Hiking the Parkman-Bald Peak Loop Trail to Sargent Mountain in Acadia National Park
Distance: 4.2 miles / 6.8 km
Sargent Mountain in Acadia National Park is known for being the second-highest summit in the park, behind only Cadillac Mountain.
That being said, there is seemingly an endless number of ways to hike to the top of Sargent Mountain, with trails leading to the summit from all four directions, among many more crisscrossing routes on all sides of the mountain. These include routes from Jordan Pond, combining Penobscot and Sargent Mountain together, as well as various other routes that ascend from the north and west sides of the peak.
However, above all other options, I personally recommend the Parkman Mountain-Bald Peak Loop, as this trail on its own can make for a really fun day hike—especially when combined with Sargent Mountain for not just two, but four different summits in one hike!
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
Parkman Mountain Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Parkman-Bald Peak Loop Trail is located at the Parkman Mountain Trailhead off State Route 3. Alternatively, the hike could also begin at the joint Norumbega-Hadlock Ponds Trailhead to start from the very bottom of either the Parkman or Bald Peak Trails. However, this adds distance to an already 'long' day hike—at least by Acadia standards.
Remember to purchase your National Park pass in advance and display your pass or entrance receipt here and at every trailhead in Acadia National Park, whether you went through an official entrance station or not. Yes, law enforcement officers check parked cars throughout Acadia, and I have seen tickets handed out to vehicles not following the rules of a U.S. fee area.
On a different note, be aware that Acadia National Park is one of the busiest parks in the country, and finding a place to park, even at less-known trailheads, can be incredibly challenging during the busiest times of the year.
Google Maps Directions: Parkman Mountain Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Acadia
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Acadia National Park.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the Parkman-Bald Peak Loop Trail
Initially, the Parkman-Bald Peak Loop begins on a series of Carriage Roads to reach the start of the trail, about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) away.
Immediately after beginning the hike, the Carriage Road splits around Sargent Mountain.
That being said, go right to continue up to the beginning of the Parkman Mountain Trail.
At the next split, go left, and the start of the Parkman Mountain Trail will be about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) away on the left-hand side.
Lower Parkman Mountain-Carriage Road Junction
This is the start of the Parkman Mountain Trail, beginning from the Parkman Mountain Trailhead.
I say it like this because the Parkman Mountain Trail technically begins off the Hadlock Brook Trail, which is part of the Hadlock Ponds Loop Trail, down to the right. This is why I previously mentioned that the Parkman Mountain-Bald Peak Loop could begin from the Norumbega Trailhead.
This is all this is to say, go left to begin the Parkman Mountain Trail, which will cross over the Carriage Road one more time, about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) up the hill.
Read My Separate Post: Hadlock Ponds Loop Trail
Upper Parkman Mountain-Carriage Road Junction
This is the upper Carriage Road junction, where the Parkman Mountain Trail continues straight across.
Once past the Carriage Roads, there are no more splits in the Parkman Mountain Trail until the trail meets the crossover to Bald Peak, just before the summit of Parkman Mountain.
Since the entire hike to Sargent Mountain is so steep, some hikers may prefer to carry trekking poles—especially for the hike back down!
The one other thing to remember about Acadia hikes is how absent the shade can be on these granite slopes.
For this reason, I highly recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt, which will be particularly important the higher you ascend Sargent Mountain!
Hiking through the beautiful fall colors is always one of the best things about visiting during the middle of October, and keep in mind that the colors on the coast typically change much later than the colors further inland.
To learn more, I highly recommend using the fall foliage tracker linked below.
Explore Fall: Fall Foliage Map
Parkman Mountain-Bald Peak Junction
With only about 0.1 miles (0.2 km) left before the Parkman Mountain Trail reaches the summit, the loop splits, with the Bald Peak Trail to the right.
At this split, go left for both Parkman Mountain and to continue further to Gilmore Peak, followed by Sargent Mountain.
Parkman Mountain
According to the National Park Service, Parkman Mountain stands at 935 ft. (285 m), with views toward Somes Sound and Acadia Mountain to the west, and Sargent Mountain and Gilmore Peak to the east.
That being said, the views toward Sargent Mountain may seem intimidating, as if the summit is further away than expected. However, I personally found the hike from Parkman to Gilmore Peak to be the most tedious section, making the hike from Gilmore to Sargent much less so.
This is just one person’s opinion, but regardless of how far away each peak appears, Sargent Mountain is only 0.9 miles (1.4 km) away from Parkman Mountain.
Grandgent Trail
Past Parkman Mountain, go right to begin the Grandgent Trail to Gilmore Peak, followed by Sargent Mountain.
Not long after leaving Parkman Mountain, the Grandgent Trail begins a very steep descent toward Gilmore Peak!
This is one reason why I find the Grandgent Trail between Parkman and Gilmore to be very tedious, as this will obviously have to be re-hiked on the way back to the trailhead.
Grandgent-Giant Slide Junction
At the bottom of the cliffs below Parkman Mountain, go straight to continue toward Gilmore Peak.
Following the previous junction, the Grandgent Peak Trail begins a steep, continuous 300-ft. (91 m) climb up to Gilmore Peak.
Gilmore Peak
After a short but steep 0.3-mile (0.5 km) crossover from Parkman Mountain, the Grandgent Trail reaches Gilmore Peak, standing at 1,024 ft. (312 m) according to the National Park Service.
Here, the Grandgent Trail continues like a switchback, beginning the final 0.6-mile (1.0 km) stretch up to Sargent Mountain.
Grandgent-Maple Spring Junction
After a short descent, the Grandgent Trail splits one last time before the summit of Sargent Mountain.
That said, go left to begin the roughly 400-ft. (122 m) ascent from this junction to the summit.
Maple Spring Creek
As the Grandgent Trail climbs its way out of the trees, it may be easiest to cross over Maple Spring twice, as it appears the trail has been re-routed from its original path.
These final sections are certainly steep, but in comparison, they are not nearly as steep as the descent from Parkman Mountain to Gilmore Peak.
Toward the upper elevations of Sargent Mountain, the trees start to thin out considerably, which is, again, why I highly recommend packing a hooded sun shirt for a trip to Acadia National Park!
Sargent Mountain
Known for being the second-highest summit in Acadia National Park, Sargent Mountain stands tall at 1,362 ft. (415 m), according to the National Park Service.
The summit of Sargent Mountain is also the intersection of four different trails, which include routes to Jordan Pond, Penobscot Mountain, Grandgent (as shown here), and the Sargent Northwest Trail.
However, for the reasons previously mentioned, I highly recommend the Parkman Mountain-Bald Peak Loop to Sargent Mountain, especially because I think that Penobscot Mountain makes for a fun, separate hike by way of the Spring Trail.
Parkman Mountain-Bald Peak Junction
After making my way down to Parkman Mountain and back to the Bald Peak junction, I recommend going left to begin the Bald Peak Trail.
However, it truly makes no difference which route you choose to descend, as the Parkman Trailhead is only 1.1 miles (1.8 km) down either trail from this junction.
Bald Peak Trail
The section between the Parkman Mountain Trail and Bald Peak is only 0.2 miles (0.3 km).
However, the short crossover drops a steep 40 ft. (12 m) before climbing back to Bald Peak on the far side.
This, among many other areas on the Parkman-Bald Peak Loop Trail, is why I recommend carrying trekking poles if you generally prefer them on steep trails.
Bald Peak
Standing at 968 ft. (295 m), Bald Peak is the last of four summits on the Parkman-Bald Peak Loop, and from here, there is only another 0.4 miles (0.6 km) to reach the Carriage Road below.
For this reason, the Bald Peak Trail can make for one of the best sunset hikes in Acadia National Park on a clear evening!
Don’t forget to pack a headlamp if you choose to plan either Parkman or Bald Peak for sunset!
Compared to the ascent up the Parkman Mountain Trail, I found the descent down the Bald Peak Trail to be much milder, in my opinion.
Bald Peak-Carriage Road Junction
When the Bald Peak Trail reaches the Carriage Road, go right to complete the loop and return to the Parkman Trailhead.
Once back on the Carriage Roads, go left, right, then left at the three intersections to return to the Parkman Mountain Trailhead.
More Acadia Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Acadia National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Mount Desert Island
Schoodic Peninsula
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
The biggest risks that the National Park Service highlights in Acadia National Park are largely associated with falls, whether on slippery, wet granite or down one of the countless dramatic cliffs found throughout the park.
This is true both in coastal areas and on unsuspecting upper-elevation trails—not just on well-known challenging hikes, like the Precipice and Beehive Trail.
That being said, prepare for all types of conditions, as New Englanders will tell you that layers are your best friend in Maine—especially on the Atlantic Coast!
Apart from this, be aware that there are Black Bears in Acadia National Park, though the National Park Service reports that encounters are very unlikely. Even so, hiking with bear spray is never a bad idea, regardless that Black Bears usually present less of a risk compared to Grizzlies. However, it’s truly up to your own discretion and comfort level.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
National Park Service: Acadia National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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