Gorham Mountain Loop Hiking Guide
Gorham Mountain sits between the Beehive and Otter Cliffs, and the loop over it gives a sampler of Acadia: open granite, a summit looking across Sand Beach and the coast, and a walk back along the ocean past Thunder Hole. It takes the effort of the Beehive down a notch, with no required ladders. Dogs are allowed, which sets it apart from its rung-climbing neighbor.
Permit: Acadia requires an entrance pass year-round: $35 per private vehicle or $20 per person on foot or bike (age 16+), each valid 7 days, or a $70 Acadia annual pass. Non-US residents 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person unless entering on an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Gorham Mountain needs no additional permit.
Around the Loop
NPS describes the loop at 3.5 miles; AllTrails measures a 3.1-mile version with about 570 feet of gain. Start at the southwest corner of the Gorham Mountain lot, at a big stump carved with the trail name, and climb granite slab 0.2 mile to a plaque honoring Waldron Bates, the trail builder behind the stacked cairns used across the park. Keep left on the main trail, continue to the summit about 0.7 mile farther, and watch for a false summit a couple hundred feet short of the marker. Descend 0.5 mile to the Bowl Trail, go right 0.5 mile to the Sand Beach entrance, then take Ocean Path 0.7 mile to Thunder Hole and another 0.3 mile to the crosswalk back to your car.
The Cadillac Cliffs Option
At the Bates plaque, the Cadillac Cliffs Trail branches right for 0.3 mile along old sea cliffs and rejoins the main trail. NPS says it does not change the distance, only the difficulty: it has rungs and ladders over rock scrambles and ends with a steep granite stair climb. Skip it with a dog or in wet weather.
Sunrise and Footing
The park calls Gorham an excellent place to watch the sunrise. Bring a headlamp, because the surface is rocky and uneven and the descent toward the Bowl is over rocky ground. Use caution in bad weather, when the granite slicks up.
Parking and Fees
The Gorham Mountain lot is on the one-way Ocean Drive section of the Park Loop Road just beyond Thunder Hole, past the Sand Beach entrance station, so you will need your pass on the windshield; it runs $35 per car for seven days. Lots along this stretch get congested from mid-morning to mid-afternoon in summer. Island Explorer buses stop at Sand Beach and Thunder Hole in season, and either works as a starting point for the loop.
Bringing the Dog
Gorham Mountain is open to leashed dogs on leashes of six feet or less, and the park asks that you pack out all waste. Remember that the Beehive next door bans pets, and Sand Beach, which you pass on the loop, is off-limits to them from June 15 to September 8; stay on the trail and walkway there.
Hiking tips for Gorham Mountain Loop
- Look for the carved stump at the corner of the lot to find the trailhead.
- Keep going past the false summit to the actual marker.
- Take the Cadillac Cliffs detour only if you are comfortable on rungs and the rock is dry.
- Time your return past Thunder Hole for the hours before high tide, when it booms loudest.
- Start before dawn with a headlamp if you want sunrise from the summit.
Nearby trails to explore
- Beehive Loop (Acadia)
- Ocean Path (Acadia)
- Great Head Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Gorham is the Acadia summit you can bring the whole crew and the dog to. Use TrailMates to find hikers heading to Gorham Mountain in Acadia. Download the TrailMates app to connect.