Parking
Gravel parking on Peabody Drive just beyond the small bridge over Little Harbor Brook; the signed trail starts beside the lot.
Overview
About Harbor Brook Trail
Why go
- Little Harbor Brook stays close beside the shaded path.
- Wooden viewing bridges make it easy to look upstream and down.
Heads up
- Rooty tread, mossy rocks and bog bridges make footing uneven.
- The full mapped out-and-back is about 3.2 miles; the shorter turnaround is at Richard Trail.
Map & elevation
The route
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 Harbor 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 trailhead
Harbor Brook’s Mossy Woodland Walk0:00 / 0:20
“Harbor Brook Trail is ahead, a shaded walk beside Little Harbor Brook through moss and ferns.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Asticou and Jordan Pond’s Historic Path
- The Nuthatch's Sticky Doorway
- From Ash Log to Wabanaki Basket
- The Eel's Ocean Journey
- 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 Harbor Brook Trail
The walkHarbor Brook Trail follows Little Harbor Brook through a shaded, mossy forest.
Harbor Brook Trail follows Little Harbor Brook through a shaded, mossy forest. The full mapped corridor is about 1.6 miles one way, making it roughly a 3.2-mile out-and-back. The narrow path stays near the water and passes roots, mossy rocks, ferns, small viewing bridges and constructed bog bridges. Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours at a comfortable pace, with time to pause beside the stream.
Choose a turnaroundA shorter walk turns at the Richard Trail junction, about 0.
A shorter walk turns at the Richard Trail junction, about 0.8 mile from Peabody Drive, then returns the same way for roughly 1.6 miles total. The Harbor Brook path continues farther north to another connection; the route here follows that full named corridor. Distances differ among published descriptions, so decide whether you want the short return or the full line before starting, and follow the junction signs. Nearby connector trails are separate hikes.
Footing and accessExpect twisted roots, uneven mossy rocks and narrow bridges over wet ground.
Expect twisted roots, uneven mossy rocks and narrow bridges over wet ground. Stay on the constructed bog bridges to protect the ferns and moss around them. The trail begins beside the gravel parking area on Peabody Drive, just beyond the small bridge over Little Harbor Brook. Dogs are prohibited on Harbor Brook Trail.
Along the brookLow wooden bridges give views upstream and downstream, and the streamside openings offer places…
Low wooden bridges give views upstream and downstream, and the streamside openings offer places to pause. The Land & Garden Preserve maintains this wooded natural area. Keep to the built path when stopping so the damp banks and sensitive vegetation remain undisturbed.
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.
