Pemetic North Ridge Trail

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This trail has several rocks and roots, so it's only recommended for very experienced trail runners.

Pemetic Mountain is one of Acadia’s “middle” peaks - mountains more-or-less located in the central interior of the park. Although Pemetic doesn’t receive as much foot traffic as some of the bigger peaks like Cadillac Mountain, it can still get quite crowded during the summer months, so plan accordingly. A great deal of its appeal is its central location, a nice trail network, and most certainly, the great 360-degree views when you summit the 1248 foot peak. The panorama from the top includes several of the park’s key water spots (Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake and Bubble Pond), as well as many popular mountains (Cadillac, Sargent and Penobscot). It also has great views of the bay, ocean, and some of Mount Desert Island’s outlying isles.

The trail begins just off of the northwestern part of Bubble Pond. The closest parking is at the small Bubble Pond lot only a few hundred feet northeast of the trailhead, but if you want to avoid dealing with a car, the free Island Explorer bus also drops off at the lot.

From its very start, this path quickly ascends through a large pine forest and goes over several rocky areas, some with some decent cliffs. Although it’s only a little over a mile to the top of the mountain, it's a strenuous run with over 900 feet of elevation gain. Notably, just before you summit, you’ll come across the Pemetic Northwest Trail, the steepest and most challenging of the Pemetic path system. As mentioned earlier, the view at the top is spectacular.

This trail is one of the initial trails I took when I first began going to Acadia so many years ago. I consequently continue to hold a very fond memory of it. I’ll never forget the smell of the pine as we climbed up to one of our first views from the top of the park. I’m sure this run will provide you with just as many great memories.

Pine trees.