This video shows what it’s like to hike the famous Beehive Trail in Acadia
This story was originally published in June 2012.
Difficulty: The path in front of the Beehive is of moderate difficulty, but challenging for people with a slight fear of heights. The path behind the Beehive is of moderate difficulty and better suited for children, dogs and people with a fear of heights.
How to get there: Enter Mount Desert Island on Route 3 and turn left. Drive to Bar Harbor and continue on Route 3 (Bar Harbor Road). Drive through town and enter Acadia National Park. Turn left onto Park Loop Road at the park entrance. Continue on Park Loop Road to the Sand Beach parking lot, passing the free park entrance station on the left. From May 1 to October 31, you must pay a small fee to pass through the gate. Information on entrance fees can be found here. From the Sand Beach parking lot, walk back to Park Loop Road. Turn right and walk a short distance. The trailhead is on the left.
Another option is to turn left just before the park entrance station, but remember that when hiking in Acadia, you will have to pay for a pass whether you pass an entrance station or not.
After a short distance you will reach an intersection. Turn right into a dead end. At the end of the street there is a small parking lot on the left. This parking lot fills up quickly so try to get there early in the morning. You will get a ticket if you park on the side of the road.
Walk along the wooded trail that begins at the parking lot. Take either the first or second right turn (either will work) to get to Sand Beach. Cross the beach and climb the steps at the other end to get to the main parking lot. Walk across the parking lot to Park Loop Road. Turn right and walk a short distance. The trailhead is on the left.
Information: At 520 feet high, the Beehive offers stunning views of Sand Beach, the ocean, and the terrain of the east side of MDI. While the granite hill is certainly not the highest peak on the island, it is by far the most dominant geological feature near the popular Sand Beach. The trail is short – about 0.8 miles – and leads through the forest to exposed cliffs. Two routes lead to the summit. About 0.2 miles into the trail, there is a fork in the trail. Turn right onto the “Beehive Trail” to climb the cliff face. In a few places, hikers must use iron rungs for support as they ascend the cliffs, but for the most part, the trail switchbacks and climbs gradually. The trail also has many granite steps. If this steep climb isn’t your thing, continue straight at the fork and follow the signs for “The Bowl.” This trail heads up the back side of the Beehive and is more gentle. This route is suitable for dogs, ambitious young children and people with a fear of heights. Hikers usually use this route to descend from the Beehive.
Personal note: Much of the walk is exposed to the sun; wear sunscreen. Be careful on the cliffs. It may look like a playground, but it isn’t. I usually take friends on this walk because it’s short, exciting, has great views, and you can enjoy the beach and the cold Atlantic afterward.
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