Hiking Ocean Path Trail In Acadia National Park
Ocean Path Trail Allows Visitors to Experience Acadia’s Treasures
Following along the coastline and main park loop road of Acadia National Park, Ocean Path Trail offers visitors 4.5 miles of land and sea to explore and admire. This is a great spot to start if you’re new to Acadia National Park simply because it has dozens of great offshoot areas from the main trail to adventure through. You can take photos of granite cliffs at Otter Cliff, check out the wonder that is Thunder Hole, and check out an all boulder beach. It’s a magical part of Acadia National Park, but one of the best parts about Ocean Path Trail is that it’s extremely accessible. If you have limited mobility, are traveling with young kids, or anything in between, this path comes highly recommended by all who visit it.
Ocean Path Logistics
Ocean Path starts at the upper parking lot of Sand Beach and continues all the way to Otter Point, with many other points of interest along the way. You can either park at the Sand Beach Parking Area and hike towards Otter Point or park at the Otter Point Parking Lot and make your way back towards the Sand Beach Parking Lot. I personally prefer to go from Otter Point back toward Sand Beach. During the busy summer months it can be much easier to find parking at Otter Point.
If you do not want to worry about finding a parking spot you can always pick up the Island Explorer Shuttle Bus from one it’s many stops in and around the park. If you are staying in Bar Harbor you can find a bus stop around downtown.
The trail itself is relatively level and easy to traverse. You probably won’t need any trekking poles for this one. With the ocean on one side and the main park loop on the other, Acadia’s Ocean Path is easy to break into sections or stop at points of interest while using your vehicle. However, if you are interested and able in walking the path, you definitely should. Here’s what you can expect from the trail.
Trail Info
Location: Acadia National Park
Length: 9.0 Miles Round Trip
Height: 115 Feet
Elevation Gain: 374 Feet
Type: Out & Back Hike
My Rating: Easy
Handicap Accessible: Partially – Some areas are accessible.
Dog Friendly: Yes
Would we do it again: Yes
This is a bit of a choose your own adventure experience because you can decide where to start, where to stop, and everything in the middle. I’ll cover all the major points of interest on the trail, so you know what to keep an eye out for. The main thing to keep in mind while you’re enjoying the experience of hiking Ocean Path is that there will be no shortage of views, photo opportunities, and sights.
Ocean Path’s Points of Interest
No two days on Ocean Path are the same, mainly because there are so many different side trails and points of interest to explore. My favorite short side trail is to the Otter Cliff Rock Climbing Area. The steep cliffs located here are 100 feet tall with 60 feet of climbing area for safety. You can get usually get a glimpse of rock climbers here. Just don’t get too close to the edge of the rocks! It’s a long way down and there is no barrier to stop you. You can also see the rock climbers from Monument Cove looking past Boulder Beach to the cliffs.
You can choose to all of Ocean Path Trail in one day or take it a bit slower and explore the trail bit by bit. If you only have one day, though, there are a few places you can’t miss. Here are some of the biggest points of interest on Acadia’s Ocean Path.
Sand Beach
Okay, so technically, Ocean Path starts near the parking lot for Sand Beach. Sand Beach is the start to many trails, like The Beehive. However, if you’re going to be parking there anyway, you may as well enjoy an easy walk over to see the beach itself before starting out on the trail. You’ll notice that it’s one of the most easily accessible beaches in the park. This is one of the busiest places in the park.
I wouldn’t say it’s the best place to lay out and bask in the sun during the summer, but that’s because I’m not one for crowds. I prefer my nature with as few people as possible. It’s still a beautiful spot with gorgeous views of granite formations along the coast. Plus you get to enjoy the gently lapping waves that come right up to the sand.
Thunder Hole
Perhaps one of the most famous attractions in the entire national park is Thunder Hole. This section of the park is situated along Ocean Path, with a staircase leading down closer to the ocean. At the bottom of the stairs, you can find an inlet in the rocks that the waves crash into. If you catch it at the right time, you’ll hear a thunderous roar as the waves crash, which is where this spot gets its name.
With a sound that loud, you know there’s some force behind the crashing waves, meaning you might be lucky enough to get some salty spray coming your way if you’re close enough to the inlet, too! I’ve spent hours sitting near Thunder Hole, watching older couples giggle in glee just as much as the young kids visiting with their families. There’s something so magnificent about it, that it seems to give everyone a big smile.
A pro tip for Thunder Hole is that the waves crashing with the force needed to see the show will vary based on the tides. Check with the park service or find a park ranger so they can help you figure out what time you should visit the hole. We’ve been told that aiming for 2 hours before high tide will yield the best results. We have found that if you are an early bird like we are, first thing in the morning is a good time to visit as long as the tides are right. We found it is the perfect place to enjoy your morning cup of coffee.
Otter Cliffs
At 110 ft., Otter Cliffs is the highest point you’ll reach when traversing Ocean Path. Acadia offers many incredible lookout points, but this one is fairly easy to reach and doesn’t require too much “hiking.” There’s a granite staircase to climb that leads you up from Ocean Path to enjoy the view, then another staircase on the downhill to get back on the gravel trail itself.
This is actually one of the highest Atlantic coastal headlands that exists north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so I’d say it’s worth your time to stop by. As you look out on the ocean from the cliffs, look for the buoy that marks historical significance. In 1604, when Samuel de Champlain and his crew were sailing around Mount Desert Island, they noticed smoke rising near Otter Point. The smoke came from a Native American camp, but as the ship sailed closer to the origin of the smoke, the crew failed to see the rock formation in time to avoid it. This collision forced them to spend the next winter in Otter Cove, doing repairs on the damaged hull of the ship.
Otter Point
Marking the official end of the Ocean Path Trail, Otter Point is a fantastic place to have lunch and take a breather before heading back the way you came. There are bathroom facilities here, and I’m always big on taking breaks halfway.
Turning around and saying goodbye to Otter Point is a bit bittersweet, but it’s amazing to know that you get to see all of the incredible sites one more time on the way back to your car. By the time you start back you will realize that you have hiked around 4.5 miles one-way. Because Ocean Path Trail is a leisurely trail you might not notice how far you went.
As you head back toward Sand Beach, take note of how different things may look since you saw them the first time around. I’m often amazing at how changing sunlight, cloud formations, and even wind can impact our perception of natural beauty. There’s no trail that I notice it more than I do with Ocean Path. All of the dramatic, stunning natural formations feel as if they shapeshift and become more beautiful as the day goes on.
Safety Considerations
While Ocean Path is considered to be an easy trail, it still has a decent amount of length to it. Be sure to bring extra water with you, especially on hot days. Bringing a few snacks are always a good option on any excursion. Snacks and water are best enjoyed when you’re not sunburnt, so be sure to wear proper sun protection and sunscreen. I always keep a sunscreen in my pack to reapply on longer hikes, and I’d count this as a longer yet gradual hike.
The trail itself is impressively safe. You’ll notice handrails in many areas and the park keeps the trail itself very clean and well maintained. However, there are some areas where you’ll be walking down a small staircase of granite or carefully hopping from rock to rock. If it’s wet or has the potential to rain during your visit, these rocky areas will be the most challenging and have the most potential for mishaps. The best way to hedge against any issues in this scenario is to be sure to have proper footwear, take things slowly, and avoid exploring in the rain if possible.
Follow the Ocean Path Trail
It’s not the yellow brick road, but it is just as incredible with miles of trails to explore. Sure, you can’t transport to a new strange land, but you can transport between ocean views, rocky cliffs, and lush trees, all in one easy hike. If the park allowed it, I may just set up a tent along Ocean Path and never leave. But since they don’t, I’ll have to settle for my stroll along the path.
