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Gorham Mountain Trail

Bar Harbor, Maine

4.7/5
based on 3 reviews

Details

Distance

1.64 miles

Elevation Gain

525 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Chris Mongeau

This Acadia National Park hike offers stunning views over Otter Cove, Sand Beach and Thunder Hole.

Gorham Mountain Trail is one of the relatively shorter and easy trails in Acadia National Park, and it's a perfect morning spot to catch a sunrise in Acadia (much less crowded than the highly-visited Cadillac Mountain).

To access the trail head, you'll need to drive into the park and down the Park Loop Road. A good access point if you're driving out of Bar Harbor on Route 3 is to turn left onto Schooner Head Road. This road will eventually lead to the Park Loop Road, which you'll want to take a left on (it's a one-way).

The parking lot for Gorham Mountain Trail is about a mile or so on the right, there are signs for this trail head. The parking lot is a good place to stop to enjoy the cliffs by the ocean, and there are also restrooms here. From the parking lot, you'll follow the signs for the trail and begin walking up a slight incline under a spruce covering.

The trail begins as very easy, and it's a lot of stepping from rock to rock as the path is made with granite stones. It's a good idea to have shoes with good ankle support for this. As you continue up the granite pathway, the trail gets a little steeper and eventually brings you to an opening which is a false summit.

The false summit gives a really awesome view of Otter Cove and the Cranberry Islands. Last time I was on this trail, I spotted a bald eagle circling above (unfortunately didn't have a good enough zoom to really capture it, photographers: bring a zoom lens!)

There are blue trail markers and cairns to guide you from this spot to the summit, which is not much further ahead. The summit provides a great view of Sand Beach and Thunder Hole. From here, you can continue on to the Beehive, or follow the trail back to the parking lot if you'd like.

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Features

Rock Climbing
Photography
Hiking
Dog Friendly
Easy Parking
Scenic

Reviews

We decided to start at Gorham Mountain Trailhead to summit Gorham mountain, hike past The Bowl and then head up the back way of the Beehive (an especially smart decision because we were doing it on a rainy day). Going in and out like that was just under 8 miles, and it was a perfect hike. Even though it was raining, the foliage was peak and there were lots of people on the trail. We did see one person that wasn't smiling ear to ear!

We loved hiking Gorham Mountain in Acadia. There is less people than on Cadillac Mountain and the trail features some beautiful view of the coast. It's possible to loop the trail with Beehive, Sand beach and Ocean Path to come back at the parking.

This hike can be combined with the popular Beehive Trail for a longer adventure. The trail to Gorham Mountain is well-suited for a family adventure and is easy to follow using the blue blazes and well-placed cairns. This hike provides some of the most easily-accessible mountain views in the park.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Thunder Hole

Explore Otter Cliff

Explore Otter Point

Camp at Blackwoods Campground in Bar Harbor

Off-season Camp at Blackwoods Campground

Relax at Sand Beach, Acadia National Park