Absolutely gorgeous trail through stunning forest that goes around Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park. The trail is a little over 3 miles around. Jordan Pond trail connects to several other trails too, including the trail to Bubble Rock. A portion of the trail is on sturdy wooden planks to easily walk on, a very short section of the trail does have large boulders to navigate but most of the trail is a level dirt path. There are obvious signs of wildlife everywhere, such as beavers having chewed through trees, frogs along the waters edge, birds, wild turkey & roaming deer. We saw people of all ages walking (with their dogs too) the entire trail & we brought 4 little girls (ages 5-12) who all easily navigated the trail! No swimming allowed in this pond & bring a water bottle! There is a gift shop, food & bathrooms by the parking lot only. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - Navigating the "planks" portion of Jordan Pond trail - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

The walk around Jordan Pond is beautiful and stress free. We stopped here with a group of 5 and 2 dogs. We made sure that we got to the parking lot early (8 AM) on a weekday to ensure easy parking. During a past trip, we arrived in the parking lot at 11 AM and it was utter chaos. We did not want to make that mistake again. The early start meant that the trail was very quiet with low traffic when we visited in early June. read more

See all

We took an absolutely delightful, relaxing walk around Jordan Pond and is a must-do. This 3.3 mile hike is relatively easy with only one small section where you have to walk/climb across some rocks (but still easily do-able). Saw plenty of kids doing this hike without any issues. It takes about an hour to do and is absolutely worth it. Beautiful views of the pond with so much surrounding greenery - it's amazing. We came when it was super foggy so couldn't see too much which was a shame, but I can only imagine how beautiful it would be in the sun. Jordan Pond House is just a very short walk away from here, and if you can make reservations to grab a bite (or a popover) to eat, you should do it. We came for a breakfast of popovers, and then did the hike. Super enjoyable experience, overall! Even if you don't eat there, they have bathrooms, a water bottle re-fill station, and a gift shop here so definitely stop by to refresh. Parking can definitely be rough here as they have smaller parking lots. So plan ahead and be prepared to have some patience looking for a spot. Overall, definitely recommend this trail as one of your hikes during your trip. read more

See all

If your new to hiking its a nice walk. Theres more experienced hikes but nothing a little effort cant fix. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - Water. Mountains - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

Hiked it and liked it! My little fam with 2 kids ages 6 and 8 enjoyed a 3 mile hike around Jordan Pond. This pretty flat trail lets you see a gorgeous stream and stunning scenery and even if you don't hike, you can still access the scenery without having to walk much. Sometimes you just gotta think outside! No box required. NOTES/TIPS: **Just a short walk from Jordan Pond House - a restaurant where you can park for your hike. **Expect zero cell service. read more

See all

Beautiful Jordan pond. Took us 85 mins round the pond. Be mindful that it's not all gravel paved, and includes wooden plank walkways, a bit of rock traversing, and maneuvering tree roots. Tough getting round when it's busy in Acadia but worth the visit. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - Jordan pond - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

See all

West side of trail is fairly flat crushed gravel east side is mainly narrow raised plank boards (not recommended for young children). Views are incredible. If you want to eat lunch at the restaurant, reservations are highly recommended or prepare for a long wait. read more

Our favorite hike in Acadia national park! And the most suited for us since we have a little toddler with us who loves hiking. You can hike the entire pond and it is about 3 miles. We hiked it clockwise turning left from the starting point after the parking lot. This way, you see the planks first. There is a about a little under 1 miles of planks to walk on with the trail. This was my favorite because my toddler loved it and she is addicted to walking on plank like surfaces. The wooden planks almost gave me a tranquil feel as if we are walking in a bamboo forest in Japan! Our 4 years old was able to hike about 2 miles of the total 3 miles hike. She got hungry mostly. We should've brought some snacks for her but didn't think it was a long hike. It took us about 2-3 hrs with all the stops for pictures and toddler distractions. After the planks, you have to hike a few rocky areas which is not difficult but you do have to be mindful of your little ones! We went when it was drizzling a little bit so it wasn't crowded but we tried to go again when the weather was good and was unable to find parking. There is shuttle available and I recommend looking into that because the parking lot is not huge and can get full easily. Our toddler was a little bummed when we couldn't go again. Highly recommended for families with small kids! read more

See all

The trail was longer than we expected. You basically walk all around the pond with view of the lake on your left side. We went in late April for spring break and rained the day before so some parts of the road was a bit muddy. Overall was easy to walk and enjoy the stroll. The planks are very easy to walk on. It's nice they put so much work in taking care of the road. It makes it even appreciated while visiting. This was a highlight of our trip in Acadia and approved by our kids who is 9 and 13. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

See all

Jordan Pond Hiking Trails provide a serene view of the pond as you walk clockwise or counterclockwise. At approx 3 miles, it's not a terribly difficult hike, including with children and dogs (big dogs tho). You can walk either direction, but I think a clockwise hike allows you to end the hike on a lighter note, as I'll mention now. Going clockwise gets you past the wooden planks and climbing up and down the rocks. Midway through, you'll reach the Bubble Divide and you'll want to take this to get up to the Bubbles. I advise going up the divide specifically clockwise as this is the easier way of going up to the Bubbles. The Bubbles: lot of rock climbing, but blue paint helps us get up pretty easily. Ideally wish there were some more clear signs once you get up, but that's another story. Once you pass the rocks, you'll get to an inflection point where you can head to the Bubbles parking lot, head to the North Bubble, or head to the South Bubble. South Bubble's worth the hike and view, but then walk back towards the Divide and walk back down the rocks. You can head directly down from the viewpoint, but it's a much more steeper hike and it's not easy. All in all, a very fun, easy hike with some breathtaking views. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - South Bubble - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

We started our hike at the Jordan Pond restaurant - you can easily take the bus there or park... there's lots of extended parking in the area. It's a long hike but not a difficult one. I believe it's about 3 miles... going clockwise around the lake, the first half of the trail are laid down wooden planks that you'll have to walk along. Kind of cool and definitely different. Along the way you'll see spots where the trees open up and you can get some good pics. Right at the turnaround there was a loon nesting! Loons often return to the same spot - so chances are you'll see one nesting year after year. The walk back was a nice packed trail - but we were worn out by then. I was our second hike of the day! If you want, end the hike with lunch at the Jordan Pond restaurant. Make reservations or be prepared to wait! This place is POPULAR during the day. It's easy to get seated late afternoon and evening. Be forewarned if you're with younger kiddos... they are NOT going to make it all of the way around. We spotted lots of parents carrying their exhausted kiddos the latter part of the trail. read more

See all

Started the hike up Penobscot Mountain and Sargeant Mountain from the Jordan Pond Hiking trails. Still plenty of parking around 8am, although later in the day it might be hard to find parking especially on the weekends. The last half of the trail came down around Jordan Pond and it was a nice walk (although you can't swim in this particular pond due to it being a drinking water source), albeit a tad crowded around 2pm. Stop at the cafe nearby for a popover on your way out (but the lines may be a bit long!). All in all, some beautiful trails in Acadia. Definitely recommended! read more

Parking in the Jordon Pond parking area is challenging. Always cars skulking around looking for anyone to pull out - better have your seat belts on! We parked at the Visitor Center and took the free bus which turned out great. The seats are comfy and it's air conditioned. They are scheduled for pick up every 30 minutes. The hike is a little over 3 miles. We started at 11:00 going clockwise, and it took us about 2 hours. We were being touristy and stopped a lot to take pictures. It was crowded on a Wednesday in July. The hike is mostly shady but there are a few sunny spots. The first half of the hike is fairly flat and wide. There are some rocks that can easily trip you though. The second half, you climb through some boulders on a narrow trail. It can be tricky when you came head-to-head with other hikers as you have to find somewhere to step aside. The next part of the trail is a wooden boardwalk that is quite long and narrow. They built in some areas where you can stop to let others pass but I still saw people stepping off the boardwalk to get around. Jordon Pond is beautiful and serene. The only wildlife we saw were some birds on the lake and a couple of frogs. BTW ... you can access several other hikes from this loop such as the Bubbles. Not our favorite hike in the area but we enjoyed it nonetheless. read more

See all

So, so, so, so, so, soooooooooo beautiful! We started with the loop around the pond. It was so very lovely. It's a nice easy trail that all at anyone can do. It's relaxing and peaceful with a breathtaking view of the pond the entire time. The loop around the lake is about 3 miles. Again, the loop around the pond is pretty easy. There's so many places to pull over for a photo op! There's also a lot of trails off of the loop that you can take to go for a more challenging hike. We decided to go to the south bubble summit. It was pretty challenging with an amazing view at the top. The hike down went a lot faster than the hike up. I'm very happy we made it to the summit! read more

See all

Great 3 mile hike in Acadia Get here early or the trail can get a little bit crowded. Strongly recommend taking the shuttle bus from the Visitor Center to the Jordan Pond stop. The majority of this hike is pretty easy, and covered by either gravel or wooden plank walkways. There is some rock scrambling involved about midway through - so be prepared with good shoes. The toughest part of this hike is navigating hikers that are coming from the opposite direction, though everybody is very friendly and patient. read more

See all

No parking anytime of day. Ranger told is that's too bad. Even though we had reservations and traveled 1500 miles to do this. Would not recommend the money it takes to get here or stay here if you want a low stress vacation or hiking trip. The reservations for Cadillac mountain worked fine. They need to run the rest of the park the same way but they are not going too and can't. Cadillac mountain is amazing. But if you hate people , especially massholes and New Yorkers, traffic, congestion, no parking I would go someplace else for sure. If you like being trendy, people, traffic , congestion, having reservations and not being able to use them and asked to leave the park because there is too many people and not enough parking, over paying to stay in trendy hipster tourist trap towns then it's perfectly fine for you. read more

Easy 4 mile loop around the pond. There are several trails that are connected along the way. If you're up for a moderate hike and want to see the pond and maybe even other bodies of water definitely check out the trails of Pemetic or Bubble Mountain. Keep in mind it gets super packed because it's an easy trail. And the area is kid and pet friendly. read more

See all

Jordan Pond Hiking Trails are spectacular, be they as easy as a stroll around the pond, or as challenging as climbing the Bubbles. It's one of Acadia's most iconic sights. It radiates serenity, even if the parking lot is chaotic and packed. Jordan Pond is an oasis of quiet, mountain scenery shading it. The forests seem limitless. Further up, the Bubbles are rugged, (relatively) backcountry hiking. Their separate parking lots also tend to be smaller. The Bubbles are breathtaking granite landscapes; at the South Bubble, there's the precarious, tenacious Balancing Rock, a glacial erratic clinging on like the hikers along the trail. The South Bubble trail is not a full mile, but certainly feels like one. It's a great place for a workout and taking in the gorgeous natural landscape. If you want to get into Nature on the East Coast, Acadia is a prime destination. read more

Hiked to the Penobscot summit, west of Jordan Pond. We started at the Jordan Pond House, but could just as easily started at The Bubbles trail head. Went clockwise from Jordan Pond House, along the Jordan Ridge to the Penobscot summit, then back down to the Jordan Lake trail. Good half-day hike with 1,000 foot vertical and a couple of challenging (but not really dangerous) climbs. Wonderful views! Also saw the perigrin falcon flying as we looked out over the north end of Jordan Pond. Thoughts of taking this clockwise vs counter clockwise: CW: this way allows you to tackle more of the rock climb sections on your way up from Jordan Pond House rather than trying to traverse the steep climbs on the way down. There are some steep climbing sections ascending from the north end of Jordan Lake to the north end of Jordan Ridge, but not as many. CCW: this way you can descend the spine of the ridge headed south. The solid granite and gradual slope along the spine of Jordan Ridge make for a nice easy downhill section after reaching the summit. This is opposed to climbing along the spine headed north, which is made more grueling because of all the false summits that raise/crush your hopes. CCW also allows you to climb the steep, dry creek bed from the north end of Jordan Lake, connecting up to the summit. I felt that the loose rocks in the dry creek bed are more challenging to descend because of the risk of slipping. Overall, I thing CCW is slightly better for this trail. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen since you will be exposed with no shade along the ridge. read more

Wonderful trail through majestic scenery. Footing is slightly challenging, but doable for most with mindfulness. We didn't make it all the way around, as we had lunch reservation at the restaurant and didn't want to miss or be late, but I'd love to do the whole 3 mile loop someday. The stretch I did along water with changing leaves on a sunny day was stunning. Many happy, polite hikers sharing the trail, dogs, too. read more

Don't be turned off by misty weather. We spent a cloudy day here and it was beautiful and mysterious even without being able to see in the distance. Would suggest trying off-hours, especially early morning. Once the crowds pick up, the boardwalks are not 2-way and we constantly had to leap onto rocks off the path to let groups pass. Parking is a bit squirrelly here, we didn't even attempt the Jordan Pond House. read more

I was expecting a lot more after reading the rave reviews. The scenery is certainly pretty but the trail leaves a lot to be desired for. The log boardwalk around Jordan Lake is g.d awful. It's not secure and wobbly in many places. I spent more time looking at my feet than I did at the scenery Here's an idea park people, with the $30.00 toll you charge, upgrade the path. If you need ideas on how to do it and keep the habitat natural, check out what they did at the Flume Gorge in New Hampshire. Easy to moderate paths should be constructed in such a fashion that they can be enjoyed by most ages and abilities not just the sure footed amongst us. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - Path needs attention. Passing folk is a challenge - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

See all

Jordan Pond trail reminds me of Bear Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park although completely unpaved. The east portion is a very graded trail with potentially troublesome roots and rocks. The west portion majority is on cut log platforms and under construction in parts requiring a well marked detour onto swampy lands. Would maybe recommend sticking to the east half. We hiked up BUBBLES TRAIL onto south bubble. Starts off going through boulder fields. Right before reaching the top will have to scurry over exposed cliff edge similar to bee hive with 1-2 iron rungs in places. Views make it completely worth it seeing Jordan Pond with the sea in the background. Bubble rock was honestly underwhelming. We walked down the backside BUBBLES DIVIDE TRAIL- first half graded descent and second half through boulder field. Recommend hiking shoes with good ankle support! read more

When I think if Maine, this is the type of place I envision. Beautiful little area with absolutely crystal clear water. This would be a great place to kayak or canoe. read more

Jordan Pond Hiking trails - Hiking Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

It is an absolutely gorgeous lake nestled in between mountains. The water is a beautiful, perfect dark blue. The big lake and the surrounding mountains make the experience picturesque. It is a serene, calming sound to hear the water cradle back and forth against the edges of the lake. The path around the lake is a relaxing stroll. I do not consider it a hike. It is 3.5 mile loop that is basically flat. You need to walk on some rocks and boulders during part of the trail. However, you do not have to climb over them like a rock scramble. In addition, the rocks have solid footing. There is also another part of the trail where you walk on planks. It is probably because the ground below gets too muddy. It is not a big deal. Overall, the loop around Jordan Pond is basically a walk in the park... around a pond. South Bubble detour (0.9 miles/ 500 feet elevation change) If you want a little bit more of a challenge and turn it into a real hike, I recommend taking a detour to the lookout point of South Bubble. You will see the two mountains, South and North Bubble, straight ahead as you are approaching the north side of the lake from a counterclockwise direction. You will see a sign for the parking lot for the Bubbles. It is an easier route to the lookout point but a little more distance. Of course, you can also just drive to that parking lot. Other hikers told me it was a really easy walk from the parking lot to the lookout point. If you want a challenge during your loop around Jordan Pond, wait for the sign after the one to the parking. It notes the hike up is 0.4 miles to the summit of South Bubble. I definitely underestimated how strenuous the hike up would be. I worked up a sweat rock scrambling. There are also a couple of points that had iron rungs as I approached the lookout point. Of course, be careful on the iron rungs but I did not feel in danger. I would not have tried going back down in that direction but it is possible. For anyone with hiking experience, it is relatively easy but legitimately steep enough for a workout. I did not bring my hiking boots because I was not expecting to make the detour but completed it with old running shoes. The views at the lookout point are incredible as you hover 768 feet above the lake with islands and the ocean in the distance. The views of the lake are amazing on the ground anyway but the top of South Bubble provides a different and spectacular vantage point. If you are visiting and planning a trip to Acadia and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me for my itinerary. You can also find the electronic copy through the link my profile. read more

See all

Beautiful pond, with some areas of the trail that's closest to the lake were very easy to hike but others over rocks/boulders not as easy, so be warned. Also, there are a few very narrow sections + the boulders so don't try to bring a stroller on the trail closest to the lake. read more

The best scenic hiking trail for beginners. The pond is so serene and beautiful, and the trail is not too challenging for those who prefer an easy walk to a strenuous climb. I even saw some very young children with their families while I was there! read more