Acadia National Park - Cadillac Summit Loop

A half-mile loop circling the top of Cadillac Mountain provides an easy way for those who have driven to the summit to see the spectacular views afforded from the mountaintop.
Trail Activity
Accessible Adventure Walking
Length
0.40 miles, Loop
Difficulty
Easy
Town
Bar Harbor
Surface
Pavement
Pets
Permitted on leash
Fees
Yes

Description

HIGH USE TRAIL:

This is a busy trail system, especially on weekends between 9AM-4PM. Consider visiting outside of peak periods. Use Maine Trail Finder to identify other nearby trails. If the parking lot is full when you arrive, please choose another trail. 

The Cadillac Summit Loop circles the top of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia's highest peak. There are gravel and granite viewing platforms with information panels along the way. The path is mostly paved/granite, with some areas of dirt. It is of a moderate gradient with some large, stone stairs in a couple locations.

There is an accessible pathway suitable for strollers, wheelchairs, and those with mobility challenges that bypasses any stairs, leading from the parking lot to a viewing platform on the west side of the loop.

The summit provides spectacular, sweeping vistas of other peaks in Acadia, and of Frenchman Bay and the outer islands.

Other Information

At 1,530 feet Cadillac Mountain is the tallest mountain on the eastern seaboard of the United States. The true summit is to the left where the South Ridge Trail opens onto the gravel access road. Look for 2 survey benchmarks established by the US Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1856 and the 1954 US Geological Survey summit marker. To the east of the true summit is where one of several summit hotels stood in the 1880s. Please explore the area carefully, staying on the granite and leaving what you find for others to enjoy.

Dogs are allowed on the trail on a six foot leash.

Geocaching is prohibited within Acadia National Park; however, the park does sponsor an EarthCache Program for those seeking a virtual treasure hunt!

Trail Manager

Visit Acadia National Park online for more information or contact:

National Park Service, Acadia National Park

National Park Service, Acadia National Park
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Phone: (207) 288-3338
acadia_information@nps.gov

Nearby Events

VIEW EVENTS CALENDAR

Trail Tips

Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Be aware of and limit the noise you and your group generate. Enjoy the sounds of nature.
Legend
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Trailhead Information

From Bar Harbor, head west on ME-233 (Eagle Lake Road). Take the Acadia National Park entrance on the right, just over 1 mile from the village of Bar Harbor. Turn left on the Paradise Hill park road. Go 0.5 miles, and continue onto the Park Loop Road to the right. Go another 0.5 miles, and turn left onto the Cadillac Summit Road. It is 3.4 miles to the parking lot at the summit.

Please note: vehicle reservations are required for Cadillac Summit Road from the end of May through the middle of October; the road is closed from November through April.

Click on a parking icon to get custom directions
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