23 Great Day Hiking Trails in the Northeast

Jessup Path, a birch-lined hiking path in Acadia National Park.

Acadia National Park
Among the best ways to see the top sights of Acadia National Park – the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River – is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights: America’s first sunrise, the Atlantic coast, historic carriage roads, and Maine’s evergreen woodlands.

New Hampshire
Among the best ways to enjoy southern New Hampshire’s natural highlights is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to experience The Granite State's southern top sight – views from ancient mountains, fire towers guarding grand forests, ice age-era rock formations, and the Atlantic Ocean.

New Jersey
Walking through shoreline natural areas or up and down a long ocean strand will delight any child. On the Atlantic Ocean, New Jersey boasts a number of such great beach trails.

New York
With thousands of miles of hiking trails in New York state – from the famous Appalachian Trail to those crisscrossing the Adirondacks and Finger Lakes areas – you’ll have no trouble finding a great place for you and your children to put the boots to the dirt.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Six must-see beaches at our national parks

Enderts Beach, Redwood National Park, courtesy of Redwoods NPS.

The following article was written for and originally appeared in the July 2016 Coach.net newsletter:

It’s summertime, and there’s almost no better place to be than the beach. The warmth of the sun upon your face, the sound of waves splashing against the shore, the blue water stretching into the horizon…Let’s go!

Among the most beautiful beaches you can visit are those in national parks. Thousands of miles of shoreline around lakes and along oceans are protected in our parks, and just like the wildlife and rock formations you’re apt to find in most of them the beaches won’t disappoint either.

Here are six must-see beaches at our national parks that can be reached via an RV.

Ocean Path Trail
Acadia National Park
Cobble beaches and hard bedrock make up most of the shoreline for the Atlantic Ocean that surrounds the Maine park’s many islands. A rare exception is the 4.4-miles round trip Ocean Path Trail that heads from a sand beach to sea cliffs.

Convoy Point
Biscayne National Park
This boardwalk trail is flat and easy, running along the Florida mangrove shore known as Convoy Point. You’ll follow the blue-green waters of Biscayne Bay and be able to spot some small, mangrove-covered islands. Bring a lunch; there’s a picnic area below palms overlooking the bay. Part of the boardwalk also takes you out over the water. As the bay is shallow and quite clear, you’ll have no trouble spotting the bottom.

Swiftcurrent Nature Trail
Glacier National Park
The first 0.6 miles of the trail at this Montana park heads through an evergreen forest with several short spur trails leading to beaches along Swiftcurrent Lake. Meltwater from Grinnell Glacier feeds lake, making for an crystal clear albeit cold water.

Leigh Lake Trail
Grand Teton National Park
Several alpine lakes perfect for a family outing sit at the Wyoming park’s central String Lake Area. The 1.8-mile round trip trail heads around a shimmering blue lake through green pines with gray Mount Moran soaring in the background. During summer, enjoy a picnic on the beach and then a swim in the cool waters.

Ruby Beach Trail
Olympic National Park
The Washington park’s Pacific Ocean shoreline features gushing sea stacks, piles of driftwood logs, and colorful, wave-polished stones. To enjoy all three, take the 1.4-mile Ruby Beach Trail. Some of the driftwood here has floated in from the distant Columbia River.

Coastal Trail
Redwood National Park
With more than 40 miles of pristine Pacific Ocean coastline, the northern California park is the perfect place to see tide pools and sea stacks. The latter are visible from many highway vistas but to get close up to a tide pool – a small body of saltwater that sustains many colorful sea creatures on the beach at low tide – explore the 1-mile segment (2-miles round trip) of the Coastal Trail at Enderts Beach south of Crescent City.

Rob Bignell is the author of several hiking guidebooks, including the bestselling Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

See first sunrise over nation on Acadia trail

Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park.

South Ridge Trail
heads to top
of East Coast's
tallest peak

Day hikers can walk to one of the first spots that the sun touches America each morning via the South Ridge Trail in Maine’s Acadia National Park.

The trail is a 7.2-miles round trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain, which is the highest summit on the Eastern seaboard. Though the hike would be done in the dark, with moonglow and flashlights, the trail is traversable.

To reach the trailhead, from the village of Otter Creek, take Maine Route 3 southwest. About 150 feet past Blackwoods Road, look for a trail crossing Route 3. Park along the side of the road in a gravel pull-off and take the trail north.

The route starts with granite steps and gradually grows steeper as heading through a pine and spruce woods. The granite along the mountain formed about 420 million years ago.

Side trail
About a mile in at a shaded glen is the Eagle's Crag Loop Trail junction. Head right/east onto this trail, as it leads to a rocky ledge that offers great views of Otter Creek, the forest below, and the Atlantic Ocean. It rejoins the South Ridge Trail in a third of a mile; go right/north at that junction.

Back on main trail, the forest soon opens up then the path descends to a small pond called the Featherbed. This marks a good spot to take a break; there’s a bench overlooking the pond. One of the highest wetlands in the park, the Featherbed is about a two miles from the trailhead.

Just north of the pond is a junction with the Canon Brook and Pond Trail, which runs east-west. Continue straight/north.

You’ll appreciate the respite at the Featherbed, for following the Cannon Brook and Pond Trail junction, the route grows steep and rough as crossing exposed granite. Once past the granite, the ascent becomes more manageable, as it heads though trees along the ridge, offering good views of the ocean and islands during daylight.

One last dip in the trail occurs as it crosses a road. Then the trail intersects with Cadillac West Face Trail, which heads west. From there, the ascent is straight to the summit with a 500-feet elevation gain, including a scamper over an eight foot knoll of pink granite ledges that includes an iron rung.

Summit
Once at the top, though, the views impress. Cadillac Mountain looms over the horizon at 1528 feet (The true summit is where the trail opens onto a gravel access road.). The mountain’s southern ridge is bare and exposed, offering unhindered views of the ocean and surrounding countryside.

Acadia’s ancient granite peaks are among the first places in the United States to see the sunrise. Be sure to bring a blanket to lay out on the cold rock and take a seat looking southeast.

East of the summit parking lot is a gift shop and then the Cadillac Mountain Summit Path, which loops about the top with interpretive signs describing the views. This brief trail is good to take after the sun fully rises, as the landscape below will be fully visible.

Upon taking in the sights, return the way you came. Alternately, you can shorten the hike to 3.6 miles by having someone pick you up at the summit.

Final notes: Fido may hike the trail if on a 6-foot leash. Also, the trail sometimes is referred to on maps as the Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Video: Acadia National Park’s Jordan Pond

Spruce-fir forests cover much of Maine and Acadia, but stands of beech, maple and oak, maple, beech that is typical of New England also can be found. The Jordan Pond Nature Trail is an easy 1-mile loop through an evergreen forest with views of the scenic waterbody.

Jordan Pond stretches for 187 aces and reaches a depth of 150 feet. Lake trout and landlocked salmon can be found in its waters.

Here’s a brief video showing Jordan Pond:

Because of the great scenery and a historic restaurant on the shores, about three in five Acadia visitors come to Jordan Pond. People are not allowed in the water, however.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Best trails for seeing Acadia NP’s wonders

Sunrise from Cadillac Mountain. Photo courtesy of Acadia NPS.

Among the best ways to see the top sights of Acadia National Park – the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River – is via a day hike. Just four short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights: America’s first sunrise, the Atlantic coast, historic carriage roads, and Maine’s evergreen woodlands.

First sunrise
Acadia’s ancient granite peaks are among the first places in the United States to see the sunrise. Among the best spots to catch it is Cadillac Mountain via the South Ridge Trail, which heads 4 miles to the summit of the 1528-foot high peak.

Atlantic coast
Cobble beaches and hard bedrock make up most of the shoreline for the Atlantic Ocean, which surrounds the park’s many islands. The 4.4-miles round trip Ocean Path Trail heads from a sand beach to sea cliffs.

Historic carriage roads
Wealthy landowners who once owned the land making up Acadia built 45 miles of historic carriage roads with 17 stone-faced bridges. The Eagle Lake area trails are the flattest for children, so hike the carriage road heading north from the parking lot on north side of Bubble Pond to intersection signpost 7 then east around the southern tip of Eagle Lake to intersection signpost 8 for a 4-mile round trip.

Woodlands
Spruce-fir forests cover much of Maine and Acadia, but stands of beech, maple and oak that is typical of New England also can be found. The Jordan Pond Nature Trail is an easy 1-mile loop through an evergreen forest with views of ponds.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Photo/map album of Acadia’s Beech Mtn.

Acadia National Park offers a number of great peaks to explore and view the rugged Maine coastline. One such spot is Beech Mountain. Topping out at 839 feet, it provides an impressive view of Mount Desert Island as well as a fire tower to enjoy.

To reach the Beech Mountain Trail, from Rt. 102, head onto its western branch, also known as Pretty Marsh Road. After a quarter mile, turn left onto Beech Hill Road. In about 3.1 miles, you’ll reach the Beech Mountain parking lot. Watch for the observation tower; it can be seen from miles away.

The top of Beech Mountain, like others in the national park, consists of erosion-resistant granite:

Trail map (courtesy Acadia NPS):

A view from atop Beech Mountain:

The steel fire tower on the mountain was built in 1962:

Another mountain top view:

And yet one more:

Here's a full description of the trail.

Learn about other great national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Great hiking trail in Acadia: Beech Mountain

Set of trails heads to historic
fire tower on granite summit

Acadia National Park is home to the tallest mountains on the Atlantic Ocean. And at nearly 48,000 acres, the park offers a number of great peaks to explore and view the rugged Maine coastline.

One such spot is Beech Mountain. Topping out at 839 feet, it provides an impressive view of Mount Desert Island as well as a fire tower to enjoy.

Tree-lined path
Finding the mountain is easy enough. From Rt. 102, head onto its western branch, also known as Pretty Marsh Road. After a quarter mile, turn left onto Beech Hill Road. In about 3.1 miles, you’ll reach the Beech Mountain parking lot. Watch for the observation tower; it can be seen from miles away.

Start the 2.4-mile hike by locating the head for Valley Trail at the lot’s left-hand corner of the lot. The tree-lined path runs flat and smooth. About a third of a mile in, boulders appear with increasing frequency. Watch for rock cap fern, which grows atop some of the rocks, and for slab caves, or small hollows between granite blocks where local fauna often live.

At about 0.6 miles, turn right onto Beech South Ridge Trail and head up stone steps. Low-lying Canada dogwood and tall boulders line much of the trail. Also look for rock tripe, which are brown, scaly patches on the rock faces. Orange-hued mushrooms sometimes also can be spotted.

Most of the trail for the next 0.8 miles are rock steps, some of it winding, some of it steep ascents followed by flat stretches. A series of outlooks allow you to catch your breath while enjoying water views.

Fire tower
Beech Mountain summit, a granite peak sporting rocks about the fire tower’s base, offers spectacular views. To the west-northwest stretches Long Pond. To the northeast is Echo Lake, and to the east Somes Sound. To the southeast is the great Atlantic Ocean. Distant mountain peaks and islands also are visible.

The steel fire tower with the open grating on its steps was erected in 1962, brought to the peak via air. It replaced a deteriorating, Depression-era wooden tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and that was used from 1941 to the mid-1950s. The new tower was rarely manned, except during times of high fire danger, until 1976. It’s now on the National Registry of Historic Fire Towers. The tower typically is closed to the public but usually opens once or twice a year; call 207-288-3338 and press “0,” Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., to see when it is. Even if closed, you still can head up the stairs to just below the cabin.

For the return trip, continue on Beech Mountain Trail past the tower. Turn left, or to the west. About 0.1 miles down, avoid veering off onto Beech West Ridge Trail. You want to continue heading straight or to the right. Great views abound the entire way. The trail then continues for another 0.7 miles, returning to the parking lot.

The best time to visit is between late April thru mid-November, but the temperature can swing wildly even in the summer as wind, fog and rain sweep the mountain top. Also, during the wet season, mosquitoes and black flies can frequent the area, so be prepared.

Learn about other great national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Photos/maps for Acadia’s South Ridge Trail

The scenic South Ridge Trail runs 7.2-miles round trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Maine’s Acadia National Park.

To reach the trailhead, from the village of Otter Creek in the national park, take Maine Route 3 southwest. About 150 feet past Blackwoods Road, look for a trail crossing Route 3. Park along the side of the road in a gravel pull-off and take the trail on the road's right/north. The route starts with granite steps and gradually grows steeper as heading through a pine and spruce woods.

Acadia’s ancient granite peaks are among the first places in the United States to see the sunrise:

Topo map of trailhead and opening segment of trail:

Topo map of Eagles Crag:

Topo map of slope above Eagles Crag:

Topo map of Featherbed area:

Topo map of final ascent to summit:

Topo map of summit:

The view from atop Cadillac Mountain:

Another vista from atop Cadillac Mountain:

Here's a full description of the trail.