Asticou Azalea Garden Trail

The Asticou Azalea Garden Trail at the Asticou Azalea Garden in Mount Desert, Maine is an easy 0.3-mile out-and-back walk that leads through an ultra-scenic landscape with designs inspired by classic Japanese gardens.

Walking the Asticou Azalea Garden

Walking through the Asticou Azalea Garden certainly is not a hike, but rather a peaceful stroll through a tranquil garden full of blooming azaleas, flowering bushes, wildflowers, ponds, and even a zen garden. If you love flowering plants, scenic waterways, small waterfalls, and Japanese zen gardens, then the Asticou Azalea Garden is the place for you!

This route begins at the main parking area and follows the path as it leads south through the garden's grounds. If you follow the route as depicted on the trail map, you'll be lead to a pond before the route loops you around the western side of the water's edge. You'll then pass over a stone footbridge with a tiny adjacent waterfall before the trail runs along the east side of the pond to connect with Peabody Drive. The route then leads north, passing the peaceful zen garden where you can sit and contemplate or simply enjoy the Japanese-inspired landscape. Finally, the route leads back to the main path and out to the parking lot for a short but ultra-scenic 0.3-mile walk.

Parking

The non-ADA parking lot can be found at the coordinates provided, located on the east side of Sound Drive in Mount Desert, Maine. The lot is large enough to fit less than 10 vehicles has of May 2025.

Pets

Dogs are not allowed on the garden's grounds.

Universal Accessibility

This trail should be considered partially universally-accessible, at least from the ADA-compliant parking lot through parts of the garden. Note that the garden's even have a ADA-compliant entrance and parking lot located at: 44.305154, -68.283947. Please note that the entire path may not be fully accessible, including the small stone bridge that crosses the waterway and the northern path that leads to the zen garden.