Parking
Use the Jordan Pond North Lot just before Jordan Pond House. Walk down the boat access to Jordan Pond Path, then follow it to the north end and the Deer Brook junction beyond the two log bridges.
Overview
About Deer Brook Trail
Why go
- A direct, brookside approach from Jordan Pond to Penobscot Mountain Trail
Heads up
- Steep climbing, large rock steps, and stream crossings make the short distance demanding
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Acadia map
Full mapElevation312–1,096 ft
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 Deer Brook 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.
See the Acadia audio tourRecorded for this area
Bubbles Divide and Bubble Rock0:00 / 0:23
“You're nearing Bubbles Divide, the trailhead for Bubble Rock's perched boulder. For the shorter visit, walk to South Bubble and Bubble Rock and return the same way, about a mile with stairs and steep, uneven granite.”
Plays on the road 0.5 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bubble Pond and Its Rustic Bridge
- Jordan Pond and Popovers
- Parkman Access to the Carriage Roads
- Norumbega Access to Bald Peak
- 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 Deer Brook Trail
A short climb into the mountainsDeer Brook Trail is a 0.
Deer Brook Trail is a 0.8-mile, one-way climb from Jordan Pond Path's north end to Penobscot Mountain Trail. It follows Deer Brook up a wooded ravine, crosses the Eagle Lake/Jordan Pond carriage road, and climbs into the mountain-trail network. The route gains about 780 feet; allow roughly an hour for the ascent.
Rocky steps and brook crossingsExpect switchbacks, large stone steps, rough rock, a few stream crossings, and a small bridge…
Expect switchbacks, large stone steps, rough rock, a few stream crossings, and a small bridge near the lower end. The short mileage hides a steep climb, so take your time on the uneven sections. At the upper junction, Penobscot Mountain Trail continues toward the summit; nearby connections lead toward Sargent.
Getting to the startUse the Jordan Pond North Lot, just before Jordan Pond House.
Use the Jordan Pond North Lot, just before Jordan Pond House. Walk down the boat access to Jordan Pond Path, follow it to the north end past the two log bridges, then take the Deer Brook junction. The route ends on Penobscot Mountain Trail, so plan a return hike or continue on another route; the listed 0.8 miles is one way. Dogs are allowed on Deer Brook on a leash no longer than six feet, but the adjoining Jordan Cliffs Trail segment between Penobscot East Trail and the carriage road is off-limits to pets.
A glacial valleyJordan Pond sits in a steep valley carved by retreating glaciers, between Penobscot and Pemetic…
Jordan Pond sits in a steep valley carved by retreating glaciers, between Penobscot and Pemetic with the rounded Bubbles at the north end. Deer Brook runs through that valley before the trail joins the mountain network.
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.
