Parking
Start from the Beech Mountain parking area, using the south-side access for Valley Trail.
Overview
About Valley Trail
Why go
- Large fallen boulders make the shaded forest walk distinctive.
- A direct connector to the South Ridge route.
Heads up
- Point-to-point; returning to the lot along Valley Trail means climbing back up.
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Acadia alerts
- ClosureSouthern Ocean Path section closed for repairsThe southern section of Ocean Path is closed for repairs from the trailhead across from the Otter Point parking lot to the trail’s southern terminus.Official details
- ClosureSchoodic Mountain Road closed for repairsSchoodic Mountain Road is closed for repairs from Schoodic Loop Road to the summit of Schoodic Head.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Acadia Tour Guide
Your drive to Valley 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.
See the Acadia audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Beech Mountain’s Airlifted Fire Tower0:00 / 0:25
“You're approaching Beech Mountain's parking area, the start of a rocky climb to the island's last fire tower.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Acadia Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Echo Lake Beach Below Beech Cliff
- Acadia Mountain’s Summit Loop
- Ikes Point on Echo Lake
- Carroll Homestead’s Seafaring Family
- 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 Valley Trail
A rocky Beech Mountain connectorValley Trail is a 1.
Valley Trail is a 1.6-mile, one-way walk from the south side of the Beech Mountain parking area to the South Ridge Trail junction. It descends through a shaded valley beneath the mountain, where large fallen boulders are the standout feature. Do it for the rocky forest walk or to continue onto another trail; by itself, it does not loop back to the lot.
The way downThe trail follows uneven, stone-strewn tread under the trees.
The trail follows uneven, stone-strewn tread under the trees. It rises slightly near the start, then descends for most of the route. Near the lower end, a short mapped connection follows Ranger Camp Road before the last Valley Trail section. Allow about 1 to 1½ hours one way; turning back adds the same distance and an uphill climb.
Start and returnEnter from the south side of the Beech Mountain parking area.
Enter from the south side of the Beech Mountain parking area. Valley Trail ends at a junction, so plan your return before setting out: retrace the trail or choose a separate connection. Acadia requires an entrance pass. Dogs are allowed on this trail on a leash no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Acadia
131 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around noonSighting map
21 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
403 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
307 sightingsPorcupineMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
205 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.
