Canyon Brook Trail

Start with a Cadillac Sunrise High Atop Cadillac Mountain

The Canyon Brook Trail—or the "Cadillac Mountain Dawn Stroll"—is our favorite way to follow up a Cadillac sunrise by hiking up Cadillac Mountain the pretty way.

We try to do the sunrise most years we go to Acadia... provided we are able to pick a clear morning, which isn't always easy, given the frequent fog and rain. The first couple of times, we just went back to our campground after the sunrise and crawled back into bed for a couple more hours.

But one year, we decided that since we were already up, maybe it would be fun to do a hike at dawn. The hike we chose was this one, and we liked it so much, we decided to add it to our list of favorites.

The Canyon Brook Trail, which is one of the longest trails you can do on Acadia, hikes up Cadillac Mountain, so if you bag it after watching the Cadillac sunrise, you'll ascend Cadillac twice in one day... once on wheels and once on foot!

Trail Description

Distance: 7+ mi
Type of Hike: Loop
Where to Park: Near the Tarn on Route 3, outside of Bar Harbor

This trail can be slightly hard to follow, but just keep your eyes peeled for blue markings as you begin. The trail begins by the Tarn, a shallow swampy pond at the foot of Cadillac and Champlain Mountains. The first part of the trail is covered with large roots and rocks. You will then wind your way through a peaceful wood before beginning your climb upward.

The climb begins with stairs made of rock. These stairs are very steep, so take your time and be careful with your footing. You will then begin to climb flat rock alongside of a small canyon by a brook with steep rock walls.

There isn't always water flowing, so the trail can become a bit hard to follow at times. Take time to stop here and explore the little canyon. After a while, you'll reach a small, secluded pool that we think might be fine for a dip on a hot day. Unfortunately, we've always hit there in the early morning and it's way too cold to think about getting wet in icy water!

Keep going and you will reach the Featherbed, which is a glacial cirque or small bowl-shaped pond. There are benches here and it is a great place to stop and rest before continuing on to the final leg of the ascent.

Once you are refreshed, continue by following the south ridge of Cadillac to the summit. Again, you will be climbing mostly flat rock all the way up the trail. Use the cairns to find your way up the mountain.

At the top, you can enjoy Cadillac Mountain in all her finery. Explore the loop trail at the top if you haven't seen it yet, or stop into the gift shop for souvenirs or a quick snack.

When you are ready to climb back down Cadillac, look for the Notch Trail. It is very steep and requires you to climb over some extremely large rocks and boulders. It's lots of fun, but hard work!

A little way down the trail, you will connect with the Gorge Trail, which is aptly named as it follows a steep rocky gorge between Cadillac and Dorr Mountains. You will basically be jumping from rock to rock as the trail descends through the glacial valley.

Insider Tips

• There are a lot of rather large "steps" to take on this trail so if you're short make sure you bring someone large along with you to give you a leg up!

• At the Featherbed, you may hear an odd spring noise. These are actually frogs calling to one another!

• Because this trail is long, it is the perfect trail to pair with the sunrise!

So, if you like long hikes with gorgeous scenery, we recommend you try the Canyon Brook Trail after watching a Cadillac Mountain sunrise!

The Featherbed

Top of Canyon Brook Trail page