8 Best Sights in Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island, Maine

Most of this 2.2-mile path parallels the Ocean Drive section of Park Loop Road from Sand Beach to Otter Point. It has some of the best scenery in Maine: cliffs and slabs of pink granite at the ocean's edge, twisted branches of dwarf jack pines, and ocean views that stretch to the horizon. The round trip (4.4 miles) allows you to soak it all up from different vantages, though many visitors stroll it a bit while making scenic stops by car or Island Explorer bus. From Sand Beach to Thunder Hole (0.7 miles), Ocean Path is an easy walk on concrete and packed gravel; it gets rougher as you continue and there are stairs at Otter Point. Save time to stop at Thunder Hole, where waves thrash through a narrow opening in the granite cliffs, into a sea cave, and whoosh up and out. Steps lead down to the water to watch the action up close. Use caution as you descend (access may be limited due to storms), and if you venture onto the cliffs along this walk. On a sunny day, lounging on the smooth, massive ledges is utter delight. Moderate.

Popular with birders, the Alder trail heads inland, passing fruit trees and alder bushes on an easy 1.2-mile out-and-back hike, but many hit the grassy path as part of a near-loop with the challenging 1.1-mile Anvil Trail. Trailheads for both are near the Blueberry Hill parking area on the loop road; you must cross the road to get to them. Steep and heavily rooted in sections as it climbs Schoodic Head, Anvil requires lots of rock climbing but rewards with wonderful water and island views from the rock knob overlook (side trail) for which it's named. After connecting with Schoodic Head Trail from Alder or Anvil, it's not far to the top of Schoodic Head, where expansive views of the surrounding seascape and landscape await.

Offering one of Acadia National Park’s more unique experiences, Bar Island is only accessible by foot during a three-hour window when low tide exposes a ½-mile bar of sand, gravel, and rock connecting Bar Island to downtown Bar Harbor. If you forget to check the tide charts during the busy season, a stream of folks heading down Bridge Street from the West Street Historic District will let you know it's time to head over. But always make sure to check the tide charts before setting out, because once covered by rising tidal waters it’ll be another nine hours before the land bridge is again exposed. The entire Bar Island trail offers an easy 1.9-mile round-trip hike; on the island you can enjoy views of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay and check out ruins of old homes. Easy.

One of Acadia National Park's renowned iron rung and ladder trails, this popular, super challenging 1.4-mile loop ascends a 450-foot cliff. Hikers celebrate at the summit 250 feet above sea level with views of Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and the Gulf of Maine beyond the Ocean Drive section of Park Loop Road. To get there, they hike up steep granite staircases, scramble rocks, and grasp iron rungs and ladders. There's even a section where you step on iron bars, not solid ground. Yes, it's much easier going down—no more rungs, ladders, or bars. If you have a fear of heights, fear not: from Sand Beach you can watch those who don't on the Beehive.   Wear sturdy footwear; the trail is dangerous when wet. Difficult.

The mostly exposed 4.4-mile round-trip summit hike rewards with expansive views of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula for much of the way. The trail is worth undertaking at either sunrise or sunset (or both!). Parking can be limited, especially in high season, so park officials recommend taking the Island Explorer bus for access via a 0.1-mile section of the Kebo Brook Trail. Moderate.

Just beyond Bar Harbor proper, this easy-to-moderate 0.8-mile round-trip trail through woods to the rocky shore passes through land that belonged to George B. Dorr—Acadia National Park’s first superintendent and a key player in its creation. Views extend to Ironbound Island across Frenchman Bay, and you can check out remnants of Dorr's estate, including the manor house's foundation, remains of a saltwater pool, stone steps to the ocean, and old gardens and apple trees. There's parking, but it's only about 1½ miles by sidewalk from downtown on Main Street/Route 3. There are historic markers along the way; coming or going, you can connect with the Bar Harbor Shore Path via a side street. Check if the Shore Path has fully reopened after major storm damage in 2024. Moderate.

Family-friendly Wonderland Trail, a 1.4-mile round trip, follows an old fire road through spruce forest and leads to rocky coast with nice tide-pooling at low tide. The nearby Ship Harbor Trail also draws families. Easy.    A portion of Route 102A (Seawall Road) was temporarily closed after 2024's winter storms. While repairs should be complete, if the loop road is closed, access it from its southern terminus with Route 102 in Bass Harbor, not its northern terminus in Manset. Watch for signs.