Dorr Mountain South Ridge Trail

Dorr Mountain South Ridge Trail is a 1.2-mile point-to-point climb from the Canon Brook junction on the mountain’s south side to its 1,270-foot summit. It gains about 1,000 feet in a short distance; allow 1–2 hours for this leg. This is a hard summit approach, not a gentle stroll.

The trail alternates forest with open rocky patches, so expect uneven granite underfoot and a sustained climb. At the top, look east over the water and outer islands, and northeast toward Bar Harbor. South Ridge meets the North Ridge, Schiff Path, and Gorge Path near the summit; check the junction before continuing onto another route. The open rock makes a good foreground for the island view.

This named segment is not a loop by itself. A common 3.2-mile round-trip circuit starts at the Ladder Trailhead, climbs by Ladder and Schiff, descends this ridge for about 1.2 miles, then returns by Canon Brook. The line here covers the South Ridge leg only. To climb it from the south, reach its Canon Brook junction on the connected paths; the junction is a trail access, not a parking lot.

The Ladder Trailhead parking is off ME Route 3 just south of The Tarn and the Sieur de Monts Entrance. Pets are allowed on South Ridge when leashed no longer than six feet, but they cannot use the Ladder Trail to Dorr, so the common circuit is not a dog route. A park entrance pass is required year-round.

Dorr recalls George Bucknam Dorr, the preservationist who helped establish Acadia and became its first superintendent. The trail reaches his namesake summit by a different side of the mountain from the steep Ladder approach.