Parking
Start at the Asticou Terraces parking area on Peabody Drive, then follow the stepped approach toward Thuya Lodge and Map House. The path ends near Jordan Pond House, so plan the return.
Overview
About Asticou & Jordan Pond Path
Why go
- Stonework, bridges, and a brook crossing make the connector more than a forest walk.
- Links Asticou with the Jordan Pond and Bubbles view.
Heads up
- Point-to-point logistics need a pickup or a second leg back.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Acadia alerts
- ClosureSouthern Ocean Path section closed for repairsThe southern section of Ocean Path is closed for repairs from the trailhead across from the Otter Point parking lot to the trail’s southern terminus.Official details
- ClosureSchoodic Mountain Road closed for repairsSchoodic Mountain Road is closed for repairs from Schoodic Loop Road to the summit of Schoodic Head.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Acadia Tour Guide
Your drive to Asticou & Jordan Pond Path, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Acadia National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Acadia audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Asticou and Jordan Pond’s Historic Path0:00 / 0:26
“You're approaching the access for Asticou and Jordan Pond Path, a woodland route reached by steps from Asticou Terraces parking.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Brown Mountain Gatehouse and Its Bells
- The Periwinkle's Toothed Tongue
- From Ash Log to Wabanaki Basket
- Somes Sound’s Ice-Carved Valley
- 116 audio storiesacross Acadia’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 142 trails, 72 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…As we drove through Acadia it gave us a tour, which was really cool. Lots of great info about the parks and how to avoid the crowds. It’s a great travel companion!”
Trail guide
Hiking Asticou & Jordan Pond Path
A short connector, not the pond loopAsticou & Jordan Pond Path is a 1.
Asticou & Jordan Pond Path is a 1.9-mile, one-way walk from Asticou Map House to the Jordan Pond House side. It threads through the woods along Penobscot Mountain’s lower slope and opens near Jordan Pond, with the Bubbles beyond. Allow about one to one and a half hours for the walk and pauses. The route is mostly a modest woodland hike, but it has some steep pitches, a long stone-step section, and a brook crossing. Published one-way lengths range from 1.9 to 2.2 miles; this entry uses 1.9 miles for the named connector, with the walk from the lot to Map House extra. It is separate from the 3.3-mile Jordan Pond shoreline loop.
UnderfootExpect a gravel path, several wooden bridges and culverts, and uneven stonework.
Expect a gravel path, several wooden bridges and culverts, and uneven stonework. At Little Harbor Brook, the route crosses on large stepping stones; take care on the wet rocks. The climb is broken up rather than constant, but the steps on Faint Hill make a short section feel steeper than the mileage suggests. This route skirts Penobscot Mountain rather than climbing to its summit.
A path built and rebuiltThe trail belongs to Mount Desert Island’s early village trail-building era.
The trail belongs to Mount Desert Island’s early village trail-building era. A 2014 restoration used historic photographs as a guide and renewed the stone steps, bridges, and drainage. The work left substantial hand-built stonework along a route that otherwise feels like a quiet forest connector.
At the Jordan Pond endThe woods open toward Jordan Pond and the North and South Bubbles.
The woods open toward Jordan Pond and the North and South Bubbles. Jordan Pond House is a separate stop near the end, known for tea and popovers; it continues a long refreshment tradition at the pond. Keep that visit distinct from the hike itself, and don’t follow the shoreline expecting it to be part of this mapped route.
Plan the returnStart at the Asticou Terraces parking area on Peabody Drive and follow the stepped approach…
Start at the Asticou Terraces parking area on Peabody Drive and follow the stepped approach toward Thuya Lodge and Map House. The path ends near Jordan Pond House, so arrange a pickup or retrace the same 1.9-mile route; walking it both ways makes about 3.8 miles before any extra walking at either end. Pet access at the Asticou approach is not clear: the preserve separates garden rules from trail rules, so check its current route guidance before bringing a dog.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Acadia
131 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around noonSighting map
21 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
403 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
307 sightingsPorcupineMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
205 sightingsBeaverMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
34 sightingsMinkMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Acadia. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
