Razorback Trail

Razorback is best walked as a 2.1-mile loop from Gilley Field, typically 1.5–3 hours with about 680 feet of climbing. Follow the Gilley Trail for roughly 0.1 mile, climb the Razorback ridge, then return through Great Notch on the Great Notch and Gilley trails. The 2.1 miles here includes that access and the full return. A separate trail listing gives Razorback itself as 1.1 miles but does not say whether that is one-way or round-trip.

Razorback starts under forest and climbs steeply on Mansell Mountain’s southwest side. The trees open onto an exposed granite spine, with views west toward Bernard Mountain and south toward the Atlantic. Look back as you climb. Glaciers polished Acadia’s exposed granite and cut its valleys; this ridge makes the contrast between bare rock and wooded folds easy to see.

Razorback does not reach Mansell’s marked summit. A connector at the ridge joins the Mansell Mountain Trail; the summit detour takes about 30 minutes as a side trip and ends at a wooded marker without a view. The open ridge is the main payoff.

Continue northwest along the granite formations until Razorback drops into the wooded Great Notch, the valley between Mansell Mountain and Knight Nubble where several trails meet. Follow the Great Notch Trail south and rejoin Gilley Trail for the return to the same parking area.

Gilley Field Trailhead is reached from Route 102 via Seal Cove Road, a short connector road and Western Mountain Road; it is separate from the Long Pond trailhead. Do not confuse this loop with the 2.7-mile Long Pond–Perpendicular route, which climbs more than 300 granite steps and includes iron rungs and a ladder. A park entrance pass is required year-round. Dogs are allowed on this loop on a leash no longer than six feet; pets are prohibited on Perpendicular. Parking capacity, restrooms and potable water at Gilley Field were not found.