Last updated: August 13, 2024
Thing to Do
Hike Village Green to Sieur de Monts with Island Explorer Bus
Photo courtesy of Maribeth Kambitsch. Used with permission.
This hike starts in downtown Bar Harbor within walking distance to many hotels and other lodgings. It is a great alternative to driving into the park with gorgeous views of the Great Meadow and the mountains beyond.
If you are staying in Bar Harbor and want to stretch your legs by walking into Acadia, this hike is a wonderful alternative to driving. It begins in the middle of Bar Harbor at the Village Green, crosses through neighborhoods, and soon reaches the boundary of the park. The trail crosses the Great Meadow, the largest freshwater wetland in Acadia, and traverses a boardwalk which is a popular area for bird watching. It ends at Sieur de Monts, an area that includes the Nature Center, the Wild Garden and an Island Explorer bus stop that can take visitors to sought-after sites in the park or return them back to Bar Harbor.
If you are staying in Bar Harbor and want to stretch your legs by walking into Acadia, this hike is a wonderful alternative to driving. It begins in the middle of Bar Harbor at the Village Green, crosses through neighborhoods, and soon reaches the boundary of the park. The trail crosses the Great Meadow, the largest freshwater wetland in Acadia, and traverses a boardwalk which is a popular area for bird watching. It ends at Sieur de Monts, an area that includes the Nature Center, the Wild Garden and an Island Explorer bus stop that can take visitors to sought-after sites in the park or return them back to Bar Harbor.
Details
Duration
1-1 Hours
2.1 miles one way. There is no elevation gain or loss. Depending on stops and speed of walking, the hike takes 45 minutes to one hour.
Activity
Front-Country Hiking
Hiking: From the Village Green Island Explorer bus stop, walk south on Kennebeck Place to Mount Desert Street and turn right. Walk along Mount Desert Street for three blocks and turn left on Ledgelawn Avenue. Keep walking south until the intersection of Cromwell Harbor Road; cross the road and use caution as there is no crosswalk.
Continue straight on Ledgelawn Avenue and take the green foot bridge across the Cromwell Brook where the road soon becomes Great Meadow Drive. The road cuts through a forest of a variety trees such as white ash, eastern white pine, and red maple. Continue down Great Meadow Drive and about a half mile later the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins from the right.
Go past the trail and continue down the road and soon a sign indicates the boundary of Acadia National Park. Directly across from the sign the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins at the left. The take the trail as it parallels the road for about .3 miles. The trail then turns right and crosses the road where it enters a small wetland and passes over Cromwell Brook. After crossing a wooden footbridge, a short spur trail leads left to the Park Loop Road where an expansive view stretches across the Great Meadow with Champlain Mountain and Dorr Mountain in the distance. This is a great place for photos as the water in the creek reflects the meadow and the mountains adding to the beauty. Return to the Great Meadow Loop Trail and continue until the Hemlock Road Trail enters from the left. Turn left and cross the Park Loop Road; there are no crosswalks, so use caution.
Follow the Hemlock Road Trail crossing the Great Meadow under a lovely arbor of grey birch and more views of the surrounding meadow. After .2 mile it intersects with the Jessup Path, turn left onto the Jessup Path boardwalk. The boardwalk runs through a wetland area filled with red maple, yellow and white birch, sedges, and ferns. Keep an eye out for the impressive variety of lichen, fungus and mosses adhering to the bark of these trees. Visitors can stop at the several benches along the way to rest and take in the beauty and listen the bird song and chatter. Interpretive waysides provide hikers with engaging facts about the wildlife and ecology in the area. The boardwalk continues for .4 mile where becomes a gravel trail and soon leads to the Sieur de Monts Area.
Note: Use caution when walking along Ledgelawn Avenue and Great Meadow Drive. The road is not very busy, but there is no sidewalk and not much of a shoulder.
Continue straight on Ledgelawn Avenue and take the green foot bridge across the Cromwell Brook where the road soon becomes Great Meadow Drive. The road cuts through a forest of a variety trees such as white ash, eastern white pine, and red maple. Continue down Great Meadow Drive and about a half mile later the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins from the right.
Go past the trail and continue down the road and soon a sign indicates the boundary of Acadia National Park. Directly across from the sign the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins at the left. The take the trail as it parallels the road for about .3 miles. The trail then turns right and crosses the road where it enters a small wetland and passes over Cromwell Brook. After crossing a wooden footbridge, a short spur trail leads left to the Park Loop Road where an expansive view stretches across the Great Meadow with Champlain Mountain and Dorr Mountain in the distance. This is a great place for photos as the water in the creek reflects the meadow and the mountains adding to the beauty. Return to the Great Meadow Loop Trail and continue until the Hemlock Road Trail enters from the left. Turn left and cross the Park Loop Road; there are no crosswalks, so use caution.
Follow the Hemlock Road Trail crossing the Great Meadow under a lovely arbor of grey birch and more views of the surrounding meadow. After .2 mile it intersects with the Jessup Path, turn left onto the Jessup Path boardwalk. The boardwalk runs through a wetland area filled with red maple, yellow and white birch, sedges, and ferns. Keep an eye out for the impressive variety of lichen, fungus and mosses adhering to the bark of these trees. Visitors can stop at the several benches along the way to rest and take in the beauty and listen the bird song and chatter. Interpretive waysides provide hikers with engaging facts about the wildlife and ecology in the area. The boardwalk continues for .4 mile where becomes a gravel trail and soon leads to the Sieur de Monts Area.
Note: Use caution when walking along Ledgelawn Avenue and Great Meadow Drive. The road is not very busy, but there is no sidewalk and not much of a shoulder.
Pets Allowed
Yes
Pets are allowed on a leash. (6-feet or shorter). However, they are not allowed in the Wild Gardens of Acadia located in Sieur de Mont.
Activity Fee
No
Yes. A park pass is required for any activity in the park. The pass should be left displayed in personal vehicles. Visitors are not required to carry it with them and will not be asked to show it while on the trail or riding the bus.
Location
Hike Village Green to Sieur de Monts with Island Explorer Bus
Located in the heart of Bar Harbor, the Village Green is a short walk to many restaurants, stores, hotels, and waterfront. The hike to Sieur de Monts is 2.1 miles where visitors can explore trails, the Nature Center and the Wild Gardens of Acadia.
Hiking: From the Village Green Island Explorer bus stop, walk south on Kennebeck Place to Mount Desert Street and turn right. Walk along Mount Desert Street for three blocks and turn left on Ledgelawn Avenue. Keep walking south until the intersection of Cromwell Harbor Road; cross the road and use caution as there is no crosswalk.
Continue straight on Ledgelawn Avenue and take the green foot bridge across the Cromwell Brook where the road soon becomes Great Meadow Drive. The road cuts through a forest of a variety trees such as white ash, eastern white pine, and red maple. Continue down Great Meadow Drive and about a half mile later the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins from the right.
Go past the trail and continue down the road and soon a sign indicates the boundary of Acadia National Park. Directly across from the sign the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins at the left. The take the trail as it parallels the road for about .3 miles. The trail then turns right and crosses the road where it enters a small wetland and passes over Cromwell Brook. After crossing a wooden footbridge, a short spur trail leads left to the Park Loop Road where an expansive view stretches across the Great Meadow with Champlain Mountain and Dorr Mountain in the distance. This is a great place for photos as the water in the creek reflects the meadow and the mountains adding to the beauty. Return to the Great Meadow Loop Trail and continue until the Hemlock Road Trail enters from the left. Turn left and cross the Park Loop Road; there are no crosswalks, so use caution.
Follow the Hemlock Road Trail crossing the Great Meadow under a lovely arbor of grey birch and more views of the surrounding meadow. After .2 mile it intersects with the Jessup Path, turn left onto the Jessup Path boardwalk. The Jesup Path boardwalk is a 3-foot-wide wooden boardwalk with benches and pullouts running through a wetland area filled with red maple, yellow and white birch, sedges, and ferns. Keep an eye out for the impressive variety of lichen, fungus and mosses adhering to the bark of these trees. Visitors can stop at the several benches along the way to rest and take in the beauty and listen the bird song and chatter. Interpretive waysides provide hikers with engaging facts about the wildlife and ecology in the area. The boardwalk continues for .4 mile where becomes a gravel trail and soon leads to the Sieur de Monts Area.
Note: Use caution when walking along Ledgelawn Avenue and Great Meadow Drive. The road is not very busy, but there is no sidewalk and not much of a shoulder.
BUS INFORMATION : Departure: The hike description is to the Sieur de Monts and return by bus. However, it is possible to do the hike in reverse by taking the #10 Blackwoods Bus to Sieur de Monts and hiking back to the Village Green.
The Village Green bus stop is located on the northwest corner of the Village Green on Kennebec Place.
Return: The Sieur de Mont bus stop is found in the parking area just outside of the Nature Center.
Take the #10 Backwoods Bus back to the Village Green. Be sure that the bus is going in the direction of the Village Green and NOT to the Blackwoods Campground.
Hiking: From the Village Green Island Explorer bus stop, walk south on Kennebeck Place to Mount Desert Street and turn right. Walk along Mount Desert Street for three blocks and turn left on Ledgelawn Avenue. Keep walking south until the intersection of Cromwell Harbor Road; cross the road and use caution as there is no crosswalk.
Continue straight on Ledgelawn Avenue and take the green foot bridge across the Cromwell Brook where the road soon becomes Great Meadow Drive. The road cuts through a forest of a variety trees such as white ash, eastern white pine, and red maple. Continue down Great Meadow Drive and about a half mile later the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins from the right.
Go past the trail and continue down the road and soon a sign indicates the boundary of Acadia National Park. Directly across from the sign the Great Meadow Loop Trail begins at the left. The take the trail as it parallels the road for about .3 miles. The trail then turns right and crosses the road where it enters a small wetland and passes over Cromwell Brook. After crossing a wooden footbridge, a short spur trail leads left to the Park Loop Road where an expansive view stretches across the Great Meadow with Champlain Mountain and Dorr Mountain in the distance. This is a great place for photos as the water in the creek reflects the meadow and the mountains adding to the beauty. Return to the Great Meadow Loop Trail and continue until the Hemlock Road Trail enters from the left. Turn left and cross the Park Loop Road; there are no crosswalks, so use caution.
Follow the Hemlock Road Trail crossing the Great Meadow under a lovely arbor of grey birch and more views of the surrounding meadow. After .2 mile it intersects with the Jessup Path, turn left onto the Jessup Path boardwalk. The Jesup Path boardwalk is a 3-foot-wide wooden boardwalk with benches and pullouts running through a wetland area filled with red maple, yellow and white birch, sedges, and ferns. Keep an eye out for the impressive variety of lichen, fungus and mosses adhering to the bark of these trees. Visitors can stop at the several benches along the way to rest and take in the beauty and listen the bird song and chatter. Interpretive waysides provide hikers with engaging facts about the wildlife and ecology in the area. The boardwalk continues for .4 mile where becomes a gravel trail and soon leads to the Sieur de Monts Area.
Note: Use caution when walking along Ledgelawn Avenue and Great Meadow Drive. The road is not very busy, but there is no sidewalk and not much of a shoulder.
BUS INFORMATION : Departure: The hike description is to the Sieur de Monts and return by bus. However, it is possible to do the hike in reverse by taking the #10 Blackwoods Bus to Sieur de Monts and hiking back to the Village Green.
The Village Green bus stop is located on the northwest corner of the Village Green on Kennebec Place.
Return: The Sieur de Mont bus stop is found in the parking area just outside of the Nature Center.
Take the #10 Backwoods Bus back to the Village Green. Be sure that the bus is going in the direction of the Village Green and NOT to the Blackwoods Campground.
Reservations
No
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Time of Day
Day, Dawn, Dusk
Accessibility Information
The Jesup Path boardwalk is a 3-foot-wide wooden boardwalk with benches and pullouts running through a wetland area. The Jesup Path boardwalk is 3 foot wide and accessible.