Around Little Long Pond

Approx. Hiking Time: 1 1/2 hours

Between 1915 and 1933, John D. Rockefeller Jr. financed and directed the building of 57 miles of carriage roads, a network of woodland roads free of motor vehicles for hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and carriages. Some of these roads fall outside of Acadia National Park onto private property. Little Long Pond is one such location. While bicycles are not allowed on this stretch of the carriage roads, one benefit of not being park land is that dogs are not required to be on a leash, making this a popular destination for canines and their companions.

If headed toward Bar Harbor on Route 3 from Northeast Harbor, Little Long Pond lies on the left, easily recognizable by the boathouse. Sargent Mountain and the Amphitheater provide a beautiful backdrop to the large fields that line either side of the pond. Park on the side of the road and head around the right side of the pond (the boathouse side). You can take a path to the boathouse which continues on to catch the carriage road, or start on the carriage road which runs parallel but further away from the water.

The carriage road proceeds along the pond with commanding views over fields dominated by low-growing blueberry bushes (making this an especially delicious hike in the fall). Signs along the left lead to the marshy end of Jordan Stream, and one nice alternative to this hike is to pick up this trail and follow the stream up. Sticking to the carriage road will bring you to a unique cobble-stone bridge that crosses Jordan Stream (Signpost 24). From here you can take a side trip up to Jordan Pond by carriage road or stream-side trail, or continue around Little Long Pond.

When reaching the cobble-stone bridge you may feel you're at the half-way point, but the loop trail makes quite a wide swath around the marshy end of the pond. Another twenty minutes or so of walking brings you to a break in the trees which provide a nice overlook of the pond and ocean beyond. After this point, there are several grass-covered offshoots to the trail which connect to the wide network of carriage roads in this vicinity. Follow the signs for Long Pond to complete the loop in approximately one and a half hours.

Click here for a map of the carriage roads. Little Lond Pond lies at Circle 34.