What’s the Best Hike on the Schoodic Peninsula? (Anvil Trail in Acadia National Park)

If you are going to Schoodic while visiting Acadia National Park, congratulations, you are signaling two things:

1. You did your research and decided to journey to the quieter side of Acadia National Park where you can enjoy the incredible scenery without the exhausting summer crowds of MDI.
2. You have pre-planned your transportation to Schoodic, either by car or by boat. 👉 Getting from Bar Harbor to Schoodic by boat.

Now that you have discovered Schoodic what should you do? Well hike, of course. One of, if not THE best hiking trail in Acadia at Schoodic is the Anvil Trail.

This is a wooded forest trail with some nice rock scrambles is about 2 miles out and back.

The trail is kid and dog friendly and the big pay off is exactly what you want out of a hiking trail, views at the top.

🌲 Trail stats:

🏋️ Difficulty: Medium

📏 Length: 1 mile (2 miles out and back)

⬆️ Elevation Gain: 510 ft

The trail utilizes logs to help with erosion and there are some stone steps up an incline on part of the trail.

🌿 Mainer Tip:
Anyone and everyone who grew up in Northern New England knows exactly what these crustacean looking things attached to the tree pictured below are. Shelf fungi. As unknowing Maine kids we would break these off to write and draw them with sticks and save our artwork. Well, that wasn't ideal. Today, we leave them right on the trees as shelf fungi are decomposers that play a role in the forest ecosystem.

They are slow growing, break down dead wood, and give nutrients back to the soil. Furthermore, insects and birds use them as food or shelter. That said, if you want to pick up a stick and write your name on a fungi to show you have been there, without breaking it off, that could work.

🍃 Trail Basics

• 🌲 Summary: Anvil climbs through pine forests up to a small peak (aka the Anvil) with sweeping coastline views on a clear day.
• 🅿️ Parking: Near the trail entrance at Blueberry Hill Parking area off Schoodic Loop Road.
• 👪 Audience: All ages and pets welcome on this trail.
• ☀️ Weather Check: Clear days are best for this hike, but the only "no go" is heavy rain and ice.

😊 Trail Vibes

BONUS HIKE: From Wild Rose Maine to the Anvil and back.

Of course, you can drive to Blueberry Hill parking, but a more fun adventure would be to walk the 3.2 miles to the Anvil trail head from Wild Rose Maine. If you chose to do so you would be creating an about an 8 mile out and back as opposed to a 2 mile out and back from the parking lot. However, not only will you get a scenic hike along Schoodic Loop Road, coastal hiking along Schoodic Harbor, but you would also connect via the Acadia East Trail from Schoodic Loop to the Anvil Trail head. So you get 3 hikes for the price of 1.

🦞 BONUS HIKE REWARD ⬆️

If you do this longer hike, understand that the East Trail is more steep and challenging than the Anvil Trail, and if conditions are wet or icy you probably want to just go ahead and drive to Blueberry Hill parking.

Finally, if you attempt this 3 for 1 hike from Wild Rose Maine and back, you can reward yourself with a stop at the Bunker Seafood and Spirits for a lobster roll and a beverage.

Map

🎥 LIVE FROM THE ANVIL TRAIL (Back in 2021)

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Links

Current Conditions - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

National Park Service

BUNKERS SEAFOOD AND SPIRITS

SkyTab Restaurant

BUNKERS SEAFOOD AND SPIRITS