Cadillac Summit Trail

The Cadillac Summit Trail at Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor, Maine is an easy 0.4-mile loop walk that features breathtaking panoramic views from Acadia's tallest mountain.

Exploring Cadillac Mountain's Summit

While this is less of a hike and more of a scenic short walk, the Cadillac Summit Trail has more views to offer visitors than most of the difficult hikes at the park. If you simply want to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain to take-in the panoramic views of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and Acadia's surrounding scenery, this trail is for you.

Visitors will find the beginning of the trail at the main parking lot at the top of Cadillac Mountain. Here, you have a couple of options to hop on the trail. This route begins at the parking lot and follows the Cadillac Summit Trail counter-clockwise. The trail begins by heading uphill slightly before it dips down and along the southern slopes of the mountain. The paved trail then leads back around to head north with views of Bar Harbor. Along the way, you'll find views of Otter Point and Great Head / Sand Beach. The summit trail then wraps around to the north before it reaches the parking lot to complete this short 0.4-mile walk. On the northern section of the loop are the best vistas to take-in views of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and Bar Island. The northern section of the Cadillac Summit Trail is also best for sunset views, assuming the western parking lot is full.

Parking & Vehicle Reservations

Note that Cadillac Mountain is an extremely-popular destination for visitors at Acadia National Park, so the park has implemented a vehicle reservation system to ensure the crowds are kept at bay for visitors to enjoy the mountain without it being overrun by people. Cadillac Mountain reservations begin in May and end in October each year. Please visit the park's website for more information on how to reserve a pass. Visitors will find several parking lots atop Cadillac Mountain. The lots are large enough to fit several dozen vehicles as of May 2025.

Pets

Dogs are allowed only if leashed and cleaned up after.

Universal Access

As of May 2025, this trail should be considered universally-accessible for most of the path. The trail is paved, begins at the parking lot, and has several entrances that do not include any stairs. The path, however, might have some steps along the way especially if you follow the route counter-clockwise. For the most accessible way to explore this route, stay on the northern section of the trail where the paved path does not include any stairs.