Beech Mountain Hike

With no official plans, we took our time this morning, embracing the day's possibilities. The stunning weather urged us to seize the sunshine with an outdoor adventure.

We began with a drive around the southwest side of Mount Desert Island, culminating in a hike on Beech Mountain. Our 3.75-mile trek included the Beech Mountain Trail Loop up to the summit and back, then the Valley Trail to Canada Cliffs Trail, Echo Beach, and finally the Beech Cliff Trail to the Beech Cliff Loop Trail, returning to our car.

The hike featured steep sections, rocky trails, granite stairs, wooden steps, exposed cliffs, and iron rungs. The views were spectacular from the historic fire tower and the summit of Beech Mountain. The water at Echo Lake looked refreshing, and the beach, surprisingly, wasn’t very crowded. The Beech Cliff Trail included several switchbacks and iron rung ladders, rewarding us with stunning vistas. The Beech Cliff Loop Trail offered more exposed cliffs and beautiful scenery, capping off this hiking adventure.

When it came to parking, we were golden yet again—but only after circling twice to snag a spot!Read more