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Hiking Acadia National Park: A Guide to the Park's Greatest Hiking Adventures
Established as the first national park in the eastern United States, Acadia National Park has 120 miles of hiking trails through more than 40,000 acres along the coast of Maine. Fully revised and updated, this edition of Hiking Acadia National Park covers ridge trails, forest paths, oceanside strolls, and cliff climbs for hikers of all ages and abilities.
Look inside to
• Hikes suited to every ability
• Mile-by-mile directional cues
• Difficulty ratings, trail contacts, fees/permits, and best hiking seasons
• An index of hikes by category —from easy day hikes to hikes to waterfalls
• Invaluable trip-planning information, including local lodging and campgrounds
• GPS location for each trailhead
• GPS-compatible maps of each trail
Look inside to
• Hikes suited to every ability
• Mile-by-mile directional cues
• Difficulty ratings, trail contacts, fees/permits, and best hiking seasons
• An index of hikes by category —from easy day hikes to hikes to waterfalls
• Invaluable trip-planning information, including local lodging and campgrounds
• GPS location for each trailhead
• GPS-compatible maps of each trail
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2001
17 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 2, 2024
I purchased this book before our first trip to Acadia and carefully read through the extensive list of hikes available noting which ones were of interest and discerning priorities based on the information given. I took the book on vacation so that we could read through each hike as we did them, often using the trail depictions on our hikes to make sure that we were taking the right turn and not missing anything along the way. It was an excellent guide for getting around and making these choices.
One thing I loved that is often missing in other guides was the description of the nearest facilities. Now that I am over 50, it’s a must to know, especially in popular places where you can’t just hide behind the nearest tree because there are literally hundreds of people just a few feet away maybe on the trail, maybe not.
The trails often intersect and loop and the layout of the book as well as the descriptions give you choices to follow what the book suggests and often which way to follow the loop on the trail to make the climb less steep. We often found ourselves meeting other hikers wishing they had known they should have taken the trail the other way or that feared heights and shaking with adrenaline after climbing ladders that they could have skipped by taking a different trail for the same spectacular view.
I would have loved for the elevation gains of the hikes to be listed though as a fit 50-year-old, none of the hikes left me sore the next day. The one issue that I had with the guide was with the “difficulty” rating. There were some trails where I met others with mobility or balance issues that had to turn around or were having difficulty navigating trails that were labeled “easy”. The terrain is clearly labeled with gravel, rock ledges, etc. and I would particularly pay attention to those because the “easy” paths are often littered with jagged rocks and large roots for tripping hazards and the log paths are sometimes elevated making it difficult for those with balance, vertigo issues or even exuberant dogs on leashes. I was glad to have my sturdy hiking boots on most of the trails, even those labeled “easy”.
One thing I loved that is often missing in other guides was the description of the nearest facilities. Now that I am over 50, it’s a must to know, especially in popular places where you can’t just hide behind the nearest tree because there are literally hundreds of people just a few feet away maybe on the trail, maybe not.
The trails often intersect and loop and the layout of the book as well as the descriptions give you choices to follow what the book suggests and often which way to follow the loop on the trail to make the climb less steep. We often found ourselves meeting other hikers wishing they had known they should have taken the trail the other way or that feared heights and shaking with adrenaline after climbing ladders that they could have skipped by taking a different trail for the same spectacular view.
I would have loved for the elevation gains of the hikes to be listed though as a fit 50-year-old, none of the hikes left me sore the next day. The one issue that I had with the guide was with the “difficulty” rating. There were some trails where I met others with mobility or balance issues that had to turn around or were having difficulty navigating trails that were labeled “easy”. The terrain is clearly labeled with gravel, rock ledges, etc. and I would particularly pay attention to those because the “easy” paths are often littered with jagged rocks and large roots for tripping hazards and the log paths are sometimes elevated making it difficult for those with balance, vertigo issues or even exuberant dogs on leashes. I was glad to have my sturdy hiking boots on most of the trails, even those labeled “easy”.
September 8, 2018
We have been going to Acadia for a couple years but we’re looking for some new hikes to keep my teenagers engaged. Don’t get me wrong, they love Acadia, I am just trying to keep the love. This trail book has given me hikes to do for years to come. I am invigorated to get there and show the new things that I have learned about the trails and the geography. This book is a hiking geeks dream. I want to do all the trails
July 29, 2018
Excellent hiking guide. Well organized and easy to practically use. Inclusion of dog rules a big plus. Definition of ‘moderate’ was a bit inconsistent — beware.
I’d suggest the next version would benefit from a section on the carriage roads - at minimum a map of those as well.
I’d suggest the next version would benefit from a section on the carriage roads - at minimum a map of those as well.
July 16, 2023
The most helpful of the many guides we looked at. Used it to find a greet mountain trail to summit with our 9 yo son and connecting trails we could hit after afterwards. Really well written and easy to follow directions about connections and spurs.
April 9, 2018
Very detailed narrative and maps of Acadia National Park. Must borrow when going there!
August 22, 2021
A great guide to all the hikes in Acadia. The descriptions of the hikes we did were spot on.
September 11, 2023
Very helpful. Well organized by both area and type of hike. Clear descriptions and accurate directions.
January 3, 2025
Not the lightest book to lug around on the trails. Keep in the car though.
September 6, 2008
Exhaustive, but two problems:
1. It's boring. I like the style of the '50 Hikes' series, which always manages to make certain trails seem more appealing by including interesting botanical/geological/etc. details. This book doesn't do that at all.
2. The maps suck.
If you want a comprehensive description of every trail in Acadia and don't mind the dry style, this book is all right. But make sure you get the AMC trail map of the park, because you'll never navigate using the maps in this book.
Spoiler: The hiker gets to the top of the mountain at the end. :)
1. It's boring. I like the style of the '50 Hikes' series, which always manages to make certain trails seem more appealing by including interesting botanical/geological/etc. details. This book doesn't do that at all.
2. The maps suck.
If you want a comprehensive description of every trail in Acadia and don't mind the dry style, this book is all right. But make sure you get the AMC trail map of the park, because you'll never navigate using the maps in this book.
Spoiler: The hiker gets to the top of the mountain at the end. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2016
Essential hiking guide for Acadia - this book paired perfectly with the trail map we purchased at the hotel. This book clearly describes the difficultly of each hike, categorizes the hikes (great views, ocean lovers, etc). It allowed me to plan out long hiking days and then modify as needed when we ran into parking challenges or weather issues. Each hike is described in detail and prefaced with driving and parking directions. Excellent guide!
December 30, 2021
After five trips to the park, I’ll never say I’m finished with this book, as it is THE BEST trail guide to Acadia that I’ve found. Descriptions are accurate and honest. “Strenuous” means just that, and likewise does “Easy.” Features on each trail are nicely noted.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews