At 466 m, Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park in Maine is certainly no competition for Mt. Everest, and in other respects, too, this elevation is not particularly impressive. Cadillac Mountain is nevertheless something special – its 466 m are enough to make it the highest mountain on the North American Atlantic coast.
The exposed location of Cadillac Mountain in the popular and well-known Acadia National Park in Maine / USA, together with the road that leads all the way up the mountain, means that the “summit” is no oasis of calm. An insane number of tourists visit Cadillac Mountain during the day, so you will unfortunately look in vain for peace and relaxation at the top. Right at the viewpoint, with its wonderful distant views and view of the sea, one bus after another pulls up and spits out the next load of tourists.
Cadillac Mountain – the journey is the destination
Why is the hike up Cadillac Mountain a highlight all the same? Here, more than almost anywhere else, the motto “the journey is the destination” applies. Climbing Cadillac Mountain on foot is certainly a special experience – you rarely get the chance to watch ocean giants such as cruise ships while climbing a mountain. The route we chose up Cadillac Mountain is the South Ridge Trail, which starts right at Blackwoods Campground.
Knowing full well that the trail up Cadillac Mountain is also very popular, we set off very early. And so we are on our own on the trail for a long time. While at the beginning you still walk through fairly dense forest, after about 2 km you come to a junction where we take a short detour to “Eagles Crag”. A small detour, but one that already gives us a great view over the peninsula and the sea.
From now on the trees gradually thin out and the landscape becomes ever more rugged. The trail leads gently but steadily uphill along a narrow, rocky path. Shortly before our goal we have to scramble up a small rock, and then we soon come across the first, more comfort-loving tourists.
A mountain with a sea view
If you want to enjoy the superb view from Cadillac Mountain for a long time and end your tour here, you can take the bus back to the campground (more detailed information can be found on the official Acadia National Park website). We, however, are still fit and head for somewhat quieter paths. Right from the viewpoint the route drops briskly on a fairly rocky and not entirely easy descent towards Dorr Mountain.
After the descent you come to a junction where you can decide once more. If you want to climb Dorr Mountain, you continue straight ahead and now have to scramble upwards. In places it is so steep that it is advisable to stow your trekking poles and keep both hands free. Once at the top, we briefly follow the trail branching off to the right towards the summit. The somewhat smaller Dorr Mountain (387 m) is the direct neighbour of Cadillac Mountain and gives a good view of the crowds of tourists opposite.
From Dorr Mountain it is a steep descent via the Ladder Trail
To make the tour a little more exciting, we chose the Ladder Trail for the descent from Dorr Mountain. As the (perhaps somewhat exaggerated) name suggests, it consists of ladders in places. Apart from the ladders, it drops very steeply over rocks laid like steps, losing a full 250 m over a distance of just 800 m.
If you like, you can now make a short detour to “The Tarn”, a lake that is almost completely overgrown with reeds. At the junction we turn right onto the Canon Brook Trail, which is easy going for only a short time. Soon the steep path leads beside a small waterfall and over granite back to the South Ridge Trail. Once there, you return to the campground the way you came.
Tip: If you pitch your tent at Blackwoods Campground, try to get a site in the back rows of the A-Loop, so that you don’t have to walk right across the whole campground after the strenuous hike.
Indian summer, the best time to visit Acadia National Park
Verdict: A wonderful hike that is considerably more strenuous than the absolute elevation gain would suggest. The path is very narrow and steep in places, but it also offers wonderful viewpoints with a fantastic panorama over the island. The hike is of course particularly attractive in sunshine. If you have the chance, you should choose autumn as your time to travel.
