folks” could enjoy themselves.  This post describes a loop that will also take you through the main street of Bar Harbor (which most everyone walks anyway.)

Hike – Acadia Mountain, Flying Mountain, Man O’War Brook, Somes Sound, Valley Cove

Somes Sound from the summit of Acadia Mountain

The east side of Mount Desert Island is the part that most people think of in regards to Acadia National Park.  The west side, or the “quiet side” as some people call it, provides a number of opportunities for hiking in the park, and without the crowds that can sometimes be a part of the popular hikes to the east.

This post describes a traverse of Acadia Mountain, a side trip to Man O’War Brook, a hike along the edge of Somes Sound on the Valley Cove Trail, and a traverse of Flying Mountain.  Although I usually do loop hikes back to my vehicle, I did not on this one.  I will explain below.

Hike – South Bubble, Bubble Rock, North Bubble, Conner’s Nubble, Eagle Lake

The Bubbles rising over Jordan Pond

The Bubbles are perhaps the two most photographed mountains in Acadia National Park.  Everyone seems to stop at the Jordan Pond House and when they walk down in back of it the two mountains dominate the view across Jordan Pond.  Some people hike to the top of the nearer one from this point, but there is a better way to do it. 

This post describes a loop hike up to Bubble Rock and the summit of South Bubble, then a traverse of North Bubble, then a traverse of Connor’s Nubble, then a walk along the shore of Eagle Lake, then finally a loop back to the start.  This is a hike that can be split into multiple pieces so that you can make it a length that is comfortable for you.

Grafton Notch Sightseeing

Grafton Notch is located in western Maine, near the border with New Hampshire.  For those people not familiar with the upper Appalachian Mountain chain, “notches” are thin valleys between mountains.  Roads have been built through them, but the notches were never turned into farmland.  What the notches do have in abundance are scenic views.

Grafton Notch spans the towns of Upton, Grafton Township, and Newry.  Grafton Notch State Park is located in the notch.  There is also a Preserve located about a mile south of the park.  Sunday River Ski Area and Golf Club are on mountains at the southern end of the notch.  The Appalachian Trail also passes over the mountains on either side of the notch.  Finally, there is a 35 mile long loop trail that passes over all the major mountains that surround the notch.

There are many sights to see.  The best known is Screw Auger Falls.  This is a waterfall that turns almost like a screw.  Other things to see in the state park are Mother Walker Falls, Moose Cave, and the view from Table Rock.  In the Preserve is Step Falls, perhaps the most spectacular waterfall in the state.

Of these five sights, only Table Rock is a true hike.  Step Falls requires maybe a half mile of walking, sometimes uphill over roots.  The other three are very near the road and require little walking.  No hiking trails connect them; you drive short distances from one to the next.

If you are coming from the south: take Route 2 north out of Bethel, Maine.  About five miles from town Route 26 will separate off to the left.  Take it.  In about six miles you reach the state park.

If you are coming from the east: take Route 2 southwest out of Rumford, Maine.  About 10 miles out of town Route 26 will separate off to the right.  Take it.  In about six miles you reach the state park.

If you are coming from the west (except northern New Hampshire): take Route 2 east out of Gorham, New Hampshire, cross into Maine, and drive to Bethel.  Stay on Route 2 north out of Bethel.  About five miles from town Route 26 will separate off to the left.  Take it.  In about six miles you reach the state park.

If you are coming from northern New Hampshire: take Route 26 southeast out of Errol, New Hampshire, cross into Maine, and in about 5 miles you reach the state park.  Note: Since most visitors will be coming north up Route 26 the order of the posts is from south to north as they would encounter them.  You would encounter them in the reverse order.

Here are posts that go into these five sights in more detail, including photos and videos:

Step Falls

Screw Auger Falls

Mother Walker Falls

Moose Cave

Table Rock

On to the hikes…

Hike – Step Falls

Step Falls

Step Falls is located in a Preserve just south of Grafton Notch State Park in Newry, Maine.  While it technically is not the highest waterfall in the state because it does not have a single unbroken drop, the cumulative drop is well over one hundred feet, with a good volume of water.

Hike – Screw Auger Falls

Screw Auger Falls

Screw Auger Falls is located in Grafton Notch State Park in Grafton Township, Maine.  It is a popular tourist attraction.  It features two waterfall drops that each turn away from the other, almost like a screw does.  There are good viewing areas and you can get right on top of the falls, too.

Hike – Mother Walker Falls

Mother Walker Falls

Mother Walker Falls is located in Grafton Notch State Park in Grafton Township, Maine.  It is a popular tourist attraction.  It features a gorge and a chute that force water downstream.  The falls themselves are now somewhat obscured by trees that have grown up in front of the viewing area.  It is still worth stopping if you are in the park, though.

Hike – Moose Cave

Moose Cave is located in Grafton Notch State Park in Grafton Township, Maine.  It is a popular tourist attraction.  It features a set of walkways that lead you to massive granite boulders that have broken off the cliff side, forming a “cave” and a chute of water.  It gets its name from a moose that fell into the water here.

Hike – Table Rock

Looking south from Table Rock

Table Rock is located in Grafton Notch State Park in Grafton Township, Maine.  It is a popular hiking attraction.  It is a flat rock that extends out off a cliff and features more than 180 degree views of the notch.  The following post describes a loop hike up the Appalachian Trail, then over to Table Rock, then down the Table Rock trail.