Acadia Mountain
When I first moved to Trenton (that town right off Mount Desert Island), I was pretty enchanted with all of Acadia National Park.
That never stopped.
But one of the mountains that also stays super special to me is Acadia.
It doesn’t have the sex appeal of Cadillac or the bragging rights of the Precipice or even Beehive. It doesn’t have the forever steps of some of the trails up Dorr.
What it does have?
It has 681 feet of magic.
It’s adorable. It’s the kind of mountain that three years olds with no fear scramble up and feel super proud afterward. It’s the kind of mountain that makes people love hiking. The rocky slopes aren’t too easy at all. There are trees for when you get too hot. There’s a view of the Sound when you get to the top.
There are rock staircases.
There is usually parking on Route 102 at the trailhead. That trailhead starts off a bit steep. There are rocks. The surface is uneven.
But there are pitch pines and those trees? They make it easy to believe that there are magical creatures hidden behind their twisty limbs or that the deer are enchanted. The ferns come next, dancing under forest of coniferous and deciduous trees: mostly white pines and balsam fir.
At the first intersection, you want to go left toward Acadia Mountain. Right takes you to St. Sauveur Mountain instead. This is also fun.
Depending on the season and the rainfall, you’ll likely encounter a small brook, babbling about life, and then you’ll cross the gravel road that is actually the Man O’ War Brook Fire Road.
You can not drive a car on this road, but you can walk or job or gallivant. If you want to, you can skip the mountain and follow it for a mile or so and see a tiny waterfall and peek at Somes Sound.
But if you choose to go up the mountain, a different kind of magic awaits.
Most of the way up Acadia is tree-covered. Don’t let that stop you. There’s something really lovely about the tree cover, the way the wind whistles through those twisty tree branches, the way the sun dapples in.
At the top? That’s where the view is. You can see Somes Sound to the south. That body of water divides Mount Desert Island into two sides. And then there is the Atlantic Ocean hosting the Cranberry Isles and more.
There are steep bits. If you have a weak knee? Wear your brace. If it’s warm? Bring water. And let someone know where you’re headed, okay?
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
TO GET THERE BY CAR/BIKE
For Acadia Mountain, Ikes Point, and Echo Lake Beach, continue south on Maine Route 102 towards Southwest Harbor. Look for parking area signs along the road.
Accessibility Information
Acadia Mountain Loop is not accessible. According to the park, “The trails have uneven footing and short, steep sections requiring some scrambling throughout.
”There are no accessible restrooms at the trailhead, only a vault toilet.”
Pet Info!
According to the park, “Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet. It is not recommended for pets, since there is one iron rung and many steep sections.”
For More Info via the Park
https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-st-sauveur-acadia-mountain-loop.htm