Where to Hike
We did the Cadillac Mountain Gorge Path in early September and the weather was just perfect. As described on their website. “The Gorge Path follows a narrow, rocky gorge separating Dorr and Cadillac Mountains. The trail passes steep cliff walls and small cascades, climbs granite steps, and stays mostly in the shade. There are a few stream crossings, where flat rocks help aid footing. This trail is not advisable when wet, since rocky sections in forested areas take longer to dry out.” The trail is about 4 miles out and back we just loved this trail so much we had to just go back the same way rather than follow the loop. According to AllTrails it’s roughly 1529’ from nearly sea level to the Cadillac Mountain summit. Good hiking shoes/boots are highly recommended due to the mostly rock walking surface and some large angled boulders that need to be traversed near the summit.
On one of the steeper boulders we came across a man that injured his leg and had to be aided to the top by the Acadia Rescue Team. The team was delayed because of another rescue that happened at the same time elsewhere in the park. We stayed with him and his wife to make sure they were okay until the first EMT arrived about an hour later. It was quite impressive to see the “Steep Angle Rescue” team safely bring him UP the trail to the top of Cadillac where an ambulance was waiting. After this experience I HIGHLY RECOMMEND layering your clothing especially if you’re hiking in the fall and near the end of the day. When we started at sea level it was fairly warm and we got heated up during the accent. Wet with sweat in only teeshirts we quickly got very cold waiting at that elevation for help to arrive and as the sun was going down it got even colder, made us wish we had packed a fleece or light jacket. I was actually shivering uncontrollably at one point during the wait. Hiking-101 fail for sure! Once the EMT took over we continued up to the summit and got warmed back up very quickly as this was the steepest part of the climb.
Of course the view at the top is the payoff and well worth the effort.
We absolutely love this trail and can’t wait to get back to Acadia and do it again. This trail is dynamic it’s one of those trails that you never get tired of. The scenery and surroundings change dramatically with the time of day, season, and weather conditions making each hike unique and special.
Where to Bike in Acadia
Acadia National Park Carriage Roads
The 45 Miles of rustic carriage roads in Acadia are perfect for mountain or hybrid bikes and there is something for all skill levels. The trails are mostly hard packed gravel and plenty wide enough to navigate. There are a few challenging uphill portions of the trail and did notice some folks pushing there bikes. The views around the lakes are beautiful and there are some nice pullover areas where it’s only a short hike to the waters edge. We did see some people riding e-bikes. Acadia National Park does allow class 1 e-bikes only as the carriage trails have a speed limit of 20mph. Class 1 bikes stop providing pedal assistance once the bike reaches 20mph. Overall this is a great place to bike in Acadia and a good way to see the entire park area without riding on the park road loop.
