Champlain North Ridge Trail

Champlain North Ridge Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back from Park Loop Road to Champlain Mountain’s summit, then back the same way. The climb is about a mile each way, with roughly 850 feet of gain; allow about 1½ to 2 hours. It’s a good pick when you want a direct mountain climb and don’t need a long loop, but the short mileage hides a hard ascent.

The lower 0.4 mile winds through hardwoods on a mostly gradual grade, with timber and stone steps built into the hillside. Remnants of George Dorr’s old quarry sit near the trailhead. Higher up, the trees thin and the route crosses open granite ledges; the grade gets steeper as you approach the top.

Old painted arrows mark abandoned junctions, and the Orange and Black Path meets the route above the lower woods. Follow the established cairns through open ledge and ignore stray piles of rocks. At the summit, several Champlain routes come together, including Beachcroft, Precipice, and South Ridge. Check the junction before heading back down the North Ridge so you don’t start down a different route by mistake.

You get views before the summit: Frenchman Bay to the east, Dorr Mountain to the west, and Beaver Dam Pool to the north. From the top, the panorama opens toward the ocean, Schoodic Peninsula, the Porcupine Islands, and Bar Harbor. A strip of granite in the foreground makes a good frame for the island view.

Paths up Champlain appear on local maps from the mid-1800s, though the road approach has shifted over time. The north route was called Bear Brook Trail on a 1972 map before taking its current name after 2008. Look for old quarry cuts near the bottom and historic stonework along the climb. Near the summit sign, a small date carved in the ledge records May 1904; leave the old markings undisturbed.

Start at the North Ridge trailhead on Park Loop Road, just east of Beaver Dam Pool. Parking is roadside on the left side of the road; the small lot formerly beside the trailhead was discontinued. Dogs may use North Ridge on a leash no longer than six feet, but they can’t continue onto nearby restricted ladder routes such as Precipice.