Precipice Trail

Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by

The Precipice Trail is an absolute highlight hike for Acadia, and for good reason. Setting aside the drama surrounding the number of ladder rungs involved, the Precipice has everything you want in a good hike. It’s challenging, provides great views throughout, not overly long, and offers a route pretty much unlike any other in the entire park. It is less a trail, and more of a carefully selected rock scramble and cliff traverse. To be clear, even the park identifies this route as a non-technical climb, and NOT a trail, but don’t let that dissuade you!

The route starts off over some huge slabs of granite and gradual elevation gain. The trick here is the wet slabs are very slick. I watched a twenty-something in sneakers work his way up about a thirty foot slab only to slowly start sliding back down. He was eventually able to grab onto a shrub to slow his descent, but honestly, failing that, he may have been in for a bad fall.

Once the boulder field is cleared, the real climb begins. On the upside, the very first rung requires a pretty good stretch and bold step to get up. If you are afraid, this very first stop will turn you around before you get in over your head. The climb is pretty straightforward from there with a series of iron rungs placed conveniently into the rock where a hand or foot would naturally fall. There is a blind turn at the end that will likely make your heart skip a beat. In hindsight, it is not very sharp or particularly dangerous once you’ve come around the corner, but as you come upon it, the complete unknown of having to reach blindly around the corner is unnerving. Once past that point, it’s smooth sailing to the top!

From the top, there are a variety of options to return to the start, but we chose the orange-black trail. Impossible as it may be, the orange-black trail has more uphill than down on the way back to parking lot, defying the laws of both gravity and physics. Along the way we came across a group of about twenty teenage girls and three chaperones. I nearly wept for those three ladies, and anyone who knows me knows I have next to zero empathy. My next thought was – “What idiot lets their kid loose on the mountains of Acadia without being present?”, but then we passed a sign indicating another parking lot less than a quarter mile away and realized they had literally just gotten onto the path. Hope that all worked out.

Always Remember the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace

Plan Ahead and Prepare, Stay on Designated Trails, Dispose of Waste Properly, Don’t Take Anything You Didn’t Bring with You, Minimize Campfire Impacts, Respect Wildlife, Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Courtesy: Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics