How to Hike Ocean Path Trail in Acadia National Park: Step-By-Step Guide
Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England and offers some of the best views along the coast. It has mountains, ocean views, rocky cliffs, and sandy beaches that are breathtaking. You can spend your days watching the sunrise on top of the tallest mountain, walking along the rocky coastline, or relaxing by the ocean.
I grew up visiting Acadia National Park, so it holds a special place in my heart. I love that it offers unique landscapes within its small national park boundary. And hiking is one of my favorite ways to explore the park!
One of the best hikes in the park is the Ocean Path Trail. It brings you to many popular attractions, including Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff, and Otter Point. This guide has everything you need to know to hike Ocean Path Trail, including a step-by-step guide.
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Tips for Hiking Ocean Path Trail
Pick where to start the hike. The Ocean Path Trail has two starting points - Sand Beach and Otter Point. I typically like starting at Sand Beach, but honestly, you can start at either point. You can also access Ocean Path Trail from Thunder Hole and a few other spots along Park Loop Road if parking is difficult to find at Sand Beach and Otter Point.
Start the hike in the morning or later in the afternoon. Acadia National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the US, with over 2.5 million visitors a year. I recommend starting the hike in the early morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the midday chaos in the park.
Consider riding the shuttle to the trailhead. If Acadia National Park is busy, you can ride the free Island Explorer shuttle to either trailhead. Sand Beach and Otter Point are popular attractions, and the parking lots fill up quickly, so you can take the shuttle to avoid having to find parking.
The Ocean Path Trail is dog-friendly! However, some attractions along the route, like Sand Beach, are not dog-friendly, so keep that in mind.
Always remember to leave no trace. It’s crucial to pack out what you pack in and leave no trash. Some of these spots have trash bins, so you can easily throw your trash away. If they don’t have trash bins, you can throw your trash away at a nearby gas station or convenience store.
How to Get to Ocean Path Trail
You can access Ocean Path Trail at a few areas, with the most popular being Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Point. You can access it from pretty much any parking lot between Sand Beach and Otter Point, but those three are the most popular spots to get to the trail.
Sand Beach
Sand Beach is the most popular starting point for the Ocean Path Trail because it is the first stop along the trail. The trail begins on the right side of the Sand Beach parking lot behind the restrooms.
If you start here, I recommend exploring Sand Beach before starting the hike. Although the beach is small, it is surrounded by cliffs and mountains, so the views are beautiful. Ocean Path Trail technically does not pass through Sand Beach, so I recommend going to Sand Beach before starting the hike.
Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is the next attraction on Ocean Path Trail, making it a great place to start the hike. If you hike to Otter Point and back, the trail is about 3 miles round-trip.
Of course, you can always hike to Sand Beach as well to hike the entire trail. If you do not want to hike the entire 4.4-mile trail, I recommend hiking from Thunder Hole to Otter Point because this section of the trail has some of my favorite views!
Otter Point
If you want to hike the trail in the opposite direction from most people, you can start at Otter Point, which is the last attraction along Ocean Path Trail. You can follow the trail to Sand Beach and back to experience the entire trail.
Although I usually start at Sand Beach, I have started at Otter Point a few times. Sometimes the Sand Beach and Thunder Hole parking lots are full, and I have better luck parking near Otter Point. You can see the same views as you would starting at Sand Beach, so you really cannot go wrong with starting there!
What to Pack to Hike Ocean Path Trail
Although Ocean Path Trail is an easy hike, you still need to be prepared! This is a great baseline for what to pack, and you can adjust as needed:
- hiking boots
- moisture-wicking clothes
- hiking backpack
- food and water
- rain jacket
- fleece jacket
- sunscreen
Ocean Path Trail Overview
The Ocean Path Trail is one of the best ways to explore the attractions along the eastern side of Park Loop Road. It passes Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Point, and other beautiful areas along the ocean.
One of the best things about the Ocean Path Trail is that you do not have to hike the entire trail! Since it is an out-and-back trail between Sand Beach and Otter Point and it has multiple access points, you can hike any section of it.
Ocean Path Trail Hiking Stats
If you want to hike the entire trail between Sand Beach and Otter Point, here are the trail stats:
Length: 4.4 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 400 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Best time to hike: Summer and fall
Facilities: Sand Beach has seasonal restrooms.
Food: I recommend packing the food and water you will need for the hike because Acadia National Park has limited food options.
Ocean Path Trail Map
Hiking Ocean Path Trail: Sand Beach to Otter Point
Ocean Path Trail is one of the most beautiful hikes in Acadia National Park and brings you to many must-see attractions. It passes Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff, and Otter Point while providing beautiful views of the rocky coastline and ocean.
If you want to hike the entire 4.5-mile round-trip trail, you can start at two points: Sand Beach or Otter Cliff. Both trailheads are easy to access, so it comes down to preference. I prefer to start at Sand Beach, and I will walk you through the trail from that point.
**Always remember to leave no trace. It is crucial to pack out what you pack in and throw away your trash properly.
Starting Ocean Path Trail at Sand Beach
Sand Beach is one of the most popular areas to visit, and although the trail does not go to Sand Beach, I recommend exploring it before starting the hike. Sand Beach is a stunning sandy beach with beautiful views of the cove, mountains, and ocean. It is a great place to swim in the summer, although the water is pretty cold!
Once you are finished visiting Sand Beach, the trail officially begins at the top of the stairs. The walkway splits, and Ocean Path Trail follows to the left behind the restrooms near the parking lot. From this point, the trail is easy to follow along Park Loop Road.
Sand Beach to Thunder Hole
The first viewpoint along Ocean Path Trail is the Sand Beach Overlook. It is a small path off the Ocean Path Trail leading to a beautiful view overlooking the cove with Sand Beach. From here, the Ocean Path Trail follows along Park Loop Road, with gorgeous ocean views. The trail has many areas you can walk to the cliffs to enjoy even better views.
After about a mile, the trail comes to Thunder Hole, another one of the most popular things to see. It is a small area carved out of the rocks, with a thunder sound when waves crash. If the ocean is calm, you will not hear the loud sound, but on a day when the waves are big, especially after a storm, you will be impressed by the sound! The best time to hear the sound is 1-2 hours before high tide.
Thunder Hole to Monument Cove
Soon after Thunder Hole, the Ocean Path Trail travels over Monument Cove, overlooking a rocky beach. If you want to see the beach, you can hike the short path to the cliffs near Monument Cove. They provide stunning views overlooking the beach and cliffs looking south.
Right after Monument Cove is one of my favorite cliffs along the Ocean Path Trail. The cliffs across from the Gorham Mountain Trailhead have stunning ocean views looking south over the rocky coastline. These cliffs are a great place to enjoy a snack break! They also tend to have fewer crowds than other nearby cliffs, which is a nice change of pace in Acadia National Park.
Boulder Beach is the next sight along the Ocean Path Trail, although many people do not even know it exists. It is a small beach with huge rocks along it. It is a beautiful sight and worth a quick visit before continuing the hike.
Monument Cove to Otter Point
Ocean Path Trail continues to follow the rocky coastline before finally reaching Otter Cliff. Otter Cliff is one of the most visited cliffs in the park, offering beautiful views of the ocean and surrounding cliffs. It is 110 feet tall and is one of the highest headlamps north of Rio de Janeiro!
The final 0.5 miles to Otter Point are breathtaking as the trail follows along the cliffs. Otter Point is one of my favorite spots along Ocean Path Trail, especially for sunrise or sunset. It is a great spot to eat lunch while enjoying the ocean views.
Otter Cliff to Sand Beach
Once you finish enjoying the views at Otter Point, you must walk back the way you came to Sand Beach. Even though the trail is the same one you just hiked, the views never get old and will help the hike go by quickly. Once you hike Ocean Path Trail in Acadia National Park, you will realize why it is one of the best things to do in the park!
If you want to hike the Ocean Path Trail when you visit Acadia National Park, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! It has everything you need to know about hiking the Ocean Path Trail.
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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