Precipice Trail (Acadia) – July 2011

Precipice Trail (Acadia) – July 2011

Hiked (more like climbed) the Precipice Trail at Acadia last week – supposedly it is rarely open in the Summer due to Peregrine Falcons' nesting. Not a hike for those out of shape or a fear of heights, narrow ledges, and steep cliffs – you can easily see why people have had to be rescued by helicopter and have died :-o climbing the trail.

Bottom three-fifth was not too bad, and the bushes/trees kinda hid the ledges – you do not realize that you might be 3’ from a 100’ cliff. The four-fifth segment is where it gets really dicey. Basically iron rungs, ladders, and narrow ledges for a few hundred feet – if you fall, let’s just say it is not going to be a pleasant death. The last fifth is pretty flat.

You can’t hike back down the trail – not enough room with people coming up; would be too dangerous; need to take a ridge trial. Temperature was in the mid-80’s – sweat can become a bit of an issue with your grip on the iron rungs; I would not climb the trail if it is raining. Definitely bring a gallon of water per person, and perhaps a harness in case someone freezes up. Second most dangerous hike I have ever done – I am pretty much a beginner climber.

Photos are not the greatest – wanted to move quickly so that I did not freeze up; no photos of some of ledges. I don’t have photos of having to crawl under a huge boulder near the beginning. They do have one or two death signs that warns you of the dangers.

Yup, a trail up that cliff wall somewhere - trail is on lookers right on the lower headwall, and IIRC in the middle on the upper headwall:


About half way up, at the trail split:


You better be skinny:


Let the fun begin – the beginning of the cliff section:


More cliffs:


And more cliffs:


A nice reward at the top:

how is the trip down? different route?

I wouldn't have an issue climbing up, but going back down the same way would be a bit too much pucker factor for me unless I had ropes.

Nice report. Such an awesome trail. The first time I did it, we came down it unintentionally. You're not supposed to. But it was off season (Oct/Nov I think) so there was nobody there to mention it, and it was so foggy we couldn't even see the trails signs that tell you not to go down. Climbing down those cold, wet rungs into pea-soup fog was one of the scariest things I've ever done. You could barely even see down to your own feet to see the next rung....it was all by feel.

Awesome report. My girlfriend and I were up there in June, but were unable to hike Precipice because of the Falcon nesting, so we hiked Beehive instead. Similar experience, but I do believe it may be a bit shorter.

Nice! My family and I did the Beehive Trail when we were there many many years ago. Gotta get back there sometime soon....

Awesome report! I love the climbing features, I dunno but that stuff is always so much fun for me. Not the full blown rock climbing but the chasm walk and the climbs up the metal stanchions. Good stuff.

One of the jewels of Acadia, for sure.


You can grab the 2-fer of Precipice and Beehive in a GREAT day hike. Park at Precipice lot and go up Precipice, follow the Champlain Ridge Trail SOUTH over and down to The Bowl . The Bowl is a little glacial-till spring fed kettle pond. Much of the perimeter of the Bowl is ringed with flat granite rock slabs extending out into shallow water. Fabulous place for a picnic lunch and some cooling-off in the water. Yes, skinny dipping happens there. Expect it.

You pick up the Beehive trail from the south end of the Bowl and go up, over and down the Beehive, iron ladders and all, which brings you out very close to Sand Beach Parking Lot, another place to cool off.

Yes it is a road walk of about a mile and a half back to your car at the Precipice parking lot, but it is an awesome day if the weather is on your side. Don't do it if the weather is against you.

Hiking Climbing in Acadia is very dicey in wet weather, whether fog, rain or run-off. Slimey lichen on granite or granite schist ? Nuff Said..


Both the Precipice Trail and the Beehive Trail have some planned limiting features, some natural, some man made. Leg reach is the biggie. Kids on their own legs who need significant help early in the climb will need significant help thereafter and throughout. If you are a short adult, you will find that challenge, yourself.


The views from the trails from Precipice and Beehive out over the waters and islands from Bar Harbor to Petit Manan, and nearly to the Canadian Border are priceless.

Breeze

deadheadskier said:

how is the trip down? different route?

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Trip down was somewhat surprisingly a piece of cake – Bear Brook Trail to Orange/Black trial, and then a short walk back to the Precipice parking area.

Cannonball said:

Climbing down those cold, wet rungs into pea-soup fog was one of the scariest things I've ever done. You could barely even see down to your own feet to see the next rung....it was all by feel.

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I cannot fathom climbing down it in pea-soup fog plus being wet – certainly can see why it would be one of the scariest things you've ever done.

Breeze said:

Sand Beach Parking Lot, another place to cool off.

Both the Precipice Trail and the Beehive Trail have some planned limiting features, some natural, some man made. Leg reach is the biggie. Kids on their own legs who need significant help early in the climb will need significant help thereafter and throughout. If you are a short adult, you will find that challenge, yourself.

Click to expand...

Sand beach, hiking, biking the carriage trails, lobster, some cool villages, and crappy cell phone reception is why Mount Desert is my favorite place on the Maine Coast – much more so than the Camden area.

Yeah definitely some limiting features. Probably good there are those few rungs at the very beginning, as it warns/weeds out those that cannot make it up that before they get themselves in to a more dangerous section.

Love the Precipice. Both up and down. I worked a couple summers in Acadia and got to know most of the trails. Beehive is a good warm-up if you aren't sure about doing it. The hike up the other side of Champlain is really nice (and much easier) too if you are intimidated by the Precipice.