Bowl Trail

Bowl Trail is a 1.3-mile out-and-back from the Park Loop Road access beside Sand Beach to The Bowl, a small pond between Beehive and Champlain Mountain. It follows the south and west sides of Beehive without climbing its iron rungs. Allow about 1 to 1½ hours; the route gains roughly 400 feet on the way to the pond, so the short mileage still brings a proper climb. This is the one to choose if you want The Bowl without the exposed Beehive ascent.

Cross Park Loop Road at the marked crosswalk by the top of the Sand Beach entrance. The first 0.2 mile climbs a creek bed over loose, uneven rock to the Beehive junction. Keep on the signed Bowl Trail and follow it around the mountain to the pond. The route ends at the last mapped tread point, about 10 to 15 meters from the mapped south shore; the final few steps are not shown on the public trail map. Turn around at The Bowl and retrace your route. There is no verified shoreline circuit in this trail line, and the Beehive summit and its coast views are a separate hike.

Use the Sand Beach lot or the right-hand lane after the entrance station. Parking is shared with the beach and gets tight in summer, especially late morning and afternoon. Restrooms are at Sand Beach, not along the trail. Park Loop Road closes from mid-December to mid-April. Dogs are allowed on this route on a leash no longer than six feet; they cannot go on the nearby Beehive rung trail.