Hiking the Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park

Get ready for an adventure as we dive into everything you need to know about hiking the thrilling Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park! From iron rungs to breathtaking views, this iconic hike promises an unforgettable experience.

Podcast Episode Overview

Are you ready to hit the trail in Acadia National Park? Come hiking with us as we share our favorite tips for hiking the famous Beehive Trail in Acadia!

The Beehive Trail is one of the most iconic trails in any national park. It is short but adventurous, and we are excited to dive into what makes this trail so amazing.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why Acadia National Park is actually like Neverland
What makes the trails at this park so cool
Where to park and how to get to the trailhead
Some things you need to remember when hiking the Beehive
What you need to know if you are considering taking kids on the Beehive Trail
Our best tips for navigating this trail and seeing the best views

We hope you enjoy this episode all about the famous Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park. It is one of the most incredible trails you can hike in any national park, and we can’t wait for you to experience it yourself!

If you’re excited about traveling to Acadia National Park, grab one of our itineraries and get planning!

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:

What Makes the Beehive Trail Unique

The Beehive Loop Hike is among the best hikes in Acadia National Park (if not all of the national parks). Don’t be fooled by this relatively short hike—rock scrambles, iron ladders, and narrow ledges make getting to the top of the Beehive for panoramic views an adventurous hike. If you have a fear of heights, make sure you catch the full podcast episode for tips on how to hike this incredible trail!

Acadia National Park has several trails that scale steep cliffs using iron bars pounded into the rock. The Beehive Trail is one of the most popular hikes that use rung ladders to help you scale the side of a mountain.

Preparing for Your Hike

Our first tip is to get to the trail either early or late in the day – don’t go in the middle of the day! The Beehive Trail is one of the most popular trails in Acadia, and parking fills up quickly. The best time to start your hike is in the early morning before crowds slow your hike down to a crawl.

You’ll park at the Sand Beach parking area, one of the first parking areas you’ll see when entering the park on Park Loop Road from Bar Harbor. If the Sand Beach lot is full when you arrive, there is additional parking along the road.

There is a fee-free shuttle that’s a good option to avoid the hassle of parking and explore all of Acadia. The bus will drop you off right at the Sand Beach parking lot!

For those with a fear of heights, be mindful that going when the trail is busy may make you feel pressure to move faster than you’d like for the entire hike. If this is your first time or you consider yourself faint of heart when it comes to heights on trails, plan to arrive early or late in the day so you can enjoy yourself the whole way.

Be mindful of what the weather is doing. You want to avoid being on the iron rung ladders if there is any chance of lightning! Always check for inclement weather before you hike. You’ll also want to make sure you time your hike so your great views of Acadia aren’t blocked by fog in the morning.

Make sure you pack a map for the Beehive Loop Trail. It may only be a 1.4-mile hike, but it can get confusing because you cross several other trails on this loop. We explain in detail how to navigate the trails in our Acadia National Park itinerary!

The National Park Service recommends wearing proper footwear to navigate the steep drop-offs and slippery granite – and we agree! The Beehive Trail is a challenging hike with steep climbs up cliff faces. Come prepared to be physical and be sure of your footing.

I often get asked if we take our kids on the Beehive Loop. I do not recommend taking small children on the Beehive Trail. It’s similar to having to grip the chains at Angels Landing in Zion National Park. If your children are at an age where they understand the consequences of goofing around and losing their grip (which would be falling over 450 feet), then they may be able to hike the Beehive.

Hiking the Beehive Loop Trail

From the Sand Beach parking lot, you’ll start your hike on the Bowl Trailhead and the Bowl Trail. After 0.2 miles, you’ll turn off toward the Beehive.

Immediately, there will be cliffs for about 0.3 miles. The iron rungs will begin in this area to help you climb up nearly 500 feet. While most are bolted into the rocks, there is one incredibly unique (and scary) section where you’re walking across these iron rungs at a place where there was no rock to make a trail. It’s essentially an iron rung bridge to help you continue your Beehive climb.

After the iron rung ladders, you’ll be on top of Beehive Mountain! You’ll have views of Sand Beach, the ocean, tree-covered mountains, and 360-degree views of the surrounding area.

Luckily, you don’t have to hike back down the iron rung ladders. The trail loops back to the Sand Beach parking area. Before you get there, stop and take in the Bowl Pond along the Bowl Trail. Make sure you have your map ready for this section. It gets confusing with all the connector trails!

If you are deathly afraid of heights, you can take this back way up the Bowl Trail to the top of the Beehive and avoid the iron rung ladders altogether by coming back down this same trail.

We hope you have a great time if you hike the Beehive Trail! Acadia really is like Neverland, and we’d love to hear how much you enjoy the spectacular views!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week. Look at our picture of the iron rungs on our Facebook and Instagram page and tell us – would you hike this trail? Or, if you have, is it a trail that you enjoyed? Head over to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Links mentioned in this podcast episode:

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