Cadillac North Ridge Trail

A moderate out-and-back hike to the highest point both at Acadia National Park and on the eastern seaboard. The trail is mostly exposed, providing hikers with sweeping vistas of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula. This hike is a popular option for sunrise and sunset, but carry appropriate gear and headlamps when hiking at dawn, dusk and dark.

Distance: 4.4 miles round trip

Terrain: Granite slope and stairs, rocky trail

Hike Description

The hike can begin in two places, both from the Park Loop Road.

First option (recommended): Take Kebo Brook Trail from the Island Explorer bus stop for .1 miles. Turn right up the stone stairs, cross the road, and continue onto the Cadillac North Ridge Trail.

Second option: Just past the start of the one-way section towards Sand Beach, there is a small pull-off on the left side of the road. Parking is extremely limited. Cross the road onto the Cadillac North Ridge Trail and gently ascend up a granite slope into the woods.

After 1 mile, the trail enters the woods, it becomes more rocky, with a few sets of granite stairs. Watch your footing through this section, as it can be tricky.

After 0.3 miles, the hike becomes steeper and more exposed. This gives hikers more of a challenge, but also more of a reward with sweeping views.

The trail parallels the road for a short section. Follow blue blazes and Bates cairns to stay on the trail.

Continue along granite slopes until the trail flattens out near the summit.

At the fork shortly before the summit, keep right. Continue for 0.1 miles to complete the Cadillac North Ridge Trail.

The trail ends on the north side of the summit parking lot. From here, hikers can walk .5 miles around Cadillac Summit Loop for sweeping vistas of the east side of the mountain or hike a bit up the Cadillac South Ridge Trail to reach the summit marker. Services at the summit include a restroom and gift shop.

Return to the north side of the parking lot and follow the Cadillac North Ridge Trail back down to the trailhead. Please note there is no public transportation to and from the summit of Cadillac Mountain.

This is a great option for hiking to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. The Gorge Path is mostly shaded and is perfect for hot summer days. It follows Kebo Brook which cuts deeply through the granite bedrock with views of steep canyons walls from the gorge below. The final portion of the path ascends a steep rock face and gives hikers vistas of Dorr Mountain, Frenchman Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, as well the deeply cut gorge itself. The summit of Cadillac Mountain provides a 360-degree view out over Mount Desert Island, its multiple peaks, the surrounding islands, and the ocean beyond.

If interested in hiking a loop trail instead of an out-and-back, the Gorge Path/North Ridge Trail combination is a good choice. The ascent is mostly shaded so it is perfect for hot summer days. Starting with the Kebo Brook Trail, it wanders through a forest of maple, oak, beech, and birch. As the Gorge Path climbs, it follows a portion of Kebo Brook which cuts deeply in the granite bed rock between two peaks, Dorr Mountain and Cadillac Mountain. Great views of the walls of the gorge rise from the trail lined with birch and spruce trees. The final .4-mile ascent changes dramatically to a steep rock scramble of over large granite boulders while offering fine views of Dorr Mountain, Frenchman Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and the gorge below.

The hike down the North Ridge Trail, is more gradual over exposed granite with views to the north, west, and Frenchman Bay with the porcupine islands. Hiking this peak with use of the Island Explorer Bus offers hikers a bus-stop-only starting point for a moderate to strenuous hike.

This is a great option for hiking to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. It follows Kebo Brook which cuts deeply through the granite bedrock with views of steep canyons walls from the gorge below. The final portion of the path ascends a steep rock face and gives hikers vistas of Dorr Mountain, Frenchman Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, as well the deeply cut gorge itself. The summit of Cadillac Mountain provides a 360-degree view out over Mount Desert Island, its multiple peaks, the surrounding islands, and the ocean beyond.