Acadia National Park: A Quick Hike on Compass Harbor Trail
For as busy as it can get on Mount Desert Island – particularly around Bar Harbor – it can also be surprisingly easy to get away from crowds. A short hike on the Compass Harbor Trail is one way to do just that.
The Compass Harbor Trail takes visitors on a relatively flat path around Old Farm, the former estate of George Dorr, who was, along with John D. Rockefeller, Jr., one of the two men most responsible for the creation of Acadia National Park.
The short and easy hike on the Compass Harbor Trail—it is only about 0.4 miles from the trailhead to the furthest point of the trail—provides a lot of scenery for little effort. The trail spends most of its length on a wide and flat path beneath numerous giant trees.
Near its end, the Compass Harbor Trail reaches Dorr Point. The point juts out into Compass Harbor, which is on the left as hikers approach it. Once on Dorr Point, the ocean comes into view. By the time the trail ends, there are ocean views on three sides of the trail.
Perhaps the best part of the Compass Harbor Trail is neither the forest nor the ocean views, but its beach. Once reaching Dorr Point, there are numerous paths leading a few short feet from the forest trail down onto the beach. Like most of the beaches on Mount Desert Island, this beach is rocky. However, unlike many of those other beaches, this one is often deserted. On two morning hikes to the beach in August 2024, I saw no one else on the beach and only one family on the trail itself. Considering the trail’s proximity to Bar Harbor and the ease with which it can be reached, this was a happy surprise.
The Compass Harbor Trailhead is located about a mile from the center of Bar Harbor; for those staying in town, it is an easy walk to and from the trailhead. For those who prefer to drive, there is a small parking area at the trailhead. The trailhead is not marked with any signage on the road, but it is noted on both Google and Apple Maps. As for the trail itself, it can be done as either an out and back hike to Dorr Point, or it can be done as a loop trail through Old Farm, which is the subject of a separate blog post here on the 101 Travel Bits blog.
Want to learn more about Acadia National Park? Check out 101 Travel Bits: Acadia National Park.
