Beehive Trail

The Beehive Trail is one of Acadia’s most thrilling and iconic hikes — a short but heart-pounding 1.5-mile loop with about 500 ft of elevation gain. Starting near Sand Beach, the trail quickly ascends a steep granite face using a series of iron rungs, handrails, and narrow ledges carved right into the cliffside. The climb is steep and exposed, with sections that feel nearly vertical, offering an exhilarating mix of challenge and reward. This route is best for confident hikers comfortable with heights and scrambling. You’ll be climbing rung after rung, hugging the rock wall while looking out over Frenchman Bay and the Atlantic Ocean — it’s not overly long, but every step keeps your adrenaline going. The descent via Bowl Trail is calmer and scenic, looping past a quiet pond surrounded by evergreens. Access is easy from the Sand Beach parking lot along the Park Loop Road, but spots fill up fast, especially on clear mornings. Avoid hiking after rain since the rocks and metal rungs can get slippery. A true Acadia classic — short, vertical, and unforgettable. The combination of coastal views, sheer cliffs, and those iconic iron rungs makes Beehive Trail a bucket-list hike for any adventurer.

My wife and I decided to take on the Beehive Trail, even though the warnings clearly caution against it for those with a fear of heights. As someone who is generally fearful of heights (but okay as long as I can hold onto something and don't have to look directly over the edge), I highly recommend it! The thrill of this climb is truly what makes it special. You are essentially climbing straight up the mountain using iron rungs and ladders. It requires a good amount of upper body strength, and I agree with the warnings: this is not suitable for children, dogs, or some elderly individuals. While we managed the trail quite well, I would note there were maybe two spots that felt a little sketchy or unnerving. However, the rest of the climb felt secure as long as you maintain your grip. The views from the top were spectacular! While I'd argue there are other trails and mountains that offer slightly "better" purely scenic views, when you combine the amazing sight with the adrenaline-pumping challenge of the climb itself, the Beehive Trail is absolutely worth it.

Best hike I’ve ever done! The rock scramble with iron rungs was so fun and the views were phenomenal! I recommend doing this hike early in the day, like around 7AM to avoid crowds and get parking. I found this trail to be easy for avid hikers that are not afraid of heights.

Amazing trail with absolutely incredible views of the park and coastline sprawled out beneath you! Note that this route requires climbing over rocks and up ladders, and at times you have some exposure to extremely steep drop offs. Not for you if you're queasy about heights or a novice hiker! Very rewarding if you're down for the challenge though. This is one of the most popular hikes in the park so be prepared to fight for parking alongside Park Loop Road.

Such retry views during the hike! It can be difficult for kids or if you’re short. At points, it does get a little crowded and you might have to wait for a couple minutes. The view is worth the hike though. There is a different way to get back down and it take should by the cutest little lake. This was my first time doing this hike, I would do it again but I think I would go earlier in the day with less people. Overall, If you’re looking for a good hike, this could be for you!

Incredible hike with absolutely stunning views from the summit—but definitely not for the faint of heart. We lucked out with the weather: it started raining right after we reached the top. The descent, especially on the iron rungs, became pretty tricky and slippery, so definitely keep an eye on the forecast before you go. This trail is short but intense, with exposed sections and steep climbs. If you're up for the challenge, it's totally worth it—but respect the conditions, and take your time. It’s beautiful, but not forgiving.

We hiked this twice during our trip. Once on a Monday morning and then on Tuesday morning. We did this after Cadillac Mountain Sunrise. So we got here around 6:00AM each time. There was plenty of parking spots left in the parking lot. Definitely less than 10 cars total. When we got back from our hike around 8 it was pretty full. There are bathrooms here in the parking lot and to get to the trail head you just walk across the street. There were still a number of groups that we bumped into this early in the morning so don't expect to have the place to yourself necessarily. On the first day we had our youngest with us who is 10 year old. He's very athletic and we had just done beech cliff ladder trail the day before to test his ability with heights and he passed with flying colors. But some of the obstacles here he just panic and freaked out. We were about 1/3 the way up the front face and we had to talk him out and walk him down. This was very difficult to do from this point. We had other groups starting to pill up behind us and we felt bad he grabbed onto one rail section and just refused to move or listen to anything any of us had to say. A full on panic attack. We are a family of scouters and are used to situations like this but he was so far gone he wouldn't listen to any of us. Luckily we had an experienced search and recuse volunteer behind us who was also a scouter and just because he was a stranger he was able to talk our youngest into backing down the trail slowly. It took us almost 20 mins to get him off the trail. Our party split in two where the most of us continued while a couple others went back down. My wife really wanted to do the trail and she was one of the people who went back down with our youngest. So that's why we came back on Tuesday and did it again. It's honestly not a very long hike it's just very technical. We were able to easily finish it in less than 2 hrs and that's even with stopping for pictures and enjoying the view. We weren't rushing at all. The view on the way up and at the top were stunning. I know why so many people enjoy this particular hike. The weather was good to us too. I can't imagine being stuck on some of these rock faces in the middle of the summer in the sun. It must be miserable. It was crazy windy the second day we went up to but on the mountain side and top it was like dead air. Nothing was moving and it was getting humid. All the wind was hitting the back side of the mountain so we didn't feel it until we were on our way down. There are multiple viewing points at the top so don't always assume the first one you are at is the best. We did see a couple families take younger children up the back side which is how most people come down. This is a good way to be able to experience the view even if you have littler ones. To go up the backway, the first fork you get to starting on the trail, there will be a sign, just go straight on the Bowl Trail instead of right for beehive. Overall an amazing hike and it's actually pretty short. If I knew it wasn't going to be super crowded I'd gladly do this trail again. Great rewarding views with moderate effort. I only gave it a hard rating because of the ladders and the height. If you don't like heights, don't do this trail. We found the Beech Cliff Ladder Trail was a great way to test your abilities before this one.

Beautiful views! We went up the harder trail and had our 8.5 year old with us but we’re all experienced hikers. She did great but I would say in general it’s not a hike for young kids or really anyone probably 10 And under. Loved the views at the top.

This was my FAVORITE hike from Acadia National Park, and in the top rankings as one of my favorites hikes in the national parks. I love finding more unique hikes that really make the experience memorable, and this one is different than a lot of the other hikes I experience both in Acadia and in the national park system. It was much easier than I was expecting (but could definitely be a problem if you're afraid of heights). Since you are climbing some metal rungs on the way up and need to have good footholds at times, I would definitely avoid doing this if it's raining or has recently rained for safety purposes. It was foggy and cloudy the day we hiked, so the views were limited - but even those views were gorgeous, so I can only imagine how beautiful the view from the summit would be on a nice, sunny day. On your way back from the summit, I'd recommend taking the "detour" and doing The Bowl trail. It's about an extra 0.5 miles I believe, but it's a simple little hike that takes you to a pond where we found some hikers taking a quick dip. Definitely recommend the Beehive Trail as long as the weather is dry!

If you're pressed for time while in Acadia and you're an adrenaline junkie, I highly recommend doing Beehive - you get incredible views and a heart-pumping workout for a little under two hours depending on how quickly you get up and down the mountain. The only downside to our hike was the sheer amount of people who also decided to cram in a pre-dinner hike on Labor Day weekend. We ended up getting stuck in a long conga line of hikers making their way up to the summit, which, if you're even mildly scared of heights, is not pleasant - depending on your spot whenever the line stopped, you could be clinging to rock face, trying your best not to look down. I'm okay with heights but would prefer to keep moving so that I don't get overwhelmed. Lingering in tricky, tight, narrow corners definitely made the palms sweaty. The worst spots for me were the rungs right before the summit where you're essentially hauling yourself up. More than once, I was putting my whole weight on the rung and praying it would hold. Do not attempt this hike if it's raining or it's just rained or about to rain, you will not have a good time. Bring a snack for the top - a pb sandwich hits different when you're munching on it after conquering Beehive. Remember to bring your Acadia park pass or you can buy one at the entrance.

Unforgettable experience..absolutely stunning view ..if you can't do heights/ the more difficult hike up the one side - there is a additional way in that is much easier that gets you to the same location- I wimped out so went the other way & met my significant other at the top .. I can't wait to visit again - you could spend a entire week in Acadia & still want more - absolutely breathtaking

Bottom Line: A steep and exposed and possibly buggy short vertical trek that leads hikers to incredible views. Acadia National Park has four iron rung hikes and I've gathered that Beehive Trail is the most popular in the busy summer months. For those looking to climb ladders, Precipice, Jordan Cliffs and Beech Cliffs are the other iron rung trails but Precipice and Jordan Cliffs tend to be closed from mid-Spring to late summer for Peregrine Falcon nesting. The trail is named Beehive because it said the topography looks like a beehive but I don't see it. I think the actual Beehive Trail is only about .8 miles and it starts as a spur off of the Bowl Trail and goes out to The Bowl (pond) BUT to get to the Beehive Trail you have to hike a bit of the Bowl Trail and then it is recommended and common to return from the end of Beehive Trail on the Bowl Trail instead of climbing back down on Beehive. If you make the loop by climbing up Beehive and then ascending down to the Bowl and back around on Bowl Trail to Park Loop Road then the mileage is about 1.5 miles or so. You can tack on many other trails for a longer hike. You can also take the "Bowl Connector" shortcut at the "waist" of the loop. We did the shortcut on our second time just to avoid the swarms (and I do mean swarms) of bugs. About those bugs, we hiked the Beehive, Bowl, Gorham Mountain Trail area twice near the end of May and we were so glad that we had OFF! wipes in our bags. The exposed portions of Beehive Trail weren't buggy but the bugs were definitely present on the Bowl Trail between Park Loop Road and the spur for Beehive. When we got down to the Bowl (pond) the sky darkened with swarms of bugs. It felt a little like a Stephen King movie. I ran out of there as fast as I safely could. I suspect its not always so bug infested as I hear people like to picnic by The Bowl (pond). Speaking of our packs, I used my mid-size camelback backpack and then packed it with some of my hiking standards like OFF! wipes, sunscreen, a first aid kit and snacks. Not that you need all of that stuff for the short Beehive Hike but we were doing a lot more hiking that day beyond the Beehive Trail so I was packed for the day. I've seen plenty of people carry their water bottles but I prefer to have both hands free for climbing, scrambling and photo taking. I was thankful to be wearing my hiking shoes for The Beehive and other trails. The first time we hiked Beehive the rocks, rungs and grate were wet from a dense fog so I liked having a sturdy grippy shoe. I also liked a sturdy grippy shoe for the ascent too. My knees appreciate good shoes. Plenty of people hike Beehive in their Vans slip-ons and maybe I would have in my younger days but those days were decades ago. As far as the physical challenges of the Beehive Trail, I'm in average shape, not afraid of heights but was making my return to activity after being laid up for three weeks. I was a bit winded at a few spots on the way up and the downhill was tough on my knees as I expected but this was a very do-able hike for me. Regarding crowds, we avoided them. We hiked early on a weekend in May and only saw two other hikers but it was also very foggy. We hiked again in the late afternoon after the skies cleared up and we only saw about 20 other people. And, most importantly, we were rewarded with the iconic view of Sand Beach from the Beehive. Unfortunately it was not clear enough to see the Porcupine Islands but I was thrilled with what I could see. A final note on the grate bridge, I wasn't a big fan of that even though its probably only 5-6' long. I couldn't find a good spot to grab the cliff face and that grate is on a slight downhill which was a little intimidating in the foggy morning when it was wet. Later in the day it was fine as I found a little bit better way to hold on and quickly and safely cross the dry iron grate. We parked in the Sand Beach parking lot and crossed Park Loop Road to access the Bowl Trail and soon the Beehive Trail. There is a bath house at Sand Beach. As of May 2022 the NPS still requires masks to be worn inside, including in the bathrooms.

It really wasn't THAT hard. Anyone who is able bodied, can use all 4 limbs, no fear of heights, ok with steep inclines can do this. Ok, so maybe it is a bit hard. Definitely not recommended for those with limited mobility or those who are too young to reach and climb by themselves. I'm looking at you, irresponsible parents who had to backtrack in the middle of the steep climb and push people out of the way! There are definitely some parts where you only have about 1 feet of standing space. There is even a spot where a tree is growing close to the mountain and you must squeeze through. Sort of a: if you are larger than this space, you are not permitted further. There are AMAZING vistas on the climb up. Take your time. Also understand that others are taking their time. If you get slowed down, take a breather. Catch that gorgeous views. Great stops for a picnic include: the plateau JUST before the top of the Mountain. The actual top of the mountain. The track just off the Bowl trail after the beehive peak where you can look down at Bowl Lake. Down at Bowl lake itself. After Bowl lake, it is just down hill and a much smoother incline. You can also go backwards via this loop if 90 degree climbs are not your thing. But do not try to attempt to go down the hatchback side. One, you will find it too crowded to pass. Two, that is where the danger lies, it will be difficult to see your next step down! This is a super popular hike despite the difficulty. We noticed that there were fewer people around early morning and late afternoon so those are times you may want to consider.

When we started this hike there was a woman wearing heels and a backpack with a cat inside of it standing at the initial yellow sign that says in huge font, "WARNING. This trail follows a nearly vertical route with exposed cliffs that require climbing on iron rungs. Falls on this mountain have resulted in serious injury and death. Small children and people with a fear of heights should not use this trail" contemplating her decisions. That being said, this is one of my favorite hikes in Maine (about two miles, about 500 ft elevation). Yep, it's a genuine physical challenge. Yep, it's a near vertical scramble up a cliff. Yep; at points you'll need to a) use the iron rungs on the rock face to ascend to the next part of the trail and b) walk across a very narrow iron bridge to move forward. But... the views are absolutely otherworldly (it feels like you're at the very top of Maine looking out into the abyss that is the Atlantic Ocean; like nothing else could possibly exist but ocean and sky). We were stuck in a bit of a bottleneck a couple times because folks genuinely do come here unprepared. So, gentle reminder: DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF HEIGHTS, it's dangerous for both you and all the hikers behind you. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE PROPER SHOES, it's dangerous for both you and all the hikers behind you. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU HAVE A CAT IN A BACKPACK, it's dangerous for both you and your cat. I would absolutely do this hike again, but I've heard it's the little sister to the 1000 ft in elevation Precipice Trail (which I've also read you need "physical and mental strength to do"!) so maybe that's next for us.

This is a very popular hike and, similar to Precipice, there is some ladder climbing and obstacles on the way up. You get a really beautiful view of Sand Beach and the surrounding area early on and view is basically there the whole way up. Recommend completing the loop to The Bowl. I had heard that some people find this hike scarier than Precipice, but we definitely didn't find that to be the case. We found it more of an introductory version - still a great hike, but if you can physically do the climbing and only have time for one, we would recommend Precipice.

FUN?!?! ABSOLUTELY!!! ONE FOR THE BUCKET LIST! Located in Acadia National Park in Maine, USA, this Beehive Trail is one of the many fun things to enjoy while roaming the NORTHEAST New England states! COVID-19 has certainly done a doozy on vacation destinations... closing international and state borders, limiting capacity, and variants causing resurging numbers. So where to go in this time of caution? National & state parks are a solid option to consider if you like the outdoors! Outdoor, Open air activities are ideal for reducing exposure to The Virus, even more so if you're vaccinated. So we decided Acadia NP would be our destination for this year's vacation. For us Californians, the typical response is "Wait... what?" when we told people where we were headed. Not one of the more common NPs most people choose, like Yosemite, Grand Canyon, or Yellowstone, but it still has wonderful things to see & do! The Acadia NP website shows the park limiting park entry capacity during this summer 2021, and having time sensitive entry tickets for its popular spots! I like all those cautionary actions!! Do download Recreation.gov app to get all the entry passes for Acadia. So upon arrival we stayed in the area a few days, did a few trails, saw the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain, looked at the stars during the night sky... but The Beehive Trail... that was MEMORABLE! THE BEEHIVE TRAIL: Located in the Southeast end of Acadia NP, the Beehive Trail Loop according to the AllTrails app is 1.5miles long. Watching YouTube videos of other people's jaunts will either excite you or strike fear into your heart! LOL! We definitely did some local hikes for a few weeks before our New England trip started to prepare those muscles for the onslaught. Using a walking stick for the initial part of the trail is helpful if you like using those, but for the vertical moves they get in the way so either collapse them or pack them. If you have very sweaty palms consider hiking gloves. Parking can be right at the trail head or at Sand Beach. If all those parking options are full, you can consider parking at Otter Point and taking the Island Explorer Bus to Beehive. The park rangers we talked to, said the park is like a 9a-3p job, where the visitor numbers build around 9am and begin to wane after 3pm. So we did an early start, able to park at Sand Beach, get our bug spray and sun block applied, and off we went! The Beehive trail is actually mixed with The Bowl Trail, trail head is marked by a big wooden plank with an info junket another few steps forward. There is another wooden marker when the 2 trails fork. Both end up In the same location, with the Bowl less epic and longer distance. As you proceed to engage in the Beehive, there is an unavoidable yellow sign... YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! lol The trail is marked by Blue paint markings along the way, didn't actually notice any Bates Cairns you see in other Acadia NP trails. So pretty easy to stay on track. All the vertical challenges along the trail have metal rungs, all securely fastened, to hold and step onto, so you are not rock climbing without assistance. Yup... VERTICAL CHALLENGES! There were a lot of mental challenges, more than physical, that amp the difficulty. Some people behind us had moments of hesitation and doubt, that needed "considerable" verbal encouragement. Didn't stop to see if they succeeded in overcoming their fear, as I had more important concerns. We were a family of 12, ages 12-52, all different levels of activity, from couch potato to P90X training, and we all reached the top together in one piece, not holding up anyone behind us. It was wonderful to watch all of us work together to get to the top! HUZZAHH! Once to the summit, the views are GORGEOUS! Lots of pictures to take, you can stay at the summit as long as you want. All in all, 1.6mile hike, took 2hrs 37min to do, 797 ft elevation. Whew! Beehive CONQUERED! VERY EASY RECOMMENDATION! Enjoy, we sure did!

Proud we were able to conquer this trail. But if we had seen it ahead of time we totally would have chickened out! We went on a sunny warm Sunday morning. Got to the park by 9:30 and the trail was already pretty crowded. At least we didn't have to worry about getting lost. It's a near vertical climb at times with the help of metal ladder wrungs jetting out from the rock. But just don't look down. Pics say it all.

One of my favorite hikes I've done. The scramble up Beehive does have a good amount of heights, iron bars and some rock ascends, but you don't need any special technical skill to do it. The views are beautiful most of the trail up and you can pair it with another mountain or two to make a loop and finish up along the sea coast and even hit the thunder cave on the way back. Just be careful and take your time if you go up, but definitely one of the must-do trails for adventurers visiting Acadia.

This was a fun little climb with nice views in the end! It was fairly crowded so at certain points there was a little bit of a bottleneck from some timid hikers but everyone made it up to the top in the end!

Beehive is NOT for people scared of heights. It is NOT for people overweight that aren't/ never were athletic. You WILL put people life at risk if you attempt the Ladder-Climb portion with the previously mentioned situations plaguing you! The climb isn't long (maybe half mile up) but it is narrow. You CAN fall and some people do every year. W/ that said.... it's amazingly fun. A MUST-DO if you're able to do so Relatively safely! It connect to other trails if you bypass the ladder climb, so it's a popular place to start, but please don't climb if you are seriously obese, or afraid of heights. There was a phobic woman there when we went, and she was stuck in place because she was afraid to go on, and could NOT go back because of people coming up the ladders!

This place has beautiful views but if you are afraid of heights this is not the place for you. There are many parts where you are on the edge of a cliff, and fun parts are when you climb metal rungs to get up. This is a short and easy hike, but it's full of tourists which gives my rating. I do recommend if you are a tourist and not a local/regular.

This was a fun one! This was one of the more challenging hikes I've been on. I'm a little afraid of heights so looking down was pretty scary for me. I had to just keep going forward any trusting myself. This was my first "vertical" hike so I was a little nervous. The view at the top was worth it! Once we got there, I told my husband that I was going down the same way I came up. I was very thankful with the longer trail that wasn't vertical going down. I would recommend this if you are looking for an adventure!

I am not an expert hiker by any means, and am terribly out of shape. But let me tell you, this hike was so worth it! It starts with a warning sign that is pretty spot-on accurate. If you're afraid of heights, cliffs, and/or bit of climbing - this is not for you. The trail requires you to walk an upward path, occasionally having to climb iron bars and cross over an iron bridge. It can get skinny in spots, but there are several areas for you to pull to the side for a breather or to take in the scenery. Upon arriving at the top, the view is spectacular. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get shaky at a few spots, but I was so happy to have made it up top. There is another trail on the other side to go down (without the steepness, the iron bars, etc.) which makes the journey that much worth it. If you're looking to hike it, don't give up! It can get scary at some spots but it'll be worth it.

WOW WOW WOW WOW! We were gung ho about doing the Precipice Trail, but sadly it was closed for Falcon nesting season. My husband found this trail instead and boy was it so fun! I mean, retrospect it was fun... during, I cried here and there! If you park in Sandy Beach and you enter the Gorham Trail from Ocean Path Trail, you would cross Beehive Trail on your way back to the Sandy Beach parking lot. You have the option to go up Beehive trail or keep going to exit Gorham trail back to Sandy Beach. It looks quite high and long, looking above, but once you start the trek up the mountain, it actually isn't such a long trail. It is though, VERY steep. If you're scared of heights, like me, I still suggest you give this a go, but if you have altitude sickness, get dizzy, or have any injury or disability with arms, you shouldn't. Again the slope of the mountain is pretty steep, and you won't have any large flat surfaces, until you reach the top. There are metal railing and bars for you to climb on and swing yourself around. There's also a narrow (but short) bridge you'd have to cross. You'll have to use some arm and glute strength to hoist yourself up, or if you're lucky like me, you'll have your partner help push you up while climbing! I can't remember how long it took us to get to the top, but it wasn't that long at all. Don't hesitate to take breaks if you need to. This was our 3rd trail for the day and my legs were giving out, so I had to find side spots during the climb to rest for a minute. Luckily the people that were below us were patient and didn't mind pausing to take a look at the view. There were many younger people who wore sneakers during this, but I suggest hiking shoes with some grip. Going up the mountain was scary and a workout, but going down was the real trip! I suppose you can go down the same way you came back up, but when we attempted to trek downward using the metal prongs, we found it too dangerous. So instead we climbed back up and headed down the backtrail, which was less dangerous, but filled with large boulders and endless rocks. I was able to take security from grabbing onto the surrounding trees while going down so I wouldn't slip, but just be careful, one slight move can destabilize your foot on a rock and sprain your ankle. This was such a 5/5 climb and very memorable. The view was spectacular, and it was a new experience for us. I recommend this trail to you and can't wait to go again.

Hike the beehive trail on a loop up from the gortham trail. For those vertically challenged, this might be a bit scary and challenging if you decide to give it a go but for all else who are in decently fit shape and have patience because it may be busy depending on the time you ascend (or descent) it can be crowded. Just remember to have at least 3 points of contact at all times and be more cautious if it rains. This my third time on this trail and it's still one on my favorites in Acadia, so don't miss out on the beautiful views and the challenge that awaits.

The most exciting, challenging trail I've ever hiked. I am by no means in great shape or a serious hiker, but completed this trail no problem. Take your time, make sure of your footing, and you'll be more than fine to complete this trail. I never once felt unsafe on this trail. Just follow the blue marks as to which way to go. Gorgeous views, a great workout and the most fun I've ever had on a hike. Add this to your list of things you MUST do in Acadia National Park.

Wow, the best hike I have been on the east coast! It's truly amazing. Hard no doubt and don't take kids or dogs because there are tons of vertical cliffs you have to climb! 10/10 would recommend for a proposal!

The coolest hiking trail! I love one that poses a challenge and this one is so fun because it's so steep they have areas with iron rungs to hold onto. It's an overall blast of an experience and that's not even including the incredible view!! The views are exquisite and very picturesque. This in my opinion is the best hike in Acadia.

Super short, super awesome easy hike. Some technical things due to the ladders you need to use to hike up. Love everything about it. Parked at the beach and walked across the street. Of note, not really allowed to bring dogs on this one for obvious reasons. We did but probably not smart!

Highlight of the trip. We had never experienced an iron rung trail before! There are several ledges of steep exposed cliffs which offered beautiful views but equally terrifying at times! Logistics: Park at Sand Beach. Cross the Park Loop Road and trailhead to the right. We went on a sunny day after waking early and watching the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. You cannot backtrack and will come down the back side of the mountain.

Terrrriiffyyiinnng. Someone actually puked while we were on the trail. I don't consider myself afraid of heights, and this was scary. We did this on day 3 and I was afraid I would be too sore to climb it after reading all the reviews. Turns out it's actually wayy more challenging mentally than physically. There was a moment where I had to regroup and stop looking down. I'm 5'1 and struggled a bit finding places to grab on where the rungs were meant for taller people. Was happy it was so short going up. Glad I did it, but don't want to do it ever again. Oy.

This was an amazing hike with spectacular views. My husband and I went up the mountain on the side that has metal rings to help you climb/ hold on and where you walk along a path in which you are walking literally on a ledge on the side of a mountain. It was terrifying yet exciting. If you have a serious fear of heights- travel to the summit on the other trail. I have a fear of heights but can zip line and rationalize myself out of fear- so coupled with my husbands encouragement I was able to keep going on this trail. I did seriously want to turn back on 3 occasions and felt like I wanted to vomit and cry at the same time. It is very high and after a few obstacles there is no turning around so once you come to the first obstacle- you need to decide as it only gets more terrifyingly exciting.

Of the hikes I did in Acadia National Park, this is definitely my favorite. The hike is short and steep. To access the trailhead, park in the Sand Lake across the street. The hike starts out on a mellow dirt road. You'll reach a sign that warns about the steepness and dangers of the trail. Don't let that sign worry you. It's not that bad. I mean, it is challenging, but if you're conditioned, then you should (note I said "should") be able to finish this hike. Once you decide to continue on, you'll come across several sets of wrungs that you'll have to climb. This is my favorite part of the hike. It's different from the typical trail, which makes this hike unique. Anyway, climb those ladders and you'll reach the summit. While you're on the wrungs, and if you have enough nerves, have a look down at the gorgeous views. It's sea meets mountains. And very green. Once you're at the summit, take a sweeping view and your pictures. We didn't go down the same way so we didn't have to worry about down climbing the ladders. If you're in Acadia and are looking for a short, but challenging hike, the Beehive Trail is well worth it.

This is my absolute favorite trail. The cliff is so amazing and the view is beautiful. If you like an adventure this is definitely the place to go. The iron rungs add another exhilarating part to this experience. At first I was worried about taking my family on this adventure since the cliffs seemed intimidating. However, it wasn't as scary as I expected. Even though it is a difficult hike, it is definitely worth it.

This is one of the most fun trails I've ever experienced. It is a unique challenge compared to just walking through the woods or whatever. Don't let the reviews (and pictures) scare you. My wife was mortified after reading and seeing too much, but once we got there we were fine. However, she is only 5'4" and there were a few tough spots to get up that could have had an extra iron rung. You don't have to be an athlete or even an experienced hiker to do this. As long as you're in decent shape you'll be fine. There are usually some spots to let people pass by you, if you're taking your time a little. At the top is a great view - not the best view I've ever seen in my lifetime, but definitely one of the best I've seen on the east coast. Remember to take the bowl trail back down. I couldn't imagine trying to go down the iron rungs especially with everyone coming up them. Great hike and highly recommended.

A must hike trail when visiting Acadia. It's short, but it's very unique and tons of fun. Because of how steep the trail is, much of it relies on metal handrails. The views from the top are great. An absolutely awesome experience and perhaps one of the most unique hikes in Acadia.

The rating on this is for the trail alone, not the mass amounts of people out of their league clogging up the trail. Super short, super easy trail with some awesome views and fun climbing. Beware when doing this hike you need to descend on a different path. There are multiple options, I did The Bowl which spits you out where you started The Beehive trail. Without all the people too scared to move or climb on this hike that held everyone up I could have done this hike in 10-15 minutes. It's so ridiculously easy, I try not to get annoyed with other people because we are all different but there were so many girls screaming and crying or frozen on the metal rungs. So just be prepared if you go during busy season after 9am to have to deal with a lot of other people on the trail and there isn't room for passing people after a certain point.

It is one of the most unique and fun hikes I have done anywhere. It is famous for the iron rungs that you need to utilize in order to scale up some of the rock sides of the Beehive Mountain. There is real danger with the hike if you are reckless but it is not dangerous if you hike safely. Most of the danger is in your head. Obviously, it is not a great if you have an adverse fear of heights. You can seriously hurt yourself if you fall off the iron rungs. However, it is 15-20 feet if you fall. From the warnings and reviews of people who were afraid of the hike that I read when I researched the hike, it sounded like I could fall 500 feet off the mountain. It is not the case but obviously do not fall. The iron rungs are very sturdy so there is no reason you should fall off if you are focused and not goofing around when you climb. There is one gap that is a steep drop, maybe 50 feet. However, there are iron rungs that have been installed to fill in the gap so you can just walk over instead of hopping over it. If you look through the iron rungs to see the drop, you may psych yourself out. I am not the best with heights but I only thought about how high I was during the hike when I took a moment and stared too long at the ground below. I would not do this hike if it is raining, has rained, or is dark. I also probably would not do it if it is really windy because I would not like to feel like the wind is blowing me off the mountain. In my opinion, the danger of this hike is definitely exaggerated. I saw a couple make the ascent and the mother had her baby girl strapped on her front side. Nevertheless, the fear of injury or death is a healthy feeling so you stay focused and hike safely. In addition, the hike is short. The actual hike to the summit is only 0.8 miles. You will be at the top in no time but it is definitely enough for a good workout. For the hikers who overcome their fear of heights to hike up, they are rewarded with stunning views of Acadia, especially Sand Beach and the ocean. It is definitely a peaceful and glorious spot to soak in the beauty of the park. You can park at Sand Beach or the parking lot at the top of the Sand Beach parking lot. The trail begins on the road right before Sand Beach. Accordingly, you can park anywhere on the side of the road, where it is allowed, when you are close to the beach. You start on the Bowl Trail and walk for 0.2 miles. At that point, you can either continue on the Bowl Trail or bear right to the Beehive Trail. If you want the views but want to avoid the hike on the Beehive Trail, the Bowl Trail is a much easier. At the summit, you can hike another 0.2 miles to see The Bowl. It is a small lake nestled up at the top of the mountains. It is neat but I have seen better lakes at the top of mountains. However, it is a short detour so you might as well just go the extra distance to see it. If you are visiting and planning a trip to Acadia and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me for my itinerary. You can also find the electronic copy through the link my profile.

The hike is very scenic and fairly strenuous but everyone seems to underscore the peril that one can find themselves in during the hike. There is a portion where you have to walk across iron rungs (fairly slippery) with no bannisters or barricades fir safety. At a certain point, there is literally a 1 foot wide ledge that you have to traverse which is extremely dangerous. My girlfriend has been on roughly 50 hikes (most strenuous) and was surprised at the level of danger on this. Very beautiful if you can make the dangerous journey.

One of my favorite trails in Acadia National Park. My favorite way to do the Beehive is as part of the Bowl Lake Trail. Park in the Sand Lake lot, and look across the road to your left. You will see the marked trailhead. The hike isn't too long... a few short miles. But it is steep and scenic. Sections of the climb require using the metal rungs drilled into the cliff face. Long range views of sand beach and the bay islands abound. After summiting the beehive, the trail will wind down the backside and either bring you back to the parking lot, or you can take the Bowl Lake loop instead. Bowl Lake is a crystal clear and sparsely visited gem where you can see beaver, or just be shocked at the massive bullfrogs that seem to be everywhere. This trail is not particularly physically demanding, but is lots of fun.

Worth the climbing. Very exciting hiking trail with iron bar to climb! There is area you really need to pull yourself up. It's a loop trail, on the way coming down is much easier and will pass a calm lake.

Super fun and unique trail that's definitely worth doing when you're in Acadia.

A short, but fun trail. From start to finish, took about an hour, with a nice rest stop at the top. You need to climb some iron rungs, and walk on narrow paths, however, my husband and I never felt scared. I read reviews beforehand, and was expecting a lot worse... but it wasn't bad at all. We found this to be the perfect trail to do when you only have one day in the park!