Classic Adventures in the National Parks: Sargent Mountain
Acadia National Park
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
We’ll let you in on a secret: You can see the sunrise over the Atlantic from any peak in Acadia. So, instead of falling in (crowded) line on Cadillac, try this 4-mile circuit that tags four mountaintops, including the park’s second-tallest, 1,373-foot Sargent Mountain.
Start by bagging Sargent via the Maple Spring and Sargent South Ridge Trails about 2 miles into the hike. From the summit bald, pinpoint the oblong bodies of Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond to the east and cabin-lined Somes Sound to the west. You could turn around here, but your legs are already warm, so might as well swing south off Sargent to tack on 1,036-foot Gilmore Peak (mile 2.6) and 941-foot Parkman Mountain (mile 3). From there, it’s just .3 mile to 974-foot Bald Peak—big or small, there’s always room for one more peak in the bag.
Trailhead Bald Peak Season May to November Permit None