A view of the sun rise at Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine

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Cadillac Mountain

Top choice in Acadia National Park


Don't leave the park without driving – or hiking – to the 1530ft summit of Cadillac Mountain. For panoramic views of Frenchman Bay, walk the paved 0.5-mile Cadillac Mountain summit loop. The summit is a popular place in the early morning because it's touted as the first spot in the USA to see the sunrise. Not an early riser? The sunset is always a good bet.

There are numerous trails to the top, leading from north, south, east and west. The easiest to access is the Cadillac North Ridge trailhead, located about 3 miles southwest of central Bar Harbor (and about 3.5 miles south of Hulls Cove Visitor Center). From the trailhead it's a moderate 2.2-mile (one-way) climb to the summit, with fine views of Eagle Lake off to the west on the way up.


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