Parking
No trailhead parking information was found. Reach the island by passenger ferry to Town Landing, then walk about 0.3 mile south on the road to Isle au Haut Ranger Station, where the trail begins behind the building.
Overview
About Duck Harbor Trail
Why go
- A changing walk from forest and wetland to rocky shore.
- Moores Harbor and Deep Cove offer real places to pause by the water.
Heads up
- The ferry and two short road links make logistics part of the hike.
- Walking it back from the Ranger Station turns it into a 7-mile day.
Duck Harbor Trail is a 3.5-mile, one-way point-to-point walk from behind the Isle au Haut Ranger Station to the dirt road above Duck Harbor. It starts in forest, crosses rolling uplands, then reaches the rocky west shore at Moores Harbor and Deep Cove. Give it two to three hours one way. It is a good choice if you want to cross the island on foot and have time to linger by the water; plan the boat before you lace up, because the trail is not a loop.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?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 Duck Harbor Trail, narrated.
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Trail guide
Hiking Duck Harbor Trail
Sort out the ferry firstThe passenger ferry serves Town Landing year round and has a seasonal stop at Duck Harbor,…
The passenger ferry serves Town Landing year round and has a seasonal stop at Duck Harbor, usually from mid-June through late September. That seasonal stop can make a point-to-point crossing possible; otherwise, arrange a return plan or turn around. Check the current boat schedule before committing to a one-way walk. There is no trailhead parking information to rely on, and the ferry does not carry cars to the island.
Forest, stream, and the Bowditch junctionThe north end begins behind the Ranger Station and climbs and dips through a narrow forested…
The north end begins behind the Ranger Station and climbs and dips through a narrow forested strip. A stream crossing and a dirt road crossing break up the woods before the Bowditch Trail junction. Stay on Duck Harbor Trail at the junction. Farther south, the route approaches the west coast and the trees open onto Moores Harbor, where rocky beach openings give you the best views of the water.
Deep Cove and the south endA short spur drops to Deep Cove, where a stream reaches the beach; it is a worthwhile detour if…
A short spur drops to Deep Cove, where a stream reaches the beach; it is a worthwhile detour if the tide and footing suit you, but it is not part of the mapped 3.5-mile line. South of Moores Harbor, the main path follows a hillside below Wentworth Mountain, climbs to a low rise around 200 feet, then descends to the dirt road on Duck Harbor's north shore. There are brief looks toward Duck Harbor Mountain, not a summit panorama. For a shoreline photo, frame the water through the trees with the rocky shore in front.
What to carryIsle au Haut has very few services.
Isle au Haut has very few services. A small store and post office are near Town Landing; the campground at Duck Harbor has a composting toilet, picnic area, and marked drinking-water point, beyond the trail's mapped endpoint. The island averages about 10°F cooler than the mainland, and NPS describes its trails as rough, so carry food, water, warm layers, and rain protection. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet; the leash rule matters here because an off-leash dog killed a young river otter at Duck Harbor in 2018.
Is this the hike for you?The mapped distance is the trail itself. From Town Landing, add about 0.
The mapped distance is the trail itself. From Town Landing, add about 0.3 mile on the road to the Ranger Station; at the south end, Duck Harbor boat landing and campground are another roughly 0.7 mile by road. Walking from Town Landing all the way to Duck Harbor is about 4.5 miles. Reversing the trail between the Ranger Station and its south end makes a 7-mile out-and-back before those road links.
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.
