Acadia National Park · Maine

Giant Slide Trail

2.2 mi of trail, end to end · Hike Giant Slide Loop: 5.7 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 850 ft of climbing · 55 ft–759 ft · earth surface

55 ft 227 ft · 0.7 mi high 227 ft

Hike Giant Slide Loop 5.7 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

2-4 Hours · dogs allowed

Start Giant Slide Trailhead

Visitor stands on a rock along a forested trail

This is a challenging "lollipop" hike up a rugged ravine to excellent views atop Sargent Mountain, Gilmore Peak, and Parkman Mountain. As this trail begins on private land, please respect owner privacy and protect fragile moss and lichen by staying on the marked trail.

Distance: 5.7 miles round trip

Terrain: Forested trail, rocky granite slopes, rock slide and boulder fields, granite exposed summits

Hike Description

The Giant Slide Trail begins as a very gradual ascent through private land. Please respect private land ownership and protect the mossy forest.

After crossing the carriage road, the trail gradually steepens and becomes a climb along Sargent Brook. Any crossings and condensation due to the coolness of the ravine can make the trail slippery.

There are several places where the trail traverses under large boulders providing challenging tight squeezes with low clearance.

Turn left at the junction of Sargent Northwest Trail and the Parkman Mountain Trail, and continue away from the stream towards a steep ascent.

The trail opens and provides views to the west and north, before reaching the summit of Sargent Mountain at 1, 373 ft.

Follow Sargent South Ridge Trail down to the junction for the Maple Spring Trail, and continue the descent on the west side of Sargent Mountain.

Continue straight at the junction of the Grandgent Trail, and then ascend Gilmore Peak at 1,019 ft.

Descend again and cross Giant Slide Trail. The Grandgent Trail terminates at the junction of the Parkman Mountain Trail.

For a shorter hike, turn onto Giant Slide Trail for 1.9 miles and continue back to the parking area.

Take the short out and back to the summit of Parkman Mountain, and then gradually descend north, crossing a carriage road.

The trail returns to a forested area and terminates at the junction of the Giant Slide Trail. Follow back along the rugged ravine to the parking area.

Accessibility Giant Slide Loop is not accessible. The trails have uneven footing and short, steep sections requiring some scrambling throughout. There are no accessible restrooms at the trailhead.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 219 trails in Acadia National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.