Best Dog Friendly Trails Acadia National Park – Did you know that Acadia National Park receives nearly 4 million visitors each year and is one of the 10 most visited national parks in the United States? Despite being one of America’s smallest national parks, Acadia consists of 47,000 acres of forest, granite peaks, and rocky coastlines. Maine National Park has over 150 miles of hiking trails for you to explore!
This post features the most popular easy hikes in Acadia that Amanda completed with her dog in August 2023. Although she is not a professional hiker (is that even possible?), she is She loves the outdoors and one of her favorite activities is walking. to do
Best Dog Friendly Trails Acadia National Park
Acadia did not disappoint and lived up to all the hype! He completed the next easy trip in Acadia in 2 days. And even though her legs felt like they were going to fall off, she loved every second of it. Returning to Acadia for a long trip is still on his bucket list!
Granite Peaks & Foggy Bays—classic Hikes In Acadia Np
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means, at no extra cost to you, we may earn a commission on your purchase, which helps you get more travel tips, tricks and tidbits.
Although the park is open year-round, your experience will depend on when you visit. The high season for tourists is between June and September. This is likely because the temperature started to rise, with summer highs in the 70s. In winter, the temperature can average around 30 degrees Celsius and some trails turn into cross-country ski trails. If you enjoy exploring the great outdoors in the winter, be sure to check out what Acadia has to offer in the winter; After all, the park is technically open year-round!
When Amanda, his wife and their dogs visited in August 2023, it was difficult to find parking near the most popular trail and viewpoint. There were lines for the bathrooms and fountains, and the gift shops were busy.
Once they were on the trail, the crowds cleared out, which was a huge relief – there’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable on a footpath! If possible, we strongly recommend that you plan your trip at the beginning or end of high season to avoid crowds and tourist prices. But to each their own!
Gorham Mountain Trail Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is located on Maine’s Atlantic coast, about 3 hours north of the popular destination of Portland. When you arrive, depending on the time of year you are visiting, you can enjoy a visit without a car and take advantage of the free shuttle bus system. It has several stops throughout the park and connects to the nearby city of Bar Harbor.
Island Explorer is a free bus transportation option. This is a great way to explore Acadia National Park, especially when the parking lots fill up in the first few hours of the day! This well-designed shuttle system has 13 routes that connect the nearby city of Bar Harbor to the park, as well as the east side of Mount Desert Island to the west. It is super easy to use and was always on time during our journey! The bus is dog friendly as long as the dog is kept on loan, polite and not disturbing fellow passengers. You will see this transportation option mentioned throughout this post because it connects to many easy tours in Acadia!
Acadia National Park has hiking options for every hiker. These range from flat, short walks and trails for beginners (or those walking with children and dogs) to full-day hiking adventures with sheer rock walls and iron steps to the summit. Including climbing. No matter how difficult your walk is, here are some things to keep in mind so you can be the best little walker you can be.
Need some inspiration for travel supplies for your dog? Check out our blog post on the top 10 things to do with dogs in dog-friendly Acadia National Park.
Best Dog Friendly Hiking Trails In The Northeast
The Ocean Path Trail is an easy, dog-friendly trail in Acadia National Park. This “walk” is more accurately described as a full 2.2 mile walk one way, or 4.5 miles round trip. This is a semi-narrow track, with terrain varying from packed gravel/concrete to loose gravel and dirt.
On one side is the Atlantic Ocean with stunning cliffs and on the other is the Park Loop Road. At some places the path runs right along the main road as a footpath. In other parts it slopes close to the coast. There are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the scenery along the way, adding to the convenience!
We recommend hikers start at the Sand Beach parking lot. This is one of two restroom options on this tour and one of the best parking options with two levels and off street parking. From the Sand Beach parking lot, drive south to Thunder Hole and then continue to the terminus at Otter Cove. Once you reach Otter Cove, you can turn around and take the same route back to Sand Beach, or hop on the Island Explorer for a short tour of the island!
* Please check current conditions when planning your trip. During some winter storms in early 2024, parts of the Ocean Path Trail were damaged and are currently being repaired.
The 7 Best National Parks To Visit With Dogs
Thunder Hole is a beautiful viewpoint that is popular year-round and can be reached via the small Ocean Walk Trail parking lot from the parking lot or Island Explorer bus stop. This unique view overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and a narrow cave that creates a loud, thundering crash as the waves crash against it at high tide. During low tide, you can move the ladder closer to the water to get a better view of the waves when they are less aggressive. It’s also a dog-friendly stopping option!
The Jordan Pond Trail in Acadia National Park is another easy dog-friendly hike! While we would describe it as an alternative to walking, who cares what we call it when it’s important to enjoy nature and being outside? Just know that this is another easy route for beginners.
This 5.3 mile hike loops around Jordan Pond and half of the trip is on a narrow path and the other half is marked with a clear path made of crushed stone/gravel. This trailhead also has the Jordan Pond House restaurant, trailside lounges, and a park gift shop. Although this ride is not accessible, you can get beautiful views of the pond and bubbles in the background from the restaurant lawn!
Bass Harbor Head Light Station is located on the other side of Mount Desert Island. It’s about a 40-minute drive from Sand Beach to Bass Harbor if you drive yourself, or you can take the Island Explorer via the Southwest Harbor and Tremont rail lines. The bus route that runs from the Bar Harbor Village Green stop to the Bass Harbor stop takes about an hour, followed by a 0.5 mile walk.
Gorham Mountain Hiking Guide
The lighthouse appeared in the America the Beautiful region in 2012, on the 2016 NPS centennial stamp, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. So this is a must see for all lovers lighthouse!
You have two options to visit the light station: by turning right after a paved slope, or by going left down a flight of stairs and climbing down the rocks along the coast (guess which option Amanda chose!) For those who want I love amazing sunset views. , this is one of the best sunset spots in the area!
Cadillac Mountain is one of the iconic landmarks in Acadia National Park, one of the best overlooks on the Maine coast. While most visitors choose to drive the winding, 5.6 mile road to the summit, you can also complete the summit via 2 routes: Cadillac North Ridge Trail (round trip 4.5 miles, dog friendly, the easiest option) and the Cadillac Zuidrugpad. (11 km round trip, dog friendly).
If you visit between May and October, reservations are required to reach the summit and manage the crowds. Watching the sunrise and sunset from the top of Cadillac Mountain is amazing and popular. So if this is on your bucket list, we highly recommend getting your reservation in as soon as possible. The Island Explorer Cadillac does not go to the top of the mountain, so a vehicle or two walking feet are the only options to get you to the top.
Hiking Hall Of Fame: Fifteen Unique, Charming Hikes To Love!
At the top of the hill you will find both a toilet and a gift shop. Although the scenes must be amazing, when Amanda and
