Located off the coast of Maine, Arcadia National Park is almost as far east as you can go in the Unites States.
It’s also one of the few national parks located on an island! Most of Acadia is spread across Mt. Desert Island, which contains several small towns and harbors, including the popular tourist town of Bar Harbor.
My family visited in the summer of 2022 and enjoyed a week on the island, visiting various spots along the coast. Aside from visiting Bar Harbor or the lighthouse, we spent most of our time on the main park loop.
The Acadia National Park Scenic Drive, aka the Park Loop
Acadia National Park includes more than 48,000 acres in all, but the main park area that includes the most popular hikes and viewpoints is accessed along a 27-mile loop road. While still a two-lane road, the loop is one-way for the majority of the scenic drive to cut down on traffic and to allow parking in the right lane at the most popular stops.
There are only a few access points to the scenic drive from the non-park roads, so be careful! If you accidentally drive past your trailhead, the one-way loop prevents U-turns. In other words, you’ll have a long drive before you come back around to your intended stop.
The five destinations in this post are listed in clockwise order along the park loop if you are starting at the main loop entrance, just south of Bar Harbor.
#1 - Precipice Loop
With steep cliffs (hence the name precipice) and amazing views, the Precipice Loop is one of the top hikes in Acadia National Park. But it’s far from easy! At just over two miles, this loop is not very long…but it is very steep with over 1,000 feet in elevation change. Part of the trail is strung along narrow rock ledges, with iron bars fixed to the rock walls so you have a railing to grab for support. Other parts of the trail require climbing iron rung ladders.
Though not for beginner hikers, if you enjoy a good climb this trail delivers spectacular views of the coastline.
#2 - Beehive Loop
This is a fun little trail! Like the Precipice Loop, the Beehive Loop requires a lot of climbing up rocks and edging around rock ledges. But it’s shorter (only 1.5 miles) with much less elevation change. You still get a view of the surrounding coastline at the top, as well as a good look at Sand Beach (the most popular beach in Acadia) as you make the climb.
Sand Beach, as seen from the Beehive Loop Trail
Because Sand Beach is right across the Acadia loop drive from the Beehive trailhead, you can finish your hike with a walk down to the beach. The water is bit too cold for jumping in, but you can still dip your toes in and cool off. The beach is also a great place to picnic after the hike.
#3 - Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is an indentation in Acadia’s rocky coastline where the waves come surging through a narrow chute, creating a “roaring” sound and sometimes drenching visitors who get too close.
The only problem is, you have to time your visit right! Thunder Hole is only impressive when it’s nearing high tide. At low tide, the water barely floods into the chute, creating a very underwhelming sight.
Fortunately, even if you can’t catch Thunder Hole near high tide, this is one of the prettiest stretches of Acadia’s coastline. Thunder Hole is near the halfway point of the Ocean Path, which stretches from Sand Beach to Otter Point. You can walk along the coastal trail, or climb down to the water and enjoy climbing the rocks. Just don’t get stranded when the tide comes in!
#4 - Jordan Pond House
The Jordan Pond House serves as the trailhead for the Jordan Pond Path, from which you can hike up to the Bubbles or to Eagle Lake. Many of the other trails and carriage paths that criss-cross Acadia National Park also meet at the Jordan Pond House. From the house parking lot, you can hike up to Penobscot Mountain, Pemetic Mountain, or Cadillac Mountain. Or you could hike down to the harbor and end up on the coast. (If I ever go back to Acadia, I have a list of hikes I didn’t get to yet!)
Inside the Jordan Pond House is a full restaurant, which is convenient if you want to grab lunch without going all the way back to Bar Harbor. We were told that stopping by for afternoon tea and popovers is an Acadia tradition…but we never did try it.
#5 - The Bubbles
Last on my list is the Bubbles, which include North Bubble, South Bubble, and Bubble Rock. These landmarks are rocky outcroppings that provide beautiful views of the Acadia interior, including Jordan Pond. Getting to the Bubbles requires doing another short hike, but the trail is not nearly as dangerous or difficult as the Precipice and Beehive trails.
The trailhead for the Bubbles is right off the park loop scenic drive, but you can also hike to the Bubbles from the Jordan Pond House or the Bubble Pond parking area. It just depends on how long you want to extend your hike! Hands down, the best way to see Acadia is to hit the coast along the park scenic drive and hike to a few viewpoints in the island interior, but there are a lot of trail options to choose from.