Parking
Use the Canada Cliffs access at the south end of Echo Lake parking. The lot and beach can be busy on summer days.
Overview
About Canada Cliff Trail
Why go
- A wooded way to the upper cliff junction that avoids the ladders.
- An optional short loop adds open lake and sound views.
Heads up
- The best open views require an exposed add-on loop.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Acadia alerts
- CautionAvoid water contact at Sand Beach LagoonDo not swim at Sand Beach Lagoon. - Bacterial levels have exceeded public-health standards, so the NPS has posted a Public Health Advisory.Official details
- ClosureSchoodic Mountain Road closed for repairsSchoodic Mountain Road is closed from Schoodic Loop Road to the summit of Schoodic Head. - The closure began August 31 for resurfacing, regrading, and ditching.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Acadia Tour Guide
Your drive to Canada Cliff Trail, 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.
Recorded for this area
Beech Mountain’s Airlifted Fire Tower0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching Beech Mountain's parking area, the start of a rocky climb to the island's last fire tower.”
Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Echo Lake Beach Below Beech Cliff
- Acadia Mountain’s Summit Loop
- Ikes Point on Echo Lake
- Carroll Homestead’s Seafaring Family
- 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 Canada Cliff Trail
A ladder-free way upCanada Cliff Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back from the south end of Echo Lake parking to the…
Canada Cliff Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back from the south end of Echo Lake parking to the upper Beech Cliff junction. Follow the Valley Trail connector to the three-way junction, then take Canada Cliffs Trail uphill to the top; retrace the same corridor to return. Plan on about 1.5 hours. It suits hikers who want the cliff-top route without climbing the four iron ladders on Beech Cliff Trail. This is a separate outing from the 1.8-mile Beech Cliff loop, which includes that ladder climb and the short summit loop.
Through the woodsA short dip on Valley Trail leads to the junction, then Canada Cliffs climbs back toward the…
A short dip on Valley Trail leads to the junction, then Canada Cliffs climbs back toward the ridge. Most of the walk is under trees, with a brief sunny clearing. One trip account describes two small creek crossings and a damp ravine near the junction; water levels and footing can vary. The route is a real climb with uneven ground, but the mapped path avoids the ladders and the exposed cliff-edge walk.
At the upper junctionThe route ends where Canada Cliffs meets the upper Beech Cliff trails.
The route ends where Canada Cliffs meets the upper Beech Cliff trails. For open granite ledges and views over Echo Lake toward Somes Sound, add the 0.4-mile Beech Cliff Loop. That extra loop is exposed, so keep well back from the edge. Echo Lake beach is at the same parking area if you want to pair the walk with a swim.
Access and restrictionsStart from the Canada Cliffs access at the south end of Echo Lake parking.
Start from the Canada Cliffs access at the south end of Echo Lake parking. The lot and beach can be busy on summer days. Dogs are not allowed on this connected Beech Cliff route.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Acadia
130 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around noonSighting map
21 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
396 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
305 sightingsPorcupineMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
201 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.
