Acadia National Park, ME
Climb rocky granite to Pemetic's open summit and coastal views.
Overview
Pemetic South Ridge is a rugged out-and-back from Jordan Pond North Lot, via the pond’s boat-access path, to Pemetic Mountain’s 1,248-foot summit. The full outing is listed at 4 miles round trip and usually takes 2–3 hours; other route descriptions put it around 3.4 miles. Plan for the longer figure. The named South Ridge segment is about 1.3 miles one way, so don’t mistake that for the full parking-to-summit hike. This is a good pick if you want a summit climb without committing to a full day, but the footing keeps it from being a casual stroll.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the climb for you?Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Acadia Tour Guide
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
Jordan Pond and Popovers“Jordan Pond is coming up, with the rounded peaks called the Bubbles at the far end of the water. Walk down to the south shore for that classic view; you don't need to circle the lake to enjoy it.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“…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
Park in the Jordan Pond North Lot just before Jordan Pond House and walk down the boat access to the pond. Take Jordan Pond Path to the right and cross the stone walkway. At the end, look for the stump with an arrow carved into it; take the unsigned trail to the right. About 0.1 mile later it reaches Park Loop Road. Cross carefully, then continue roughly 0.4 mile on Bubble & Jordan Ponds Path to the Pemetic South Ridge marker. Return the same way for the out-and-back. The turn at the stump is easy to miss because it isn’t signed.
The climb starts at the trail marker and rises through forest before gradually opening onto the granite ridge. Expect uneven rock and several short scrambles. The exposed upper section is the payoff, but this isn’t an accessible route; good traction matters on the rough slabs.
Pemetic’s open 1,248-foot summit looks out over Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake, Cadillac Mountain and the Maine coast. Leave time to stop at the top. For a photo, keep some of the granite ledge in the foreground so the forested ridges and water beyond have a sense of scale.
Jordan Pond sits in a valley carved by glaciers and dammed by glacial debris. The island’s granite has kept changing since the ice retreated: water freezing in cracks widens the joints and breaks exposed slabs apart. That’s the broken, uneven rock underfoot on the upper ridge.
Jordan Pond House is a separate nearby stop, not part of the trail. Tea and popovers are its long-running specialty. The Jordan brothers built the original house in 1847; after a fire in 1979, the current building opened in 1982.
Wildlife
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.
Keep exploring
EasyJordan Pond Nature Trail0.2 mi · 20 min · 0.1 mi awayA short history loop reaches Jordan Pond’s stone causeway.
ModerateJordan Pond Path3.3 mi · 2 hr · 0.1 mi awayA 3.3-mile loop from smooth shore to rocky scrambling.
ChallengingPemetic Mountain Loop4 mi · 3 hr · 0.1 mi awayA lakeside approach climbs to a steep scramble and wide island views.
ChallengingPenobscot Mountain Trail3.8 mi · 3.5 hr · 0.1 mi awaySteep granite scrambling opens to pond and island views.
ModerateAmphitheater Loop4.8 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.2 mi awayA rolling carriage road loop with four historic stone bridges.
ModerateJordan Pond Carriage Road Loop8.6 mi · 4 hr · 0.2 mi awayFour historic bridges are the payoff on this long, rolling loop.
EasyJordan Stream Path1.2 mi · 1 hr · 0.2 mi awayA shaded brook walk ends at Acadia's only cobblestone bridge.
ModerateBubble & Jordan Ponds Path1.5 mi · 1 hr · 0.2 mi awayA wooded connector between Jordan Pond and Pemetic's lower trails.
Sight · 0.1 mi awayJordan PondClear water, bare granite, and the Bubbles in one frame.
Sight · 0.1 mi awayJordan Pond Dam BridgeA raised 1920 crossing over the dam and toward the pond.
Restaurant · 0.1 mi awayJordan Pond HouseTea and popovers with Jordan Pond and The Bubbles in view
Sight · 0.2 mi awayJordan Pond GatehouseA 1930s stone-and-timber gateway to the carriage roads.
Sight · 0.3 mi awayWest Branch Jordan Stream BridgeA granite carriage-road bridge with a six-foot Roman arch.
Sight · 0.7 mi awayCliffside BridgeA 1932 stone bridge with castle turrets above Jordan Stream.Sight · 0.7 mi awayCobblestone BridgeA 1917 carriage-road bridge with an unusual cobblestone arch.
Sight · 0.7 mi awayJordan Pond Road BridgeA historic granite arch on Acadia's carriage roads.Parkwolf’s Acadia ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
