Gatehouse to Gatehouse, Acadia

Hike Name: Gatehouse to Gatehouse, Acadia Location: southeast ME Length: 7 Submitted by: Uphill Klimber Date Submitted: 0/0/00 Rating:	more Maine trail reviews Maine national parks Maine state parks
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Description
This hike takes you across several bald mountaintops and ridges, offering spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and outlying islands. Orange hued granite formations and sparse vegetation provide vivid memories to all who visit. The Gatehouses at either end of this hike are brick and stone structures of the same architecture.

Allow four hours to enjoy this hike if you have two vehicles (one parked at each end ) and a friend. Allow six to seven hours if you back track. Note: Back country camping is prohibited in Acadia, you must stay at a hotel or campsite. This should be treated as a day hike.

All trails in Acadia National Park are well marked with blazes and cairns. All intersections of these well traveled trails have sign posts. Litter is hard to find. Compliments of and to The Friends Of Acadia and The Park Service. Though heavily visited, solitude is easy to find as it is well spread out. You will infrequently pass others on the trail.

Start at the gate of the Gatehouse, proceeding along the carrige road past post #18, taking a right at post #19. As you ascend, watch for a trail leaving the carrige trail to the right up the hill. Take the first or second trail, they meet up shortly. This is the Cedar Swamp trail to Cedar swamp Mountain. As you leave this wooded area, blueberries abound. At the peak, 942 feet, you will view the scenery to accompany you for the next several hours. Long Pond to the south, with John D. Rockefeller's boat house is easily seen.

Continuing on the Birch Spa trail past the Amphitheater trail, head towards Sargent Mountain. You will pass the trail to Penobscot Mountain for now. At 1373 feet, Sargent Mountain offers a 360 degree panorama that begs the use of your camera. Cadillac Mountain and Pemetic Mountain are easily visible to the east and north.

Back track the Birch Spa Trail until you come to the trail to Penobscot Mountain. Take a left, and descend to the valley. You may want to soak your feet in Sargent Mountain Pond before ascending up to the peak of Penobscot Mountain at 1194 feet.

From here, follow the Jordan Ridge Trail, overlooking Jordan Cliffs and Jordan Pond. You will pass by glacial erratics, large boulders deposited by the glaciers. One is easily visible from the road below. Beyond this you begin a steep descent. Iron rungs have been placed in the rock as well as rails and walkways for safety.

When you reach the bottom, you will need to cross the carrige trail, the trail is not hard to find on the other side. This trail continues through the woods to another carrige trail near post #15. Follow the carrige trail to the right, Jordan Pond House is easily visible as you hike to post #16. Bear left and proceed across the street to the Gatehouse to finish this most memorable of hikes.

Directions to Hike
On Mt. Desert Island, from Northeast Harbor, head north on rt.198. Less than a mile on the right is parking, just after the Gatehouse. Start at the gate of the gate house. Finish at the Gatehouse across the street from Jordan Pond House on the Park Loop Road, 2 miles north of Seal Harbor. Ample parking is available here.

Contact Information
The book, A Walk In The Park by Tom St. Germain is an excellent guide to all of Acadia.

Contact the park offices at 1-207-288-3338

Visitor centers are well marked on the road to the island.

Acadia National Park
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
(207)288-3338

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