Day hikers at Acadia National Park can enjoy fantastic mountain top views from the summit of Pemetic Mountain.
The 2.4-miles round trip Pemetic North Ridge Trail is one of four trails that head to the mountain’s summit. It’ll be less crowded than the other routes but in the end will yield the same amazing views.
To reach the trailhead, from Bar Harbor take Maine State Route 233 (aka Eagle Lake Road) west. Turn right/north onto Cadillac Entrance Road then left/west onto Paradise Hill Road. The road merges with the Park Loop Road. Turn left/south into the Bubble Mountains parking area; it’s less busy that the Jordan Pond parking area on the mountain’s south side, but also is smaller, so be sure to get there early.
From the parking area, walk Carriage Road south. Next, take connecting the trail to the right/southwest. You’ll ascend Pemetic Mountain’s north side on a quiet, forested trail.
Pemetic Mountain – like the other mountains in the national park – formed more than 400 million years ago when colliding continents created a mass of hot magma below the ground. As it cooled, it crystalized into Cadillac granite. Tectonic action raised the granite toward the surface, erosion wiped away the surrounding softer rock, and mile-high glaciers during the last ice age rounded and polished them.
Great vista
At 1 mile, you’ll come to the Pemetic Mountain Loop Trail, which runs along the summit and connects to four trails on the mountain’s sides. Go left/south onto it.
You’ll reach the open granite summit at 1.2 miles. The elevation is 1248 feet above sea level.
From the summit are several impressive sights. Shimmering blue Jordan Pond is to the west, sparkling Eagle Lake to the north, Bubble Pond with towering Cadillac Mountain behind it to the northeast, and the endless Atlantic Ocean dotted with Little and Great Cranberry islands to the south.
The mountain’s name comes from a Native American word used to describe the whole island, pemetic, which means “sloping land.”
After taking in the sights, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.
Alternate routes
The summit can be reached via three other trails:
• Pemetic South Ridge Trail – This is a more family-friendly route. Start at Jordan Pond North parking lot (which is located on the south end of Jordan Pond); take Jordan Pond Path east to the Bubble and Jordan Pond Path, cross Park Loop Road and head to the actual Pemetic South Ridge Trail, going north to the summit.
• Pemetic East Cliff Trail – Much steeper than the South Ridge Trail, it’s a lot of fun for those into geology, as it ascends through breaks in the mountain’s granite layers. From the Bubble and Jordan Pond Path, pass the turn for the Pemetic South Ridge Trail; the East Cliff Trail is on the left/east.
• Pemetic Northwest Trail – Those into rock scrambling will prefer this route, which includes wooden ladders and boulder fields. Start at the Bubbles parking lot, cross Park Loop Road, and head up the Pemetic Northwest Trail.
You must be logged in to post a comment.