Land of Liberty Explorers

Our post about our ten favorite hikes in Acadia National Park is one of our most popular, but with so many great trails we couldn’t limit ourselves to only ten. Here are ten more great Acadia hikes:

10. Cedar Swamp Mountain – The hike to the top of Cedar Swamp Mountain begins and the Brown Mountain Gatehouse and follows the Carriage Road to the well marked trail up the mountain. Once at the top, a somewhat hidden path leads down to the site of a 1970 plane crash. Retired Air Force Captain Robert McGaunn was delivering a plane from Boston Logan Airport to Newfoundland, but crashed on Cedar Swamp Mountain. Plenty of wreckage remains at the site which serves a an informal memorial to Captain McGaunn. There are several options of paths back down to the Carriage Road. We chose the Amphitheater Trail so we could hike see one of our favorite Rockefeller bridges. The Amphitheater Trail is a more challenging route than the regular trail to to top of Cedar Swamp Mountain.

9. Flying Mountain Trail – At only 284 feet, Flying Mountain is the shortest of Acadia’s named peaks, but it provides lovely views of Somes Sound and the Cranberry Islands. The trail to the top is moderately strenuous and uphill, but only about a mile and a half round trip. It can be combined with the Valley Cove trail for a longer hike.

8. Jessup Path – No need for a car to reach this classic Acadia path from Bar Harbor. Follow the Great Meadow Loop into the park to Jessup Path – a wheel chair accessible boardwalk through Acadia’s dense green forest. Jessup Path leads to the Wild Gardens of Acadia. It is a favorite for fall foliage seekers.

7. Mansell Mountain – There are multiple trails to the top of the quiet side’s Mansell Mountain. We hiked up the Perpendicular Trail and back down the Razorback Trail. The Perpendicular Trail features nicely laid stone stairs and the Razorback Trail offers fun rock scrambling. The hike is about 4 miles to complete the loop.

6. Schoodic Head Trail – Located across Frenchman Bay on Schoodic Peninsula, the Schoodic Head trail reaches the highest point in the Schoodic section of Acadia. Combine the Schoodic Head Trail with the Alder Trail and the Anvil Trail for a moderate 2.5 mile loop hike.

5. Beech Mountain – This classic quiet side trail starts in the forest and works it way up the Beech Mountain’s fire tower. The tower is usually closed, but hikers can ascend the first set of stairs to the landing for views out to the ocean. The trail is a 1.25 mile loop, but can be combined with the Valley Trail to make it s total 2 of two miles.

4. Jordan Pond Path – This 3.5 mile path is mostly flat and loops around one of the most popular spots in Acadia National Park – Jordan Pond! This is a great trail for the whole family! Wooden boardwalks wind their way along most of the path. Short spur trails along the way lead to views of the Deer Brook Bridge and Jordan Pond Bridge. Our most memorable trip around this loop featured a pair of playful loons on north end of Jordan Pond.

3. Beech Cliffs Trail – This two mile loop features exposed cliffs and fun ladders to reach views of Echo Lake. We enjoyed this hike during the fall for spectacular colors in the valley below. Note that while this hike does not reach the summit of Beech Mountain. The closes between March and August for Peregrin falcon nesting. In total, the hike is about 2 miles.

2. Compass Harbor – At less than a mile round trip, the Compass Harbor Trail is a peaceful path through the forest to lovely rocky shores with views of the Porcupine Islands. The trail crosses the Old Farm, which was George B. Dorr’s estate. Dorr is considered the Father of Acadia. He was responsible for acquiring land for the park through donations and served as the park’s first superintendent. Unfortunately his beautiful cottage was lost in the great fire of 1947, but the foundation remains. Compass Harbor was once considered a “secret spot” among Bar Harbor’s innkeepers, but it has made its way into multiple travel guides before this one and the National Park Service is now featuring it on the Acadia website, so we decided to add it here as well.

1. Bald Peak, Parkman Mountain, and Gilmore Peak – bag three lesser Acadia peaks on this fun quiet side hike! From the Parkman Mountain or Norumbega Mountain parking areas follow the markers and cairns up Bald Peak. Once you’ve ascended above the tree line it is easy to see why this peak is called “Bald.” A short descent followed by a moderate climb leads to the top of Parkman Mountain. Once atop Parkman Mountain, find the Gradient Trail to make your way to Gilmore Peak. The Gradient Trail is a bit steeper and more challenging than the paths to the top of Bald Peak or Parkman Mountain. We like returning to the parking area via the Maple Spring Trail – Hemlock Bridge and Waterfall Bridge can be easily added to this hike as well. All in all it is about a 4 mile hike.