It is simply one of the most beautiful spots anywhere.
At an elevation of 1,532 feet, it’s the highpoint on Mount Desert Island and also the tallest mountain along the eastern seaboard of the United States.
It dominates the island’s landscape, as it towers majestically over the other 16 granite-covered summits which rise from the sea nearby.
The colorful history and spectacular beauty of Cadillac Mountain make it one of Maine’s most interesting and visited landmarks. Located in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, it is just a few miles from the scenic coastal village of Bar Harbor.
Each year, it is a destination point for hundreds of thousands of visitors.
The summit area, and its numerous hiking trails, provides breathtaking panoramic vistas of the island, surrounding bays and inland peaks.
It offers unparalleled views of the glaciated coastal and island landscape, which was created by volcanic forces eons ago. Visitors are immersed in beauty.
Champlain Mountain, Frenchman Bay, the Porcupine Islands and Schoodic Point are to the east. Pemetic Mountain, Seal Harbor and the Cranberry Islands are to the south, and Sargent and Penobscot Mountains to the west, with the northern tip of the Somes Sound fjord just barely visible to their north.
Way back when
In prehistoric times, Mount Desert Island was inhabited by American Indians, who subsisted by fishing, clamming and hunting sea mammals. They lived along its shores at least 5,000 years ago. When the first European explorers arrived, the Wabanaki Indians, who were known as the People of the Dawn, were living there. Italian Explorer John Cabot, who was in the service of England, probably sailed along its shores as early as 1497. The first reliable record of European contact with the island was by the French Explorer Samuel Champlain in 1604. He named the island Isle des Monts Desert or the Island of Barren Mountains. In 1918, Cadillac Mountain was named for another French explorer, Antoine Laumet de La Mothe sieur de Cadillac.
Although there is some dispute, Cadillac Mountain is reputed to be the first place in the United States to receive sun light each day. As the sun reaches down to touch the huge summit boulders on a clear, sunny morning, there is almost certainly no better place in America to greet a new day.
Trails galore
There are four major hiking trails which lead to the summit and numerous other trails that connect with these.
There is also a 3.5-mile automobile Mountain Loop Road to the top. Besides vehicular traffic, cyclists and occasional runners enjoy the glorious views that the road provides as it climbs steadily in a generally southerly direction from the Acadia Park Loop Road. To reach the actual summit, it is still necessary to hike a short distance from the summit parking area.
Recently, a group of hikers from the Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society (PPCS) enjoyed a day of hiking on Cadillac Mountain. A loop hike was chosen, where we ascended the Gorge Path to the summit and then descended the North Ridge Trail.
These two trails both have trailheads on the Park Loop Road less than a mile apart. So, a circuit is quite easy to accomplish either by hiking a short distance on the road or parking vehicles at both trailheads.
The easiest way to locate trails and roads in Acadia National Park is a park map from the Visitors Center, which is on Route 3 in HullsCove, just a couple of miles east of Bar Harbor. The Gorge Path ascends steadily in a southerly direction up a narrow ravine between Cadillac and Dorr Mountains for about 1.3 miles to a notch between the two peaks. It then turns to the southwest and climbs quite steeply out of the gorge for another half mile to the summit. On the day of our hike, there was a blanket of fog sitting on the surrounding bays, while the summit areas of Cadillac and nearby peaks were clearly visible above what seemed like a vast gray carpet below us. It left us with a sense that we were on a mountain oasis that was suspended in the clouds.
The North Ridge Trail more or less parallels the automobile road after leaving the summit. We descended in a northerly direction. Most of the trail is exposed and above the tree line, so we had almost continuous views of Frenchman Bay and the distinctive Schoodic Mountain to the north. The North Ridge Trail is a little less than two miles in length. So, the entire circuit, including the Loop Road segment, is about five miles.
Getting there
The easiest way to get to Cadillac Mountain and Acadia National Park from central Maine is to travel north on Interstate 95 to Interstate 395 in Bangor.
Follow it east to Route 1A in Brewer. Continue on Route 1A for about 20 miles to Ellsworth and then take Route 3 east to the Visitor’s Center. There are several other excellent hiking trails to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. One begins at the Bubbles Pond trailhead on the Park Loop Road and ascends the West Face Trail, which is the shortest and steepest route to the summit. Another option is the South Ridge Trail, which starts on Route 3 near the entrance to Blackwoods Campground a little east of Seal Harbor. It climbs gradually for about 3.5 miles to the summit.
Perhaps one of the most challenging hikes on the island is a traverse of its major peaks. Beginning at the Precipice trailhead on the Park Loop Road, ascend Champlain Mountain and descend the Beachcroft Trail to Route 3. Then climb Dorr Mountain and follow the trails across Cadillac and Pemetic Mountains to Jordan Pond. This is about an eight-mile hike that entails a significant amount of elevation gain and loss. So, it should not be attempted unless all the participants are in good physical condition. The Precipice Trail is usually closed to hiking from late spring to early summer to protect the Peregrine Falcons, who nest there. If that’s the case, the nearby Bear Brook Trail is a good choice for the first leg of the traverse to the summit of Champlain Mountain. There is parking available at both of the beginning trailheads and Jordan Pond.
If you decide to visit, consider avoiding the busy Mountain Loop Road traffic.
Take your hiking boots, and try enjoying one of the many outstanding trails and the wonderful views while getting some exercise.
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