Crowd-Free Trails in Acadia National Park

With its dramatic granite cliffs alongside a churning, crashing sea, Acadia National Park truly feels like a landscape out of a storybook. The trails that wind their way through the park display sweeping vistas where the mountains meet the beach, and sometimes even opportunities to forage wild blueberries. Of course, such attractive destinations are popular for good reason—which means that in the peak summer months, Acadia’s best-known hiking trails can also become the most crowded. Fortunately, though, there are plenty of lesser-known but equally rewarding trails for those on the hunt for unique hiking experiences in our country’s national parks—without the addition of strangers in your Instagram snaps.

If you’re reading the RVshare blog, you already know that we think RV camping is the very best way to experience the outdoors—especially for those who enjoy crowd-free hiking trails. RVing is like bringing your home along with you for the adventure: You can enjoy all your favorite creature comforts (and, importantly, privacy), all while sleeping close enough to the heart of the action to beat the traffic on the way in. Win-win!

Best Crowd-Free Trail Suggestions by AllTrails

Committed hikers probably already know about AllTrails: It’s the very best app for all things outdoors. But if you still have the free Base membership, listen up—because upgrading is well worth it.

At the next tier up, Plus, you’ll get access to downloadable trail maps to keep you in the know even when you’re out of cell range, along with wrong turn alerts and live sharing—in short, features that can go a long way toward keeping you safe in wild areas. Better yet, for RVshare readers, an annual membership to AllTrails Plus is available at 30% off, but only for a limited time. (It’s already super affordable, so this is an unbeatable deal!)

Finally, for serious adventurers, there’s the Peak membership, a new tier that includes the option to customize your own routes and a community heatmap that connects you to AllTrails’ community of more than 80 million members. Either way, you can’t go wrong. (Literally, if you have wrong turn alerts activated!)

Skip Beehive Loop Trail; Try Buck Cove Mountain Trail Instead

Built for serious adventurers (and those who can’t pass up a truly epic view), Beehive Loop Trail is easily one of the most beloved trails in all of Acadia National Park. Case in point: It has almost 15,000 reviews on AllTrails and more than 21,000 user photos. It can also get so crowded that you’re basically in a queue.

Although Beehive Trail is only 1.5 miles round trip and a few hundred feet of elevation gain, it’s considered a challenging hike—in large part because part of the adventure involves scaling sheer, exposed cliff faces on iron-runged ladders. (It’s not for the faint of heart—or faint of fitness, to be honest.) But for those hikers who are already in the right kind of shape for such an adventure—but eager to find a less-crowded alternative—Buck Cove Mountain Trail offers a worthy alternative. 

At about six miles round-trip and just over 1,000 feet of elevation gain, Buck Cove Mountain Trail is definitely longer and technically steeper than Beehive Loop, but you won’t need to scale any ladders hand-over-hand. (That also makes this trail pet-friendly for those traveling with Fido, so long as you keep your furry friend leashed the entire time.) The longest established trail on Schoodic Peninsula, Buck Cove Mountain Trail ascends to the summit of its eponymous peak, where you’ll be rewarded for your efforts with endless views of coastal islands like Rolling Island. The trail is also a popular option for birders thanks to its population of hard-to=spot grouse and other wildlife.

Here’s what real, live hikers (like you!) have to say about their experience on Buck Cove Mountain Trail:

• This trail is beautiful and well marked, and lined with wild blueberry bushes all the way up the mountain.
• Great non-crowded hike on Memorial Day. Views from top are impressive!
• A pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the main park.

Before You Go Considerations 

Like every trail, a trip up Buck Cove Mountain requires some forethought. Here’s what to keep in mind for your adventure.

• Be prepared for mud. Even in the summer months, this trail can get slick—and since it’s got plenty of tree roots and rocks, it’s important to watch your step (and wear good hiking shoes!).
• It’s a long one. Bring plenty of water, snacks, and sun protection—and be prepared for up to eight miles and many hours on your feet.
• You’re in bear country. The Schoodic Peninsula has some of the most common black bear sightings in the park, so be sure you’re familiar with what to do if you encounter one. Check out the NPS page on bear safety for details.

Skip Jordan Pond Path; Try Western Head and Cliff Trail Instead 

Acadia Park’s Mount Desert Island is the most popular and often-visited part of the entire park—so you won’t be surprised to learn that Jordan Pond Path, an easy, three-mile loop that sees negligible elevation change, is one of the most crowded. If you don’t arrive early enough, you may not even find parking, and even if you do, you could find yourself feeling more like you’re in a supermarket line than the great outdoors.

Of course, the views offered by Jordan Pond Path are indeed worthwhile, with the reflection of mountain peaks towering over low waters dotted with boulders and surrounded by green. Fortunately, there’s a hike with similar views and stats (though in an entirely different part of the park) that’s the perfect crowd-free hiking trail alternative: Western Head and Cliff Trail.

Tucked on to Isle au Haut—which is only accessible by ferry—this kid- and pet-friendly trail is automatically made less crowded by the effort visitors must make to get there. Once you arrive in this nearly untouched world, you can enjoy a loop of about four miles in length and 300 feet in elevation change, offering up unparalleled Atlantic views through stands of trees towering over moss-covered granite cliffs and rocky beaches. Though relatively short and only moderate in difficulty, the trail encompasses a wide variety of landscapes, so it truly has something for everyone.

Here’s what hikers have to say about their experience at Western Head and Cliff Trail:

• It’s beautiful with a diverse landscape. A mixture of rock climbing along the ocean and flat wooded areas. Highly recommend.
• Stunning— coastal cliff hike, fern, moss, lichen paradise!
• This is one of the best trails of Acadia.

Before You Go Considerations 

Here’s what to know before you go to Western Head and Cliff Trail.

• Getting here takes planning. The only ferry to Isle au Haut leaves from Stonington, Maine and takes about 45 minutes one way. It is first-come, first-served, but you will need to add in travel time to your overall budget for this hike.
• This trail is slick and rocky, so many hikers highly recommend bringing trekking poles!

Post-Hike Resources for Acadia National Park 

With over 150 miles of hiking trails criss-crossing Acadia National Park, it’s true that you could easily spend your whole vacation—in fact, probably several vacations—exploring it. Still, there are plenty of other amazing things to do in the immediate vicinity once you’re ready to take off your boots for a while.

For starters, though, you’ve gotta have a cozy place to stay. Check out the best RV campgrounds in and around Acadia National Park, from luxurious developed campgrounds with all the comforts of home to more rugged, rustic options.

Bar Harbor is considered Acadia’s gateway town, but it’s a worthy destination in its own right, replete with art galleries, museums and delicious seafood options. For those hoping to knock Maine lobster off their bucket lists, we recommend Bar Harbor Lobster Pound, where you can enjoy whole lobster fresh from local docks or a variety of lobster-based dishes like lobster tacos, lobster nachos and even a lobster grilled cheese. 

Bar Harbor is also a great place to catch guided whale watching tours, where, along with (of course) whales, you might also catch sight of puffins, harbor seals and lighthouses.

(Psst: Looking for other landscapes that have a similar vibe to Acadia National Park—without the crowds? Check out these Acadia National Park destination dupes!)

Acadia National Park truly offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity for exploration and adventure—and, as we’ve seen, plenty of crowd-free hiking trails and unique hiking experiences for those willing to do a little footwork to find them. You already know that RVing is the best way to see any place in the U.S. (and beyond), but RVshare vehicles up the ante even more. That’s because peer-to-peer rentals allow you to experience real rigs that are lived in and loved by their people rather than sterile, just-off-the-lot rental vehicles from big box retailers. It’s the perfect place to call home after a big hike—especially with AllTrails in your pocket to ensure you get there and back safely.