A moderate out-and-back hike to the highest point both at Acadia National Park and on the eastern seaboard. The trail is mostly exposed, providing hikers with sweeping vistas of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula.
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Trails. Portions of the Cadillac Summit Loop are paved, wide enough for a single wheelchair, and provide scenic views of Frenchman Bay and the Porcupine Islands. Other sections are very steep or contain steps up and down.
The easiest and most popular way to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain is to drive. Cadillac Summit Road is a two lane, paved road. It winds up to the summit and has several scenic viewpoints along the way. However, there are a few important things to know before driving this road.
Moderate Hiking, 2.2 miles one-wayThe trail ends, of course, on the 1,528-foot summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak in the park, and highest point along the eastern seaboard.
Visit Cadillac MountainAccessible by car, it is the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the U.S., and offers magnificent views of a glaciated coastal and island landscape. The short, paved Cadillac Summit Loop Trail, interpretive waysides, restrooms, and gift shop are located at the summit.
At 1530 feet (466 m) tall, Cadillac is the tallest mountain on the eastern seaboard of the United States! It is also the first place to see the sunrise in the U.S. in the winter. For thousands of years, people have climbed Cadillac Mountain and looked out from its lofty peak.
Cadillac Mountain is one of more than 20 mountains on Mount Desert Island, and at 1,530 feet, it's the highest point along the North Atlantic seacoast. It's worth the trek to witness the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain.
The reservation system was designed as a tool to improve the visitor experience, ensure visitor safety, and protect park resources. Reservations are NOT required for visitors to Cadillac Mountain who enter by foot or bike.
The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, can often be seen from in the northernmost parts of DownEast Acadia. The best viewing time for the Northern Lights is August to October. So get outside on a crisp autumn night and look north.
Many Acadia photographers prefer the sunrise view at the peak of Cadillac Mountain over the Cadillac Mountain sunset, However, Acadia sunsets are spectacular at both the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and the Blue Hill Overlook, not far from Cadillac.
Continental Divide TrailArguably the most challenging thru-hike of the National Scenic Trails, it traverses five states, ranges from 4,000 to 14,000-feet in elevation, and passes through alpine tundra, broad glacial valleys, craggy mountain peaks, and desolate desert landscapes.