Acadia National Park is full of great hiking opportunities, but many of these hikes can be difficult because of the uneven terrain and seemingly endless rock scrambling. On my first day at Acadia, I hiked the Jordan Cliffs and my quads took such a beating that I changed my plans for my second day to focus on easy hikes just to give my legs a break.
So if you also gave your legs a tough workout or you just don’t want to do a lot of strenuous hiking, I put together a list of what I would consider to be easy hikes at Acadia National Park.
Top Easy Hikes at Acadia National Park
This list is focused on easy hikes at Acadia National Park, but I think before we can talk about the actual hikes, we have to talk about what constitutes an easy hike. Compared to other national parks, Acadia has fewer easy hikes. Yes they can be found (and there’s more than what’s on this list), but it felt harder to find the easy hikes here.
The reason for this is the terrain. Even though this is a list of easy hikes, every hike on this list has uneven ground and most include a tiny bit of rock scrambling. That said, that rock scrambling is pretty easy compared to many of the other hikes at Acadia, but you may still find yourself needing to use your hands for balance as you make your way over some boulders on these hikes.
While we may disagree on what an easy hike actually is, my goal is to give you as much information as you can to make plan out your trip.
As always, this list is in no particular order.
Wonderland Trail
The Wonderland Trail is a mostly flat trail that takes you out through a forest and to the rocky coastline at Acadia National Park. While the ground is a bit uneven, I’d still consider this an easy trail since it’s mostly flat. The trail itself isn’t too special but the views of the ocean are great and that makes it worth coming out here.
There is a “proper trail” that loops around, but if you are feeling adventurous, walk on the uneven rocks along the coast. I don’t know if I’d call it rock scrambling, but you will climb some rocks. Ironically after deciding I needed easier trails without rock scrambling, at the Wonderland Trail I found myself climbing the rocks without a care in the world. Though it might have been because the view was better from the rocks than from the trail.
The Wonderland Trail is located near Bass Harbor, so it’s away from the business of Park Loop Road. But don’t expect to have the trail to yourself. There were plenty of other visitors out on the trail, but it never felt crowded. Once you reach the coastline, there’s plenty of room to spread out.
Trail stats: 1.5 miles, 80 feet of elevation gain, 30 minutes
Ship Harbor Trail
Just a short distance away from the Wonderland Trail is the Ship Harbor Trail. Technically, you could probably connect the two if you did a combination of road walking and rock scrambling along the coast, but since this is a post about easy hikes at Acadia National Park, I’m listing these as separate trails.
The Ship Harbor Trail takes you through the forest and out to the coast. The Wonderland Trail was nice, but I preferred the Ship Harbor Trail. The views were better and more varied, which is something I always appreciate. Like at the Wonderland Trail, you will have the opportunity to climb on some rocks to get closer to the ocean, but this is completely optional.
I did find the Ship Harbor Trail to be slightly more difficult than the Wonderland Trail. There just seemed to be a bit more uneven ground, though it never became actual rock scrambling. I also passed people who were doing this hike in flip flops which is not what I would recommend for so many hikes at Acadia National Park.
Trail stats: 1.5 miles, 70 feet of elevation gain, 40 minutes
Jordan Pond Path
There are numerous hikes in the Jordan Pond area, but the easiest of these is the Jordan Pond Path. The pond is surrounded by mountains and there are trails leading up these mountains, but since this is focused on easy hikes at Acadia, we’re going to stick to the Jordan Pond Path.
The Jordan Pond Path circles the entirety of Jordan Pond and is mostly flat, making a pretty easy trail. In my opinion, it is worth because I think the views on the north side pond are better than the south side (where the parking lots are).
While I did hike part of the Jordan Pond Path, I didn’t hike the entire trail. I hiked the Jordan Cliffs which gave me a massive leg workout and then hiked up the South Bubble. Once I descended the South Bubble, I joined the Jordan Pond Path for the remainder of my hike back to the parking lot. There were a few small spots of uneven ground but compared to what I had hiked (specifically at the Jordan Cliffs), this was absolutely nothing.
It’s also worth noting that while I saw plenty of people on the Jordan Pond Path, there was hardly anyone at the Jordan Cliffs. If you want an easy hike in this area of Acadia National Park, make it the Jordan Pond Path.
Just a note, the Jordan Pond area is popular so don’t be surprised if you find it difficult to get a parking spot in one of the lots. I found one, but I lucked out because someone else was leaving just as I arrived.
For those wanting a relaxing hike with some nice mountain and lake (pond) views, add Jordan Pond to your list.
Trail stats: 3.3 miles, 60 feet of elevation gain
Flying Mountain
My next three trails straddle the line between easy and moderate. They all involve climbing up a mountain and have a tiny bit of rock scrambling. But compared to other trails at Acadia National Park, I’d still say these are easy (though one slides ever so slightly into a moderate hike if you take an optional detour).
Let’s talk about Flying Mountain which has a very tiny parking lot. Don’t be surprised if you need to park on the road because the lot is so small. From here, you’ll start climbing. In about 0.3 miles, you’ll gain nearly 300 feet of evolution, which makes up most of the climb for this trail. You’ll reach Flying Mountain and take in the views.
Now, you could turn around and head back the way you came, but keep going on the trail. There’s a little bit of up and down for the next 0.5 miles before you big descent back down. You’ll come to a beach near Valley Cove which makes a fantastic break spot. Bring a snack and enjoy the views. This is a fantastic place to sit and slow down. When you finally decide to leave, it’s another 0.6 miles of pretty uneventful trail back to the parking lot and the trailhead.
Flying Mountain was nice, but Valley Cove stole the show for me. It felt peaceful and the 20 minutes I spent here was the highlight of my hike.
Trail stats: 1.6 miles, 335 feet of elevation gain, 1 hour
Beech Mountain
There are a few ways to reach Beech Mountain but we’re going to focus on hiking the trail that departs from the trailhead at Beech Hill Road. This is the most efficient way to hike it, but since there are plenty of other trails in the area that you can connect to, you could make whatever kind of loop you want. Since this post is all about easy hikes at Acadia National Park, we’re going to focus on the most efficient route.
I hiked this trail in a loop. Soon after leaving the parking lot, you’ll need to make a decision: do you take the fork in the trail to the left or to the right. Both will get you to Beech Mountain, but I think there is a correct option if you want an easy hike.
If you head left and hike in a clockwise direction, you’ll have a 0.4 mile climb to the top of Beech Mountain. This is steeper than the 0.7 mile alternative, but I still recommend doing the steeper trail on the way up if you’re going to hike this as a loop. There’s a tiny bit of rock scrambling and I find it a lot easier to scramble on the way up versus the way down.
The other option is to take the 0.7 mile trail to the mountain and then retrace your steps back to the trailhead. This adds a bit of distance, but eliminates the most difficult section of this trail. No matter which route you take, you’ll need to be prepared for uneven ground.
From the top of Beech Mountain, you get views of the surrounding area. You can even climb the stairs to the first viewing platform of the fire tower for even more views. And don’t miss the views of Long Pond on the 0.7 mile stretch of trail.
Trail stats: 1.25 miles, 358 feet of elevation gain, 45 minutes
Valley Trail and Canada Cliff Loop
From the same parking lot as the Beech Mountain Trail, you can hike the Valley Trail and Canada Cliff Loop. This is a 1.7 mile loop that takes you along the Canada Cliffs without having to use the ladders and metal rungs to climb the cliffs.
At the advice of a comment in AllTrails, I chose to hike the trail counterclockwise. This meant that when I had to do my little bit of rock scrambling, I was scrambling up the trail, rather than down. I don’t think it makes a huge difference which direction you hike, but I’d still recommend counterclockwise.
Overall, this trail was nice, but it wasn’t my favorite. That said, I made a split second decision to include the Beech Cliffs Loop, which turned out to be my favorite section of the trail. This is the most rocky section and where the trail slides from easy into a moderate trail. However, like all of the trails on this list, it was nowhere near as difficult as other trails I hiked at Acadia National Park. Plus, my reward for adding this section of trail was the best views of the trail.
Trail stats: 1.7 miles, 233 feet of elevation gain, 1 hour
Ocean Path
I did not hike the Ocean Path and I’m hesitant to even include it on this list, but it is technically a hike that you could do. Like the name suggests, the Ocean Path follows along the ocean. You’ll walk along a designated pedestrian path that follows Park Loop Road from the Beehive Trail to the Otter Cliffs. This is an out and back, so if you don’t have a separate driver, you’ll have to retrace your steps.
The nice part about this trail is that you can hike as far as you want. If you don’t want to walk the whole four mile round trip, stop at one mile and turn around for a two mile round trip. It is completely up to you how far you walk.
So why did I skip the Ocean Path? The answer is simple: Ocean Path follows along Park Loop Road. Yes, you’ll be a bit closer to the ocean and get some views that are a bit harder to get from a vehicle, but you get more or less the same views by driving. With so much else to do at Acadia National Park, I’d be hesitant to spend your time on the Ocean Path.
Now, if you don’t have your own vehicle and are relying on the Acadia Shuttle, the Ocean Path may be a good idea for you. Just walk to the next shuttle stop instead of doubling back to your starting location and make it a point to point trail.
Trail stats: 4 miles, 340 feet of elevation gain
How Long Do You Need at Acadia National Park?
At a minimum, you’ll need one full day at Acadia National Park. This gives you enough time to see the main sights along Park Loop Road and get in a few short hikes.
With two days at Acadia National Park, you can go a bit further. On your first day, spend your time exploring Park Loop Road. Then on your second day, branch out into some of the lesser visited areas of the park. I recommend the Beech Cliffs, Flying Mountain, and Bass Harbor areas.
If you have more than two days, you’ll still have things to do including visiting the small islands nearby. That said, if it were up to me, I’d spend my additional time exploring elsewhere in Maine. Acadia is beautiful, but so is much of Maine.
Entrance Fees for Acadia National Park
Entrance to Acadia National Park costs $35 per vehicle and your pass will be valid for seven consecutive days. Annual passes, such as the America the Beautiful pass are also accepted.
Note that visiting Cadillac Mountain Road comes with an additional fee. To visit Cadillac Mountain Road, you’ll need to pick up a reservation which comes with a timed entry. You can stay as long as you want, but you must have a valid entrance ticket in order to be permitted to drive up the mountain. Reservations cost $6 per vehicle.
Getting Around Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park surprised me with its transit system. While many national parks through the United States force visitors to have their own form of transportation, Acadia is different. You can bring your own vehicle, but if you don’t have a vehicle, you can still get to most places in the park.
A handy shuttle service connects Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Then within park, additional shuttles help to move visitors around. In total, there’s 11 lines that take visitors to all of the main sights throughout Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. And the best part? This shuttle is completely free thanks to a massive donation that LL Bean makes to Acadia National Park each year.
Where to Stay at Acadia National Park
Bar Harbor is the closest town and sits right outside Acadia National Park. This is where most visitors stay as it’s the most convenient. You’ll have about a 15 to 20 minute drive to the popular Park Loop Road. That said, prices for hotels in Bar Harbor are understandably high. Make sure to budget accordingly.
I travel on a budget so my accommodation situation looked a little different. I spent the night in Bangor, which is about an hour and a half away from Acadia National Park. I left Bangor early in the morning and spent the day exploring Acadia National Park. Then I spent one night in Bar Harbor since I had tickets for sunrise at Cadillac Mountain the next morning. After a second day of exploring Acadia National Park, I drove back to Bangor where hotels were cheaper.
When to Visit Acadia National Park
Acadia is best visited from May through October as this is when the top sights are open. During the winter months, you can still visit Acadia National Park, but some roads close and the hiking can become dangerous.
In summer, you’ll have the warmest weather, but you can also expect a decent amount of tourists. Normally as it gets later in the season, crowds thin out, but this is New England which is famous for its fall foliage. In late September and October, you can expect big crowds who come not just to see Acadia National Park, but also to see all the bright fall colors.
I visited in mid September and had really great weather. The trees had barely started to turn colors so if it’s important to you that you see the fall colors, I’d recommend early October. That said, there’s no guarantee when you’ll get peak colors as it changes slightly every year based on weather.
Final Thoughts
If you want adventure and rock scrambling, Acadia is a great national park to visit. But if you look a bit beyond those difficult hikes, you’ll find a few easy hikes at Acadia National Park. Sprinkle a few of these hikes in to give your legs a bit of a rest.
Continue Your Adventure
Maine: In Portland, cruise the islands on a Mail Boat Tour. Nearby Portland is Cape Elizabeth which is home to the most photographed lighthouse in the United States. Learn more in my Maine Travel Guide.
More in New England: Maine is just the beginning of adventures in New England. In Rhode Island, tour the over the top mansions in Newport. In Connecticut, visit the historic fishing village of Mystic or one of its many state parks. Take a quick detour through New York to visit Albany. And don’t miss out on Stowe, Vermont – it’s a favorite among many travelers. Loop together these highlights in a great itinerary in either 10 days or one week.
US National Parks: Start planning your national park vacation with my US National Park Travel Guide. You’ll find information about each park, photos, itineraries, budget tips, advice for non-hikers, and more. Plus, don’t forget to book your timed entry reservations in advance!