Precipice Trail — Attraction in Bar Harbor

Instead of just praising this trail, I wanted to write a guide for those wondering if it's for them.

My profile:

6’2”, overweight, in my 40s Inactive, desk job, don’t do sports Zero experience with climbing or trekking, I just like to walk on gentle paths No disabilities -Hiked on a sunny, wind-still afternoon Wore sneakers, jeans and a polo shirt Cautious by nature, I take my time when unsure Normal fear of heights Not particularly risk-averse Unreasonably stubborn when challenged

I made it up the direct way and back on the black-orange path, but I was at my physical and psychological limits. It took me 90 minutes up, plus 2 hours for the views and the descent.

The first challenges come very early, so you can quickly judge if the trail is for you. An early boulder field is one of the most challenging parts. There's a spot where you have to go under a rock; I mistakenly tried to go over and had to backtrack, as it's much harder than it looks. After half a mile, a signpost lets you choose the direct way up or the much easier black/orange path.

Once you reach this point, from a climbing perspective, you have mastered every type of challenge the trail offers. The only new elements later are steel ladders fixed into rock, which I found easier than climbing across rocks. No single spot is harder than what you have already braved, BUT: there is way more of it, without the gentle streaks you had before. While climbing, you have a perfect unobstructed view into the abyss. If you fall, it would be fatal. You can, however, pause safely almost anywhere, and you should.

For the inexperienced, turning back isn't really an option, as it is harder to go down. You will see some experienced hikers do it, but you'll intuitively grasp that this is not for you. Once you decide to take the hard route, you are committed.

I paused every 5 minutes and was panting constantly. My clothes were drained in sweat and I drank 1/3 gallon of water. It is doable if you take your time. My height was my only physical advantage; all other parameters were disadvantageous. If I can do it physically, most people without disabilities or old age can too.

The greater challenge was psychological. For most of the last 0.5 miles, there is a near-vertical wall up and a near-vertical wall down, with no way to return and no end in sight. A woman who returned early stated the height and loneliness were too much for her. I was lucky to meet two extremely friendly Boston guys who had the same pace and were my trailblazers. If I had been alone, I would have made the same decision she did.

This is where not everyone will make it. Even for some that beat their psychological limitation, they may not enjoy this experience. Keep in mind that until you reach the ladders and rungs, you can always go back and take the black-orange route.

Take your time. Every rock is a little riddle. If you try one way and get stuck, just back down and think of a different approach. There is almost always a way to use the strength in your legs, freeing your hands to hold on. I only had to go on all fours and use my arms to pull myself up in a handful of areas.

Once at the top, you should take the gentler black-orange trail down. Later, there is another junction where you can go directly to the street for a 10-minute walk to the parking space, or you can return to the first signpost and descend via the boulder field.

Would I do it again tomorrow: no. Knowing what I know now, it was extremely reckless of me without proper shoes and fitness. Would I do it again in the future: absolutely yes. Once I am a little fitter and bring proper equipment, I will come back and enjoy the trail with less adrenaline. This is the kind of experience that can transform a person....

Whoa!!! THIS hike is a BLAST! Where to start?? First, do NOT consider or attempt this hike if you have any issues with heights. There are plenty of other hikes in Acadia that are enjoyable and will not subject you to the very exposed vertical challenges experienced on The Precipice route. I would add that you should pass if you are not in solid average to above average physical condition, and this is not an exaggeration. On this route, you will be forced to pull yourself up and over large boulders, while contorting your body, at times, to maintain grips with hands and feet. You will also have to climb up iron rungs anchored in the rock, appearing as ladders. Many of these rungs are a considerable height off the ground. You WILL sweat a good amount, so physical fitness is a prerequisite. I would have reservations about attempting this with any child under the age of 12 or so, and even then...make sure they are brought up to speed about the challenges found on this route. Forget about doing this with any dogs too, I don't even know how that would be done ( unless you're prepared to carry the animal on your back). Pay attention to the blue flashes painted on the rocks, they mark the way to the top. I saw some people doing this route in flimsy sneakers and would advise against this, this requires good hiking shoes or, even better, boots ( with solid soles for good grip). As you go higher, and you're almost constantly climbing all the way, the path becomes quite narrow. Make sure to keep your focus on the hand holds and ladder rungs, and take it slowly. As you ascend, the views just keep coming, each more spectacular than the last. The panoramic views from the summit are simply magnificent. Take the Orange and Black Trail back down. The hikers who chose to descend the same way they ascended ( thankfully few) only made things slower and harder for those going up ( and at many points, there is very little wiggle room). Have a good map, or app, to follow the Orange and Black Trail back down. Going down, by the way, is considerably less perilous.There's a couple places where the trail splits, so pay attention. The easiest way to go down, in my opinion, is to descend to the loop road and then make the short walk back to the trail head parking lot. If you're not paying attention, you will go in a different direction, miss the more direct path down to the loop road, and end up walking a lot further back to the trail head. Bring water too. Again, great route with rewarding, but demanding challenges, take the warning signs at the trail head seriously...they're accurate. Good luck...

Must-do hike in Acadia National Park if you are the adventurous type. This is considered as a non-technical climbing route and you will have to grab onto iron rungs and climb rocks.

Would recommend arriving early as the trail can get packed during the day and finding parking near the trail head may be a challenge. We arrived a bit later in the morning, but we were still able park on the right side of Park Loop road near the trail head outside the parking area. I'm not quite sure if this would be allowed year round.

Once you reach the peak, I'd recommend taking a different route going down so as not to meet the hikers going up. The trail is quite narrow and it would be better to avoid two-way traffic while up there.

You can take the Orange and Black path going down, which is a bit longer but less steep than Precipice. You will get to see some nice views there as well while going down from the peak. From that path there are two ways to exit: (1) Head down to the road and walk back to the trail head or (2) Continue on the trail going back to the lower section of the Precipice trail.

Choose (1) if your legs are tired and would prefer to walk on a flat road. The walk might be boring though. Choose (2) if you still to hike on a trail. It's less steep than Precipice but there are ascending and descending sections here. You will end up back in the Precipice trail but will only need to complete a smaller portion of it to get back to the trail head.

Consider getting a trail map (either paper or app), but Google Maps should be sufficient to see the...