Parking
No car access to this island trail. Reach Duck Harbor by passenger ferry, then walk south on Western Head Road to Cliff Trail, the southern start of this segment. The Duck Harbor ferry stop is seasonal.
Overview
About Western Head Trail
Why go
- Cobbled coves, bare granite and forested walk-arounds keep changing the view.
Heads up
- Rough footing and the seasonal ferry make timing part of the hike.
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 Western Head 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 tour- 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 Western Head Trail
A rough island shorelineWestern Head Trail is a 1.
Western Head Trail is a 1.5-mile point-to-point coastal leg on Isle au Haut, running north from its southern junction with Cliff Trail to Western Head Road. It crosses boulder beaches, bare granite and short forested walk-arounds. The mapped segment is one way; published figures differ from 1.3 to 1.6 miles, while the named path measures about 1.5 miles.
How it fits the island loopThe practical full outing starts at Duck Harbor Boat Landing: follow Western Head Road south to…
The practical full outing starts at Duck Harbor Boat Landing: follow Western Head Road south to Cliff Trail, walk the rocky southern coast, then continue north on Western Head Trail and return to Duck Harbor along the road. That connected loop is about 4.7 miles; the number above is only the Western Head segment. Allow about 1¼ to 1½ hours for this leg, longer for the full loop or unhurried beach stops.
Cobbles, granite and cairnsThe route alternates wooded walk-arounds with cobblestone strands and exposed granite.
The route alternates wooded walk-arounds with cobblestone strands and exposed granite. It has repeated short ups and downs rather than a big climb, and the rough footing makes it slower than the distance suggests. At beach crossings, look across for cairns marking where the path continues. For a photo, keep the cobbles and granite in the foreground with open water and the low wooded coast behind; a tight crop loses the shape of the shore.
Ferry and island basicsDuck Harbor is reached by passenger ferry, and its stop is seasonal, generally mid-June through…
Duck Harbor is reached by passenger ferry, and its stop is seasonal, generally mid-June through late September; check the current sailing schedule before planning the walk. Isle au Haut has few services: a small store and post office are by Town Landing, away from this route, and the campground facilities are at Duck Harbor rather than along the trail. Pets are allowed for day hiking on Isle au Haut, but must stay on a leash no longer than six feet. The island averages cooler temperatures than the mainland, so bring layers and rain protection.
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.
