Parking
No trailhead lot is identified at either end. The north end meets Duck Harbor Road, and the south end is near a park-boundary road; Isle au Haut is reached by passenger ferry, so plan the return and check ferry access before setting out.
Overview
About Nat Merchant Trail
Why go
- A short interior connection with a memorable hemlock stretch.
Heads up
- The south-end road connection and a through-route return are not confirmed.
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 Nat Merchant 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.
- 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
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Trail guide
Hiking Nat Merchant Trail
A short inland crossingNat Merchant Trail is a 1.
Nat Merchant Trail is a 1.1-mile, one-way walk through Isle au Haut’s wooded interior, crossing the Median Ridge Trail between Duck Harbor Road and the park boundary near Eastern Head. The park rates it easy and gives it a 45-minute walking time. Think of it as a connector, not a loop or a summit hike.
Plan both endsThe north end meets Duck Harbor Road; the south end stops near the park boundary and a dirt…
The north end meets Duck Harbor Road; the south end stops near the park boundary and a dirt road toward Eastern Head. The public continuation from that endpoint and parking at either end are not documented, so plan a verified return route instead of assuming this is a through-hike. Isle au Haut is reached by a passenger-only ferry from Stonington. It serves Town Landing year-round and adds a Duck Harbor Boat Landing stop from mid-June through late September; check the sailing arrangements before building your day around the trail. The island’s trails can be rough, and average temperatures run about 10°F cooler than the mainland.
The hemlock stretchThis is a modest wooded walk rather than a destination hike.
This is a modest wooded walk rather than a destination hike. Its most distinctive passage is a dark section of hemlocks, and the trail takes its name from Nat Merchant, a fisherman who lived on Isle au Haut. Pets may accompany you on a leash no longer than six feet; bicycles are prohibited on hiking trails.
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.
