Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
With spectacular views of the Maine coastline, the Great Head Trail Acadia, is a must-do hike when visiting this National Park. There are several ways to complete the trail as a loop and a few parking options. The trail itself skirts a head of land and wanders along the coastline before dipping down to Sand Beach. This is the best hike in Acadia if you want to walk along the coastline on a natural trail for views of the shore and ocean.
We did this hike in the summer during our visit the Acadia. This park is the closest to our home in NH so we’ve visiting several times. Freja, Hadley and I hiked this on our first day with a friend and loved the views and getting right into the heart of Acadia.
Quick Look at Hiking the Great Head Trail Acadia
Distance: 1.3-2 miles Elevation Gain: 300 feet Difficulty: Moderate
There are several parking options for hiking on the Great Head Trail Loop in Acadia. You can park at the Sand Beach Parking Lot, although this does get crowded. Another option is to park at the end of Schooner Head Rd. in the small lot. Both parking lots give you several options to make this a loop trail.
We parked in the small lot on Schooner Head Rd. mid-morning on a Friday in August and had no problem finding a spot to park. From here we entered the trail system in a clockwise direction, following the trail along the shoreline and rocky coast until we reached Sand Beach. There were several excellent places to stop for a lookout and break. There are a few rocky sections that involve some minor scrambling.
From Sand Beach, it is a short, flat walk back to the parking lot.*
*note that during the summer of 2022 when we hiked this trail there was construction on part of the path from Sand Beach Mon-Thurs.
Parking for the Great Head Hike in Acadia
As described above, there are 2 options for parking lots on the Great Head Hiking Trail, Acadia. The first option is to park at the Sand Beach parking lot. Use the lower lot if possible. This parking lot gets crowded but if you arrive early you can often find a spot. There are bathrooms here. From the parking lot, walk down the beach and turn left onto the trail.
We decided to park at the smaller parking lot on Schooner Head Rd. This is a small road that ends right at the parking lot. You will not pass through the National Park gate to get to this lot, but you are still required to display and National Parks pass in your car. The trail leaves directly from the parking lot.
Map of the Great Head Trail Acadia
Things to Know About Hiking the Great Head Trail
Best Time of Year to Hike in Acadia
The best time to hike in Acadia National Park is late spring through the end of October. The fall months are especially nice when the leaves turn colors and the weather is mostly clear. Acadia is open all year although during the winter months many of the trails have snow and ice. Always check the NPS site for updated information. It can still be a lovely time to explore, but you should plan to wear microspikes when hiking on ice to avoid slipping.
You can see more details on the weather and monthly visitors in the table below.
Are Dogs Allowed on the Great Head Trail?
Pets are allowed on the Great Head Hiking Trail, but must be kept on a leash of less than 6 feed. The trail is mostly easy walking for dogs, but there are some rocky sections in a few spots.
Is Great Head a Good Hike with Kids?
The Great Head hike is a great trail for kids. For young kids use caution on the rocky overlooks, but most kids will enjoy scrambling on the low rocks and the variety of views of the ocean. Great Head is one of the best Acadia hikes for kids.
Complete Details of the Great Head Hiking Trail, Acadia National Park
This will describe the hike starting at the Schooner Head Rd Parking Lot. Since the trail is a loop, this description also works if you hike from Sand Beach. There are also several options for different loops. Take a look at the map at the beginning of the hike and enjoy one of the best hiking trails in Acadia National Park.
From the Schooner Head Parking lot, follow the flat trail and take your first left. The trail quickly heads straight to the shoreline and follows the shore in a clockwise direction. Neither direction is better, and you can also reverse this hike and do it in a counterclockwise direction.
Along the coast the trail becomes rockier and you should take care to follow the trail markers. There are many overlooks as you walk so lots of places to look out across the ocean. We stopped several times for a water and snack break.
The trail eventually turns back inland and you will start to see Sand Beach. This is the only part of the trail with a short steep rocky scramble. It’s nothing too difficult, and eventually the trail descends down to the beach itself. Enjoy the views and the water (swim if you dare!) and then continue on the trail back towards the parking lot.
This part of the trail is wide, flat and easy to walk on and is just a short distance back to the car. The entire hike took us less than 1 hour including stopping at several points for a break and photos.
If you are looking for one of the other best hikes in Acadia that you can do from the Sand Beach Parking Lot, check out the Beehive Hike. This is a short but steep 1.5 mile hike that can be cone on it’s own or combined with the Great Head hike for a longer and more varied trail option.
