Parking
Use the Gilley Field parking lot; the direct Mansell path branches from the Gilley Trail at the field.
Overview
About Mansell Mountain Trail
Why go
- Direct climb from Gilley Field into the Mansell summit area
- Small rock overlook faces toward Southwest Harbor
Heads up
- Steep middle section over uneven granite
- The wooded summit itself has no view
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 Mansell Mountain 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Gilley Field and Razorback Ridge0:00 / 0:23
“You're nearing Gilley Field, the trailhead for Razorback's open granite ridge on Mansell Mountain. The two point one mile loop takes an hour and a half to three hours, with a steep forest climb and exposed, uneven rock.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Mill Field and Bernard Mountain’s Forest Loop
- The Flower That Makes Heat
- The Woodpecker's Rectangular Holes
- Long Pond Access and Perpendicular Trail
- 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 Mansell Mountain Trail
The direct way upMansell Mountain Trail is the direct point to point route from Gilley Field through Mansell’s…
Mansell Mountain Trail is the direct point to point route from Gilley Field through Mansell’s wooded summit area to the upper ridge junctions. Published figures range from 0.8 to 1.0 mile; the connected mapped line is 0.83 mile one way. It climbs roughly 800 feet. Allow about an hour for the ascent. Retracing the same path makes a roughly 1.7 mile round trip.
Expect a steep middleMost of the climb comes in a steep middle stretch over uneven granite.
Most of the climb comes in a steep middle stretch over uneven granite. The grade eases near the lower end, but the rock can be awkward underfoot and slippery on the way down. The short distance makes it easy to underestimate the effort.
The view is off the summitMansell’s wooded high point is 949 feet and has no open summit view.
Mansell’s wooded high point is 949 feet and has no open summit view. A short spur just off the route near the top opens southeast toward Southwest Harbor. Pause there for the payoff; keeping a strip of pale granite in the foreground makes the distant harbor view easier to read in a phone photo.
Choose how to returnThe direct route reaches the upper trail junctions, where it connects into the wider west side…
The direct route reaches the upper trail junctions, where it connects into the wider west side network. Turn back to Gilley Field for the straightforward outing, or continue onto the separate Perpendicular and Razorback routes for a longer circuit. Those routes add other named trails, so their loop distances are not the length of Mansell Mountain Trail.
Bring a leashed dogPets are allowed on most Acadia hiking trails, including this direct route, but must stay on a…
Pets are allowed on most Acadia hiking trails, including this direct route, but must stay on a leash no longer than six feet. Nearby ladder and rung trails are exceptions, so check the route before taking another branch.
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.
