Since August 31, 2026, the National Park Service has closed the southern end of Ocean Path for repairs, from the trailhead across from the Otter Point parking lot to the trail's southern terminus. The rest of the path from Sand Beach past Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs is not part of the closure.
Expected reopening: No announced reopening date
Confirm current status with Acadia National Park (National Park Service) before visiting.
Open alternatives: Great Head Trail · Gorham Mountain Loop
NPS Acadia alert "Southern Section of Ocean Path Closed for Repairs" (starting Aug 31; NPS alerts feed, indexed September 16, 2026), checked October 3, 2026.
Ocean Path (Acadia) Hiking Guide
Ocean Path runs 2.2 miles along the pink granite shoreline from Sand Beach to Otter Point, linking several of Acadia's best-known stops on an almost flat walk. NPS calls it a gradual hike, and its bus stops make it easy to shorten for mixed groups. Right now its southern tip is closed for repairs, so check where the barriers are before planning a full end-to-end walk.
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. No reservation is needed for Ocean Path.
What's Closed Now
Starting August 31, 2026, NPS closed the stretch from the trailhead across from the Otter Point parking lot to the path's southern end for repairs, with no reopening date posted. That end piece is the short section that finishes at Otter Cove with a view toward Cadillac and Dorr mountains. The path was also hit by the January 2024 storms; park crews and Friends of Acadia made temporary repairs then, and the Sand Beach staircase was stabilized.
Sand Beach to Otter Point
The park lists Ocean Path at 2.2 miles one way, 4.4 miles out and back; AllTrails measures the round trip at about 4.1 miles with around 350 feet of gain. From the upper Sand Beach lot, the first 0.7 mile to Thunder Hole is a four-foot-wide path of gravel and concrete with a few small steps, the part NPS calls accessible. Beyond Thunder Hole it narrows and gets rockier through spruce and fir. At mile 1.4 you reach Otter Cliffs, 110 feet high and the highest point on the path, where granite stairs climb to a walkway beside the road and back down. Otter Point comes at about mile 2.0.
Thunder Hole Timing
Thunder Hole is a narrow inlet where waves can make a loud boom. NPS suggests arriving one to two hours before high tide for the best chance of hearing it, or around low tide to see the inlet itself. There are steep drops into the ocean along the whole route, so keep children back from the edge, and remember the rock is slippery when wet.
Use the Bus, Skip the Backtrack
Ocean Path has four Island Explorer stops, at each end and two along the way, so you can walk one direction and ride back. In season the Loop Road route leaves Hulls Cove Visitor Center and the Sand Beach route leaves Bar Harbor's Village Green, each about 25 minutes to Sand Beach. Driving means a stop at the Park Loop Road entrance station, where a weeklong vehicle pass is $35, and a scramble for Sand Beach parking at midday.
Dogs and Winter
Leashed dogs are welcome on the path, but Sand Beach is closed to pets from June 15 to September 8. Ocean Path is one of the routes NPS suggests in winter, when harder trails are ill-advised, and the Ocean Drive stretch from Schooner Head Road to Otter Cliff Road stays open to cars even while most of the Loop Road is closed from December 1 to April 14.
Hiking tips for Ocean Path (Acadia)
- Check the current closure at the Otter Point end before planning to walk the whole path.
- Walk out and ride the Island Explorer back from Otter Point or Thunder Hole in season.
- Arrive one to two hours before high tide to hear Thunder Hole at its loudest.
- Keep kids well back from the edges at Otter Cliffs.
- Bring the dog, but keep it off Sand Beach between June 15 and September 8.
Nearby trails to explore
- Great Head Trail
- Gorham Mountain Loop
- Beehive Loop (Acadia)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Ocean Path is the walk to share with friends who are new to Acadia. Use TrailMates to find hikers heading to Ocean Path in Acadia. Download the TrailMates app to connect.