Best Hikes in Acadia National Park: Easy to Difficult
Acadia National Park has some of the best hikes in the country. We’ve hiked many of the trails ourselves and found them to be challenging, unique and provided some outstanding views and scenery.
All of these hikes are relatively short that you can do within a couple of hours or a half day hike. We find that length is a sweet spot for a satisfying challenge while not tiring ourselves out too much and giving us the option to do multiple hikes in one day.
This guide is perfect for all skill levels with hikes ranging from easy to difficult so you can choose what is best for you. Below are our 10 favorite hikes in Acadia to enjoy all the park has to offer.
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Easy Hikes in Acadia National Park
Jordan Pond Path ~ 3.3 miles
Jordan Pond is more of a lake than a pond. It was fairly large and the trail that loops around the pond is an easy stroll. The path hugs the shoreline, so you get spectacular views the whole way around. The large boulders in the pond make for some gorgeous scenery. Most of the way provides some good shade and there’s some cute wooden paths along the way.
This path gets very busy since it is next to Jordan Pond House where you can get some amazing fresh popovers and a variety of other trails in the vicinity. The parking lot is a decent size, but depending on time of year or day you are visiting it can get busy. We were able to find a spot, but it was definitely full when we got there around 10 am.
Jesup and Hemlock Loop ~ 1.6 miles
A trail we decided to do because it was a rainy day ended up being one of our favorite hikes in Acadia. Many of Acadia’s hikes can be dangerous in the rain due to slippery, wet rocks so this is the perfect trail to enjoy the park in the rain. It’s worth heading over to on a beautiful day too.
This short loop weaves through white birch trees and marshy wetlands. You’ll travel over a wooden boardwalk that feels like you stepped into a different realm and is honestly a photographer’s dream. The other nice perk of this trail is that it is way less crowded than other trails in the park. There were a few other groups out, but we had it mostly to ourselves about mid-morning. There’s no parking lot here, just some off street parking. However, since it’s not as trafficked you likely won’t have any issues finding a spot.
Ocean Path Trail ~ 4.1 miles
This was probably the most disappointing hike we did while in Acadia, but still offers some great scenic viewpoints. This flat path follows the ocean shoreline, but you often can’t see the ocean from the path and Park Loop Road is right next to you. Hence why we were a bit disappointed, but there are many offshoots that take you to some pretty cool sights, so it is still worth it in our opinion.
One of the standout features is Thunder Hole, an inlet right next to the ocean and some rocky cliffs that create a thunderous sound. You have to time it just right though. It’s recommended to visit 1-2 hours before high tide for your best chance, but you also won’t be the only ones there vying for a listen.
There are also some really pretty beaches and overlooks along Ocean Path including Sand Beach, Boulder Beach and Otter Cliff Overlook.
There’s a parking lot at Sand Beach and along Park Loop Road. The lot gets busy, but we were able to park along the street without too much issue on a weekday morning. It’s probably much more difficult on weekends, so we’d recommend hitting the trails early to ensure you don’t encounter any issues with parking.
Moderate Hikes in Acadia National Park
Emery & Homans Path ~ 0.9 miles
Just past where the Jesup & Hemlock trails loop back you’ll find Emery Path. We took this trail on a whim because we wanted to lengthen our hike from the Jesup and Hemlock loop. It ended up being a fantastic trail. We were the only ones back there, so it was quite serene and the landscape was really cool and unique.
There’s lots of coverage from beautiful trees and stone steps that take you up to a lookout over a marshy wetland. It’s a really fun, short hike that loops back via the Homans path to the Jesup and Hemlock loop.
Gorham Mountain Loop ~ 3.1 miles
Gorham Mountain is a hike you can do stand alone or after the Beehive Trail (more on that, below). If you travel on to Gorham Mountain after Beehive you can loop back to your starting point at the end of the Gorham trail by taking Ocean Path.
Gorham Mountain is a great moderate hike with some good viewpoints over the ocean. It’s not as scenic as some of the other hikes, but we thoroughly enjoyed it. There’s also a fork in the trail we found really entertaining where you can challenge yourself a bit more with a bit of rock scrambling and walking through some rock tunnels. It’s a really short diversion that’s worth the extra effort in our opinion.
North Bubble & South Bubble Trails ~ 1 mile & 1.2 miles
We are putting North and South Bubble Trails together as they are often combined into one hike. These two trails are very popular, so you’ll likely be sharing the trail with others.
There is a very small parking lot at the trailhead, so if you aren’t able to park here we recommend driving a little further to the Jordan Pond parking lot. It’s much bigger, but also gets very busy so get there early.
If you take the trail up to South Bubble from Jordan Pond, be prepared for some climbing. This was definitely the most difficult section of the hike. You can bypass this by not making it a true loop and going directly up the Bubbles Divide trail from the Bubbles parking area and hitting up both Bubbles from there. There’s a bit of back tracking, but it will remove the most difficult part of the hike.
South Bubble has a great end with a larger boulder sitting on the edge of a cliff that looks like it could topple over at any moment. While North Bubble’s view is a panoramic view over Jordan Pond. Both are incredible views and worth every step!
Eagle Lake Trail & Eagle Lake Carriage Roads ~ 5 miles
You can get to Eagle Lake Trail via the Eagle Lake Carriage Roads. There are miles of carriage roads throughout Acadia where bikers traverse the park. We highly recommend renting a bike at some point and traveling some of these roads. It’s a great way to see the park.
However, if you want to hike around Eagle Lake there is a really cool trail at the Southern point of the lake. There’s a small parking lot across the road from Eagle Lake. Since many people bike here, the lot isn’t as heavily trafficked and we got a parking spot with no problem. You’ll share the carriage roads with the bikers and get some awesome views of the lake especially if you take the roads counter clockwise.
Once you get to Eagle Lake Trail the landscape changes and you’re surrounded by trees and boulders. It was a bit more challenging than we were anticipating with rock scrambles, but it ended up being really fun. Again we were the only ones on the trail, so it’s a great place to escape the crowds. There are a few offshoots where you can get closer to the lake, but most of it won’t be right next to the lake. You’ll exit on the opposite southern side of the lake and finish the loop of carriage road back to the parking lot.
Difficult Hikes in Acadia National Park
Beehive Trail ~ 1.6 miles
The Beehive Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Acadia and for good reason. Here you will be challenged with climbing up steel ladder rungs to reach your destination at the top. You can only take this trail counter clockwise, unless you want to bypass the ladders in which case you can definitely go clockwise to get to the views at the top and then return the way you came if you aren’t up for the challenge.
It honestly wasn’t as difficult as we were expecting, but make sure you are able to take on the feat. When we were there, someone had to be air lifted off the trail due to dislocating their hip. You’ll have to take some pretty large steps and climbs. But, you will be rewarded with some epic views over the ocean and on the loop back you will get to see the Bowl, a small lake near the midpoint of the hike.
This trail is definitely one you want to get to early. Otherwise be prepared to be waiting while those in front of you climb the rungs. It’s worth getting up early for and is one of our favorite hikes we’ve done.
Precipice Trail ~ 2.7 miles
Precipice Trail is like the Beehive Trail on steroids. You’ll have to navigate ladder rungs on exposed rock faces and be able to pull yourself up some steep sections. Definitely proceed with caution on this trail. You’re in for some very vertical climbs.
Just like Beehive this trail and parking lot gets very busy, so make sure you plan your day to get here early. Again you will be treated with spectacular views overlooking the ocean.
One thing to note with this trail is that it is usually closed from March to mid-August due to peregrine falcon nesting. So, if you are wanting to hike this trail then plan your trip for the fall. Which, in our humble opinion, is the best time to visit Acadia anyways!
Beech Cliff Ladder Trail ~ 1.6 miles
If you are looking for more trails like Beehive and Precipice, but want to avoid the crowds then Beech Cliff Ladder Trail is for you. It’s a bit further away from the main section of the park where many of the crowds congregate. If you are staying in Bar Harbor it’s about a 20 minute drive, so not too bad but definitely not as close as pretty much all the hikes on this list.
It’s a short hike with ladder rungs and rock scrambling that take you down to Echo Lake Beach. You’ll love it for the unique challenge, epic views and having a lot less people to share the trail with.
Final Thoughts
There are so many great hikes in Acadia that all offer their own unique challenges and views. Be mindful when choosing your hikes about the weather and your fitness level.
Don’t hike the difficult or even some of the moderate hikes if it’s raining. The iron rungs get very dangerous and the rocks become slippery. Choose what is best for you and your traveling companions. You won’t be disappointed in any of the hikes - we promise!
Happy hiking!
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