This section of the Ocean Path at
Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor, Maine is an easy 2.4-mile out-and-back hike that runs from
Gorham Mountain to Sand Beach and back and features breathtaking views of Maine's rocky coastline.
Hiking the Ocean Path
Acadia's Ocean Path is one of the most-popular and scenic day hikes that the park has to offer and for obvious reasons — this easy trail has something for everyone and can be accessed from various points along Park Loop Road. Sand Beach is especially popular with tourists during the summer as it offers a way for visitors to cool off from the heat. Off-season, the beach is still a popular place to walk around to enjoy scenery. This route is an out-and-back hike along Ocean Path starting at the Gorham Mountain parking area with a turn-around at Sand Beach.
Monument Cove - Mile 0 to 0.1
The hike begins by crossing the street from parking to reach the Ocean Path where visitors will find themselves on the southwest side of Monument Cove. Obstructed views can be found here, but the Ocean Path will eventually wrap around Monument Cove to provide several lookout points where you'll find views of Maine's rocky coastline along with the
Otter Cliffs in the distance.
Just beyond Monument Cove lies a nice off-trail coastal outcropping where hikers can venture out onto for more views or to escape the crowds a bit. To get there, hike north from Monument Cove and take the next right-hand turn path that leads out to the rocky coastline. Just watch your step as the boulders in the path are uneven.
Thunder Hole - Mile 0.38
Up the trail further is the point-of-interest known as
Thunder Hole.
Thunder Hole is a rock channel or chasm with a tunnel in the rocky coastline that the ocean has eroded over millennia. During high tide only, you'll find the ocean's waves rushing through the channel and into the tunnel, then shooting high into the sky as it makes a thunderous noise in the process, hence the name. If you show up during low tide, like we did both times, then
Thunder Hole is just another scenic off-shoot along the Ocean Path.
Schoodic Head Views - Mile 0.6
Around mile 0.6, hikers will find more views of Sand Beach and its cove adjacent to Great Head. Off in the distance, however, is the mountain known as Schoodic Head located across the sound.
The Beehive Cliff Views - Mile 0.68
If you've climbed
The Beehive before, this view will be a nice find along the way. Near mile 0.68 are views of
The Beehive's cliffs. If you're lucky, have good eyesight, or a solid zoom on your camera or phone, you can probably spot people climbing the southern rock face of the mountain.
Sand Beach Views - Mile 0.8 to 1
From mile 0.8 to 1 are several views of Sand Beach and the Great Head peninsula. Some of these views are directly on the trail while others sit just off-trail and are located down scenic paths. Each of these locations provide views to the south as well and mostly include views of the
Otter Cliffs and the rocky coastline. Our favorite view along this hike was near mile 1, just above Sand Beach along the light-colored bedrock. The views of the water from the last high viewpoint were top-notch.
Exploring Sand Beach - Mile 1.3
The last leg of this hike leads through the forest, passing a parking lot for The Beehive, and leads down to the shores of Sand Beach. Along the way, you'll find restrooms and signage to point the way. Take the staircase down to Sand Beach and enjoy the views of the ocean and Maine's rocky coastline. On our hike, we split ways at the vista at mile 1, so we waved to each other from each location. I then hiked back up and we hiked back to parking.
Hiking Out - Mile 1.3 to 2.4
Taking the same, but opposite, route back to parking is just as scenic as the hike in albeit probably a bit quicker. Along the way you can hit some of the off-trail views you meant to explore on the way in to escape the crowds a bit or simply enjoy views from the Ocean Path itself. Arrive at parking at mile 2.4 to complete this easy hike along one of Maine's most iconic shorelines.
Other Nearby Hikes
If you're planning to hike this section of the Ocean Path, you can also consider hiking
Gorham Mountain and the Cadillac Cliffs,
The Beehive and The Bowl, or take a short stroll along the
Ocean Path at Otter Point. Our original plan was to hike
The Beehive and The Bowl, hike to the summit of
Gorham Mountain, and then hike back via this route along the Ocean Path but we decided to hike them piecemeal on different days which was virtually the same but felt like three different experiences. Regardless, hiking all three provides a really neat perspective of the landscape along this part of
Acadia National Park and all three hikes are highly recommended.
Parking
Visitors will find many different parking lots to explore and hike the Ocean Path. This guide starts you at the Gorham Mountain parking lot, which is much smaller than other parking lots nearby, like the Sand Beach parking lot. This parking lot is large enough to fit about 20 vehicles or less as of May 2025.
Pets
Dogs are allowed only if leashed and cleaned up after.
