Jordan Pond Loop Hike (and Jordan Pond House Popovers) at Acadia

Jordan Pond trail is different than many of the hiking trails in Acadia National Park because most hikes offer up coastal views. Hiking around Jordan Pond and through the beautiful forest is an enjoyable experience especially in the fall. Acadia is one of the best places for autumn leaf peeping.

The Jordan Pond loop is an easy hike and a nice one to do with kids, plus it’s dog friendly too. Add this one to your Acadia National Park itinerary.

The pond is idyllic and peaceful, a reminder to slow down and relax.

Before you travel to the park download the map of Acadia National Park or bookmark the page for future reference.

Getting to Acadia National Park

From Portland Maine it’s about a 3 hour drive to Acadia National Park. The park is located next to Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island along the Atlantic coast.

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Note, if you plan to drive to Cadillac summit you do need a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road for daytime (including sunrise hours) in summer 2021. There is no reservation required for the Park Loop Road that gets you to Jordan Pond.

A great option for getting around the park is the Island Explorer Bus which normally operates from late June through mid-October. Check the Island Explorer website for service info and updates.

The Island Explorer Bus is free to ride all 10 routes, with stops at campgrounds, hotels, beaches, hiking trails, as well as shops and restaurants in Bar Harbor.

Wooden signs for Jordan Pond Path and Jordan Pond House

Walk the Jordan Pond Path and then visit Jordan Pond House

Entrance Fees to Acadia

The entrance fee covers you for a full 7 consecutive days to visit Acadia National Park.

Personal vehicle: $30
Motorcycle: $25
Cyclist/Pedestrian: $15
Annual pass to Acadia: $55
Annual pass to all national parks: $80

Acadia Hours

The park is open 24/7 year round, but the visitor Center hours are April 15 to October 31 from 8 am to 4 pm daily.

In winter season some of the roads are closed to traffic. You can visit the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce at the corner of Cottage and Main Street in Bar Harbor for park info in winter.

The Jordan Pond trail has a variety of terrain

Parking at Jordan Pond

In summer season take the Park Loop Road and stay to the right to follow it to the Jordan Pond House parking lot. If you visit on a weekend get there as early as possible because parking lots fill up fast.

In winter season this route is closed so you need to drive the longer way around Park Loop Road to get there. You can stop at other scenic hiking spots along the way like Sand Beach Trail, Gorham Mountain Trail, and Otter Point.

Because Acadia National Park is a small park and one of the moat visited parks in the US, there is a shortage of parking and park roads become congested with traffic.

If you are staying in Bar Harbor your best option is to take the Island Explorer Bus so you have no worries about parking.

But if you are driving into the park from further away it’s best to get to the park early in the morning so you have a hope of getting a parking spot.

Jordan Pond with fog above the mountains

The water is clear and still on Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond Trail Details

Distance: 3.4 miles (5.5 km)

Elevation gain: 95 ft (29 m)

Type of hike: Loop

Difficulty: Easy

Time: Allow 1.5 to 2 hours

Dogs allowed: Yes, always keep dogs on leash

In wintertime bring microspikes or ice cleats in case the path is icy.

Map of Acadia National Park showing Jordan Pond Houses

Jordan Pond is close to the Wildwood Stables

Jordan Pond Loop Trail Description

This is a lovely hiking path around the Jordan Pond in Acadia park. The trail has lots of boardwalks so that you don’t sink into the bog and it protects the plant life below.

You can walk the trail clockwise or counter-clockwise, it doesn’t matter which direction you choose to start the hike.

The trail is mostly flat but features some rocky portions, boardwalks, a wooden bridge, paved, and dirt trail.

The boardwalk sections of the trail have extra wide portions at regular intervals so that people can stand to the side and let opposing foot traffic pass by.

2 hikers and a dog walking the boardwalk at Jordan Pond Loop

Hiking the long boardwalk section of the trail at Jordan Pond

While the rocky portion of the trail is easy enough for most people, if you have mobility issues it could be a bit tricky. Also, anyone pushing a stroller will find this section challenging, you’ll need to carry the stroller across this section of the trail.

The other option is to walk as far as you can and then turn around, making it an out and back hike rather than a loop.

Acadia National Park gets a lot of fog and that’s how the weather looked when I hiked the Jordan Pond loop. Still beautiful but I’d like to go back on a sunny day to do this hike again and hike up to the South Bubble Summit.

If you are feeling more energetic and want to do the Bubble hike, watch for the sign on Jordan Pond trail. It’s a steep trail and can be difficult when the rock is slick with rain or snow.

The Bubble Summit hike involves a scramble to get to the top and then you can enjoy a wonderful view of Jordan Pond from above. Unless it’s foggy. Then you may have a wonderful view of fog instead :)

Bubbles Trail, Bubble Rock and Summit sign

Watch for the Bubbles Trail sign along Jordan Pond Loop

Jordan Pond House

After you walk the hiking trail around Jordan Pond head over to Jordan Pond House for lunch or at least have some popovers. You must try the famous Jordan House popovers.

I ordered the popovers for dessert after lunch. There are two popovers per order plus butter and strawberry jam.

Since I only had room in my belly for one popover (which tasted delicious) my server gave me a take-out box so I could save the second popover for later.