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Best Dog Friendly Trails Acadia National Park – Did you know that Acadia National Park receives approximately 4 million visitors each year and is one of the 10 most visited national parks in the United States? Although one of the smaller national parks in the US, Acadia has 47,000 acres of forests, granite peaks and rocky beaches. Maine’s national parks have over 150 miles of trails for you to explore!
This post covers the easiest hikes in Acadia that Amanda completed with her dog in August 2023. While she’s not an expert hiker (is she?), she loves the outdoors. forest and hiking is something he likes to do. How to do it.
Best Dog Friendly Trails Acadia National Park
The Acadia does not disappoint and certainly lives up to all the hype! He completed an easy walk in Acadia in 2 days. And when his legs feel like they’re going to fall off, he loves every second. Returning to Acadia for an extended trip is still on her bucket list!
Dog-friendly Campground Near Acadia National Park
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While the park is open year-round, your experience will vary greatly depending on where you visit. The peak season for visitors is June to September. This may be because temperatures are starting to rise, with summer peaks around the 70s. In the winter, temperatures can average in the low 30s when some trails turn into cross-country skiing. If winter outdoor exploration is your thing, then be sure to check out what Acadia has to offer this winter – after all, it’s a year-round destination!
When Amanda, his wife, and their dog visited in August 2023, it was difficult to find parking near the most popular and well-maintained roads. There are lines for the bathrooms and water stations, and the souvenir shops are busy.
When they hit the trail, the crowd thinned out a lot which was a huge relief – there’s nothing worse than being cold on the trail! If possible, we recommend planning your trip early or late in the peak season to avoid the crowds and the highest prices. But, to each their own!
Dog Friendly Acadia National Park On Mount Desert Island [from A Local Tour Guide]
Acadia National Park is located on the North Atlantic coast of Maine, about 3 hours north of the popular city of Portland. Upon arrival, depending on the time of year you visit, you can enjoy free parking and take advantage of the free shuttle bus. It has several stops throughout the park and connects to the nearby town of Bar Harbor.
Island Explorer is the free bus option. This is a great way to get around Acadia National Park, especially when the parking lots are full for the first few hours of the day! This transportation infrastructure has 13 routes connecting the nearby town of Bar Harbor to the park, as well as the eastern side of Mount Desert Island on the western side. It’s very easy to use, and it’s always on time for our trip! The bus is dog friendly as long as the dog is on a leash, well behaved and does not disturb the passengers. You’ll find this transportation option mentioned throughout the post, as it connects to many of Acadia’s most convenient hikes!
Acadia National Park really has hiking options for every hiker. These range from mostly flat, short hikes and walks for beginners (or travelers with kids and dogs) to full-day hiking extravaganzas that include rock climbing. and climb the iron stairs to the top. Regardless of the difficulty of the hike you’re on, here are some things to remember to be the best hiker you can be.
Need travel inspo for your dog? Check out our blog post on the 10 best things to do when traveling with dogs in Acadia National Park.
Dogs Have A Best Friend In Acadia National Park
The Ocean Trail is a dog-friendly trail in Acadia National Park. This “hike” is more accurately described as a total hike of 2.2 miles one way, or 4.4 miles round trip. It’s a semi-narrow road that varies from rock/rock to loose gravel and then dirt.
The Atlantic Ocean with beautiful cliffs falls on one side, and the Park Loop is on the other. Sometimes, the road is directly next to the main road as a sidewalk. In other places, it weaves close to the coast. There are many places to stop and look out along the way which adds to its convenience!
We think the hikers start at the Sand Beach station. This is one of the two bathroom options along the walk and one of the best parking options with two tiers of lots and street parking available. From the Sand Beach station, you will go south to Thunder Hole, then to the end point of Otter Cove. When you reach Otter Cove, you can turn around and follow the same road to Sand Beach or hop on the Island Explorer for a short trip around the island!
* Check current events when planning your trip. During the winter storm in early 2024, part of the Ocean Road was damaged and is now being repaired.
This Maine Gem Is No. 1 Most Dog-friendly National Park In Usa
Thunder Hole is a popular year-round lookout and can be accessed by parking in the small parking lot on the Ocean Path Trail or at the Island Explorer parking lot. This unique vantage point overlooks the Atlantic Ocean along with a narrow cave that creates loud, crashing waves when the waves crash into it. During the low season, you can take the ladder closer to the water to get closer when the waves are less strong. This is also a dog friendly stopover option!
The Jordan Pond Path is another easy trail in Acadia National Park that is super friendly! Who is interested in what we call it when we explain that it is another way to walk instead of walking, when the whole point is to enjoy nature and be outside? Just know that this is still an easy way for beginners.
This 3.3 mile hike goes around Jordan Pond with half of the trip on a narrow dirt road and the other half on a clear path made of rock/rock. The Jordan Pond House restaurant, restrooms, and gift shop are also located on this street. Although this walk is not accessible, you can enjoy the view of the lake and bubbles in the background of the grass restaurant!
Bass Harbor Head Light Station is located on the tip of Mount Desert Island. If you drive yourself or you can take the Island Explorer on the Southwest Harbor and Tremont shuttle lines, it’s about a 40 minute ride from Sand Beach to Bass Harbor. The bus route takes about an hour from the Bar Harbor Village Green stop to the Bass Harbor stop, followed by a .5 mile walk.
Hiking The Beehive Trail
The lighthouse was featured in the 2012 America’s Beautiful quarter, the 2016 NPS centennial postage stamp, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Therefore, it is a must-visit. for all lighthouse lovers!
You have two options to see the light station – go to the right by following the paved road, or go to the left by the stairs and grab the pebbles from the beach (consider the choose whichever Amanda chooses!). For those who love the amazing view of the sunset, this is one of the best places to watch the sunset!
Cadillac Mountain is one of Acadia National Park’s iconic landmarks, arguably one of the best points on the Maine coast. While most visitors choose to drive the 3.5 mile round trip to the top, you can complete the hike to the top in 2 ways: Cadillac North Ridge Trail (4.4 mile round trip , dog-friendly, easiest option) and Cadillac South Ridge Trail (7.1 mile round trip, dog-friendly).
If visiting between May and October, special vehicles are required to go to the top to manage the crowds. Watching the sunrise and sunset from the top of Cadillac Mountain is breathtaking and spectacular. So if this is on your bucket list, we recommend securing your order as soon as possible. The Island Explorer Cadillac does not go to the top of the mountain, so the car or your two feet are the only way to get to the top.
24 Hours In Acadia National Park With A Dog!
At the top of the summit, you will find restrooms and a gift shop. While the views must be amazing, while Amanda too