Eagle Lake Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Lake · Views

Eagle Lake is one of Acadia’s most popular destinations. Its charming view of The Bubbles is one of the park’s most recognizable scenes. It also attracts a lot of people because of the relatively flat and gentle carriage road that circles the entire lake. It’s surprising then that this path, which is Eagle Lake’s only trail, isn’t very crowded, at least it hasn’t been when I’ve visited it. Part of the answer might be that the path skirts the southern part of the lake and that general area already contains the much more popular Bubbles Trail nearby. Whatever the case, the Eagle Lake Trail is a pleasant hike on a well-forested path that gets you away from the lake’s much more heavily-trafficked carriage road.

You can get to this trail a few ways. The closest parking is in the small Bubble Pond lot about 0.4 miles southeast of the eastern end of the path. Another approach is from the western side of the Eagle Lake Carriage Road, which connects to the trail's western trailhead. But the closest parking for that route is approximately 2 miles to the north of the lake. A third method is to follow the Jordan Pond Carry roughly 0.8 miles northward from The Bubbles parking lot until it runs into the trail. That approach, however, puts you at approximately the halfway point of the trail and you’ll have to travel in a “T” shaped pattern if you want to hike the entire path.

This trail is an almost flat path that passes through a low-lying pine forest right off the lake. Even though it is a very tranquil setting, you’ll still need to watch your step as the trail contains several rocks and roots. Lovely ferns line parts of the path, and when you get to the trail’s lower areas there is a series of single wooden plank bridges to help you move over the often soggy and muddy ground. The only minor challenge you’ll face is when you have to contour over the rocky bottom of Conners Nubble on the northwestern part of the trail.

On a personal note, although dogs are allowed, you might want to think twice before taking a smaller one along. The last time I did this trail, we took a friend’s Puggle with us. Shortly after starting the hike, however, we quickly came across a rather significant boulder field; he didn’t even want to attempt it and I had to haul him over all of that rock. Still, larger dogs probably won’t have a problem getting across such obstacles.

Overall, this is a lovely little hike among a nicely scented pine forest. It’s a great way to get away from the hubbub of the northern part of Eagle Lake,

Pine trees, ferns, and various mosses.