Trail | Distance | Comments |
| The Beehive Trail | 0.6 miles | Start at Sand Beach Parking and climb to Beehive Summit (520') |
| The Bowl | 0.2 miles | Climb down to shore of The Bowl (417') |
| Champlain South Ridge Trail | 1.6 miles | Hike to the summit of Champlain (1058') |
| Champlain South Ridge Trail | 1.6 miles | Retrace our steps to the shore of The Bowl |
| Gorham Mountain Trail | 1.3 miles | Hike up and over Gorham Mountain (522') |
| The Ocean Path | 1.5 miles | Return to parking following the ocean shore |
Grand Total | 6.8 miles | Estimated 1300' elevation gain |
We started at the Sand Beach Parking lot and hiked in a counter-clockwise path (shown in red on the map below), going up and back on the Champlain South Ridge Trail.
We met Lil and Molly at the entrance to their campground at 6 A.M. We were eager for an early start to get ahead of the crowds that descend on Sand Beach and Beech Mountain - two of the most popular attractions in Acadia.
The Beehive does have some steep drop offs, but the trail is mostly safe. The iron rungs are strategically placed to aid hikers over the toughest spots. There was only one point where they could really have used an additional rung. Still, I would not hike this trail in wet conditions, the rocks can be slippery, and falling here would be fatal. We made it to the top and celebrated. I was glad we had started so early, so there wasn't a crowd behind us pushing up the narrow sections.
Champlain Mountain has two "false" summits - where you climb up and discover that there is more mountain ahead of you. But the steepest section is just north of the The Bowl - once you climb to the first false summit, the rest of the hike is straightforward.
The humidity was incredible on this day. I didn't drink enough water, and got dehydrated. I bonked by the time we reach Gorham. I drank both of my water bottles, but it wasn't enough, so I was moving rather
listlessly by the end of our hike.
Gorham Mountain is an interesting trail, with its largest boulders and rock formations. Combined with the Beehive, I imagine this is one of the most popular hikes in the park.
Panorama Photos
