Maine has some of the finest hiking in the Northeast, from the exposed iron rungs of Acadia to the alpine ridge of Katahdin. After three decades running Maine’s resource guide, these are the hikes we send people to, matched to what you want – drama, views, or an easy coastal walk.
The best hikes in Maine are Mount Katahdin, the Precipice Trail, the Beehive, Ocean Path, Tumbledown Mountain, Cadillac Mountain, Mount Battie, Mount Kineo, Bigelow Mountain and the Cutler Coast Trail. Katahdin is the ultimate summit, the Precipice the most thrilling, and Ocean Path the best easy coastal walk. Each is covered below, followed by four more worth a stop.
1. Mount Katahdin (Baxter State Park)
Mount Katahdin is the best and most iconic hike in Maine. At 5,268 feet, Katahdin is Maine’s highest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The Knife Edge, a mile-long ridge with sheer drops on both sides, is one of the most dramatic ridge walks in the East. Baxter requires advance parking reservations and imposes day-use quotas, so plan ahead with our Baxter State Park and Katahdin guide.
2. Precipice Trail (Acadia)
The Precipice Trail is the most thrilling hike on the Maine coast. It is a nearly vertical scramble up iron rungs and ladders on the face of Champlain Mountain in Acadia. It is often closed from spring through summer for peregrine falcon nesting; when open, nothing on the coast matches it. Not for anyone uncomfortable with heights.
3. The Beehive Trail (Acadia)
The Beehive Trail is the best short adventure hike. A shorter cousin of the Precipice, the Beehive features the same exposed iron-rung climbing on a compact loop above Sand Beach. Thrilling, accessible, and one of Acadia’s most popular hikes.
4. Ocean Path (Acadia)
Ocean Path is the best easy coastal hike. This mostly flat shoreline path runs from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs, delivering spectacular Atlantic views with none of the exposure of the rung trails. The best hike in Maine for families and first-timers.
5. Tumbledown Mountain (Weld)
Tumbledown Mountain is the best hike in the western mountains. Tumbledown’s roughly 5.6-mile loop climbs a boulder scramble to Tumbledown Pond, an alpine tarn in a cirque below 700-foot granite cliffs. A Maine classic with far fewer crowds than Acadia. For more western Maine trails, see our Rangeley hiking guide.
6. Cadillac Mountain (Acadia)
Cadillac Mountain is the best summit for the effort. The 4.4-mile North Ridge Trail is the classic hiking approach to Acadia’s highest peak, quieter than the road or the South Ridge. The summit is the first place in the US to see sunrise for much of the year.
7. Mount Battie (Camden)
Mount Battie is the most accessible summit view. A short climb (or drive) in Camden Hills State Park delivers a sweeping view over Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay. The best payoff-per-effort hike on the Midcoast.
8. Mount Kineo (Moosehead Lake)
Mount Kineo is the best hike you reach by boat. A sheer cliff rising roughly 700 feet from Moosehead Lake, Kineo sits on a peninsula in Mount Kineo State Park and is reached by a seasonal shuttle boat from Rockwood. Trails climb to the summit, with a lake view that takes in much of Maine’s largest lake. Plan around the boat schedule, and see our things to do at Moosehead Lake for the rest of the region.
9. Bigelow Mountain (Carrabassett Valley)
Bigelow Mountain is the best long ridge hike outside Baxter. The Bigelow Range rises above Flagstaff Lake in western Maine, with two summits above 4,000 feet and the Appalachian Trail running along the ridge. It is a strenuous full day with big views, and one of the finest places to be in late September when the foliage turns.
10. Cutler Coast Trail (Bold Coast)
The Cutler Coast Trail is the best hike on Maine’s wild Downeast coast. It follows high cliffs above the Bay of Fundy near Cutler, with almost none of the crowds of Acadia. The full loop is about 10 miles, but you can turn around anywhere and still see the cliffs. See our Bold Coast hiking guide for the whole stretch.
Best Hikes by Type
- Easiest: Ocean Path and The Bubbles in Acadia
- Best for families: Ocean Path, Mount Battie and The Bubbles
- Most thrilling: the Precipice Trail and Katahdin’s Knife Edge
- Best views for the effort: Mount Battie and Cadillac’s North Ridge
- Fewest crowds: Tumbledown, the Cutler Coast Trail and Mount Kineo
- Best for fall color: Bigelow, Tumbledown and Old Speck
More Maine Hikes Worth a Stop
Old Speck (Grafton Notch)
One of Maine’s highest peaks, with a fire tower on top and a roughly 8-mile round trip from Grafton Notch State Park. It is a good fall hike, and the notch is also home to Screw Auger Falls, covered in our best waterfalls in Maine.
The Bubbles (Acadia)
Two rounded peaks above Jordan Pond with a short climb and a big view. Bubble Rock, a boulder left behind by the glaciers, sits at the edge of South Bubble. A great easy summit for families.
Gulf Hagas (100-Mile Wilderness)
Often called the Grand Canyon of Maine, this gorge on the West Branch of the Pleasant River is a loop of roughly 8 miles past waterfalls and slate walls. The river crossing at the start can be hard or impassable in high water, so check conditions first.
Mount Megunticook (Camden Hills)
The highest peak in Camden Hills State Park, with open ledges and views over the bay. A longer and quieter alternative to Mount Battie from the same park.
Planning a Maine Hiking Trip
When to go: July through early October is the best hiking window. June is good but black flies can be brutal inland through mid-June. September and October bring stable weather, no bugs, and fall foliage – the finest hiking conditions of the year. High-elevation trails can hold snow as late as May and as early as October.
Permits and reservations: Most Maine trails need no permit, but Baxter State Park (Katahdin) requires advance parking reservations and fills its day-use quota early – arrive before dawn or reserve ahead. Acadia charges a park entrance fee. The Precipice and other cliff trails close during peregrine falcon nesting, typically spring into summer.
Best Hikes in Maine: FAQ
What is the best hike in Maine?
Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park is the best and most iconic hike in Maine – the state’s highest peak at 5,268 feet, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, and home to the dramatic Knife Edge ridge. The Precipice Trail in Acadia is the most thrilling coastal hike.
What is the hardest hike in Maine?
The Knife Edge on Katahdin and the Precipice Trail in Acadia are the two hardest well-known hikes in Maine – both exposed, with serious drop-offs, and no place to be caught by weather or without experience.
What is the best easy hike in Maine?
Ocean Path in Acadia is the best easy hike in Maine – a mostly flat shoreline walk from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs with spectacular ocean views and none of the exposure of the rung trails. Mount Battie in Camden is the best short summit view.
What is the best hike in Acadia?
It depends on what you want. The Precipice Trail is the most thrilling, the Beehive is the best short adventure hike, Ocean Path is the best easy walk, and the North Ridge Trail up Cadillac Mountain is the best summit for the effort.
When is the best time to hike in Maine?
July through early October is the best window. September and October are the finest, with stable weather, no bugs and fall color, while black flies can be bad inland through mid-June.
For full trail details, see our complete Maine hiking guide, plus our best things to do in Maine. MaineGuide.com has been Maine’s resource guide since 1995.
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Related: See our full Baxter State Park & Katahdin guide – reservations, Katahdin Trailhead Passes, camping, and hiking Maine’s highest peak.