Top 9 Hikes In Acadia National Park, USA

hiking in acadia national park
Jayric
Jayric 
Published
| 5 min read

The Acadia National Park is an American national park primarily used to preserve the rocky headlands and the Atlantic coastline in the area. Acadia National Park is a well-known place for hikers, trekkers, bikers, and photographers for its abundance of trails and beautiful sceneries. Top tourist attraction of the area is the Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Somes Sound, and Abbe Museum at Sieur de Mont Spring. There is so much happening in the park that a few days in the area would only highlight what Acadia National Park is about. With proper information and planning, visitors will find a way to get the most out of the park in just a couple of days.

Hiking is one of the biggest activities in Acadia National Park. There are a lot of trails to choose from in the park. With such a variety of trails, it is ultimately up to you to determine which is the best for you. To help you plan for your visit, below a list of the top hikes in Acadia National Park, USA.

1. Precipice Trail


A 1.3-kilometer (0.8-mile) trail proving to be difficult to hike, Precipice Trail is suited for hikers looking for a challenge. The trail is not to be taken lightly, hikers who are afraid of height and not capable of climbing are not suited for this trail. The terrain is characterized as uneven, has large inclines with little declines, some areas being potentially hazardous, and areas steep enough to be climbed. Elevation starts at 37 meters (121 feet) above sea level peaking at 318 meters (1,043 feet), with ascents going upward of 290 meters (951 feet) and descents as low as 8 meters (26 feet). Although a difficult trail to hike, the Precipice trail does reward hikers with better views and more enjoyable terrain than many other trails in the area.

Precipice Trail

Address: Precipice Trail, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States

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2. Beehive Trail


Beehive Trail is a 0.9-kilometer (0.56-mile) trail that is suited for people who are comfortable with heights and narrow paths. It has been known to be the most popular hiking trail in the entirety of Maine. The terrain is mostly inclining, have obstacles to be climbed, and have potentially hazardous area throughout the hike. Base elevation would be at 55 (180 feet) meters above sea level which peaks at 161 meters (528 feet), and ascents as high as 117 (384 feet) meters and descents as low as 45 (147 feet) meters. The trail is well-maintained, has signages, and has metal rungs to support hikers thought the experience. Hikers taking the trail are rewarded with beautiful views of the coast of Acadia National Park.

Beehive Trail

Address: Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States

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3. Ship Harbor Nature Trail

hiking in acadia national park | ship harbor nature trail
Source: instagram

A flat 2.3-kilometer (1.4-mile) hiking trail comprising of small declines and inclines, Ship Harbor Nature Trail is one of the best places for people who are looking for an easy hike to get healthier and have close up views of the coasts of Acadia National Park. The terrain is identified to be fairly flat throughout, only have small rocks and roots as obstacles, and safe enough for anyone to hike. Elevations go as low as 3 meters (9 feet) above sea level peaking at 13 meters (42 feet), and ascents going up 19 meters (62 feet) and descents as low as -19 meters (-62 feet). The trail makes up a figure-eight shape, almost half of the hike will be spent walking the coastlines and rocky shores where hikers can see the tides, boats, and even free blueberries along the trail!

Ship Harbor Nature Trail

Address: Southwest Harbor, ME 04679, United States

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4. The Bowl Trail


The Bowl Trail is a 1.1-kilometer (0.68-mile) trail that has good amounts of inclines and slight declines. Taking the trail will reward hikers with beautiful views of the coastlines, the peninsula, and a nice pond to dip your feet at the end of the trail. The elevation starts at 21 meters (68 feet) above sea level peaking at 131 meters (429 feet), witch ascents up to 110 meters (360 feet) and descents as low as -2 meter (-6 feet) only. Along the trail, hikers will pass through the forest, the Beehive Trailhead, the Kief Pond, and the Gorham Mountain.

The Bowl Trail

Address: Dammeron Valley, UT 84783, United States

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5. Ocean Path Trail


Ocean Path Trail is a 3.4-kilometer (2.11-mile) trail that has a fairly flat terrain throughout. Hikers will walk though the coastlines for the entire hikes and are even allowed to take their dogs with them leashed. The base elevation is at 9 meters (29 feet) above sea level peaking at 32 meters (105 feet), with ascents of up to 50 meters (164 feet) and descents as low as -50 meters (-164 feet). Hikers taking the trail will enjoy the beautiful views of Acadia National Park’s coastlines, many wildflowers, large pine trees surrounding the area, and the fresh breeze throughout the hike.

Ocean Path Trail

Address: Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States

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6. Bubble Rock


The Bubble Rock Trail is a 1.9-kilometer (0.6-mile) trail that has some fair amount of inclines and declines, rocky and uneven terrain, and beautiful views of the lake and coastlines of Acadia National Park. Elevation starts at 144 meters (472 feet) above sea level peaking at 228 meters (748 feet), with ascents up to 88 meters (289 feet) and descents as low as -88 meters(-289 feet). The trail is one of the most popular family hiking trails as it offers a stable terrain that goes continually, flat, or down, has great views, and allows dogs on a leash to join the hike.

Bubble Rock

Address: Park Loop Rd, Mt Desert, ME 04660, United States

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7. Jordan Pond Path


The Jordan Path is a 5.5-kilometer (3.4-mile) trail with flat terrain and a path that adheres to edges of the Jordan Pond. Hikers get to take in the fresh air and beautiful views of the Jordan Pond, as well as the rich flora and fauna of the area. Elevation starts as 88 meters (288 feet) above sea level and peaks at 83 meters (272 feet), with ascents up to 9 meters (29 feet) and descents as low as -9 meters(-29 feet). The trail loops around the Jordan Pond so hikers could potentially keep hiking until they want. Pet dogs on a leash are also allowed on the hike, great for enhancing a family hiking experience.

Jordan Pond Path

Address: Seal Harbor, ME 04675, United States

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8. Canon Brook Trail


The Canon Brook Trail is a difficult terrain spanning approximately 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles) with a continuous incline before getting close to the destination. Elevation starts at 304 meters (997 feet) above sea level peaking at 38 meters (124 feet), with an almost continuous ascent of 271 meters (889 feet) and descent of -209 meters(-686 feet). Hikers walking the trail will view the waterfall, wildflowers, wildlife, the lake, and springs.

Canon Brook Trail

Address: Otter Creek Rd, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, United States

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9. Flying Mountain Trailhead


Flying Mountain Trail is a 1.5-kilometer (0.9-mile) trail with a balanced amount of inclines, declines, and flat terrains. For the majority of the hike, hikers will enjoy the covering of dense pine trees while having great views of the waterfall, the mountain, and the sea. Elevation starts at 9 meters (29 feet) above sea level peaking at 81 meters (265 feet), having ascents up 72 meters (236 feet) and -76 meters (-249 feet) of descents. The Flying Mountain Trail is a great trail for families together with their pet dogs.

Flying Mountain Trailhead

Address: 96 Fernald Point Rd, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679, United States

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A trail for everykind of hiker

Acadia National Park, Jordan Pond
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Niagara66 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Acadia National Park has a variety of trails that will fit many different hikers. There are differences in terms of the views you getting out of the trail, inclines, declines, obstacles, length of the trail, possible hazards, the general difficulty, and if its pet-friendly or not. The list provided above aims to give some information about the trail to help you decide whether the trail is worth hiking.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Jayric, a young man in his early twenties, possesses a passion for tech, philosophy, and the arts. He's currently engrossed in personal projects, occasionally indulging in writing on the side, and...Read more

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