Valley Peak Trail

Valley Peak Trail is a rocky, 1.6-mile walk between the Valley Cove Trail junction and the St. Sauveur trail network, climbing to a cliffside look over Valley Cove and Somes Sound. The National Park Service lists it at 1.6 miles but doesn’t say whether that’s one way. The mapped named path runs about 1.47 miles between its junctions, so this guide treats the listing as one way; retrace it for roughly 3.2 miles. This is different from the 3.2-mile Valley Peak Loop, which adds the Valley Cove Trail and fire-road return.

From the southern junction, the path climbs sharply from the cove through woods and over rough granite, then reaches open rock near the high point before descending toward the north connection. You gain roughly 550 feet before dropping back down. It’s a short walk with real uphill work, uneven footing and a few exposed places. Junctions in this trail network can be confusing, so keep a map handy and follow the route rather than every spur with “Valley Peak” in its name.

The payoff is the cliff opening above Valley Cove, with the long water of Somes Sound beyond it. From Valley Peak, look south toward Southwest Harbor and Greening Island. The view is worth pausing for; include a bit of the rocky ledge and trees in a photo so the water doesn’t flatten into a blue strip.

For the Valley Cove end, the documented access is the National Park Service lot off Fernald Point Road. Walk around the gate onto Valley Cove Fire Road, then follow the Valley Cove approach to the south junction. The north end meets the St. Sauveur trail network rather than a road, so plan a return or a connection to another route. An Acadia entrance pass is required year-round. There’s no food or drinking water service identified at this access, so bring what you need.

Bare granite near the overlook is slick when wet, and the cliff edge is exposed. Valley Cove cliff paths can close seasonally to protect nesting peregrines; check current park alerts before setting out. Pets are allowed on a leash no longer than six feet, but the steep, rocky footing may be a poor fit for many dogs.

Valley Cove sheltered British warships, which replenished drinking water at Man o’ War Brook. The small waterfall sits off the named route on an unmaintained, potentially hazardous spur; it’s not a casual add-on to this hike.