Acadia National Park | ANVIL TRAIL

Southern Schoodic Peninsula Trails (click to enlarge)

Southern Schoodic Peninsula Trails (click to enlarge)


NOTE: The following trail review discusses the slope of the trail, which is called a grade. This is not the angle of the slope, but the calculation of rise (climb in elevation) divided by run (length of horizontal progress) expressed as a percentage ((rise/run) x 100). For example, using feet as the unit of measurement, a 10% grade means that a trail climbs 10 feet for every 100 feet in length. Positive grades are inclines and negative grades are declines; National Park Planner uses positive numbers in all cases, but gives a written indication of whether a slope is uphill or downhill. The grade given for an entire trail is an average, so mountainous trails may have sections with extremely steep grades as well as level areas. For reference:

  • A wheelchair accessible trail has a grade of no more than +/-5%
  • Most recreational trails are designed to be no more than +/-10%, with a steeper segment every now and then
  • Most people agree that a +/-15% grade is where things begin to get really steep
  • Stairs in a typical house and the steepest ski slopes have a grade of 60%
  • A 45º angle is equal to a grade of 100%
  • A stepladder has a grade of 260%
  • A wall perpendicular to the ground (straight up) has a grade of infinity

To put Acadia National Park mountain trails into perspective, the average grade from the first Nepal base camp to the summit of Mount Everest is 17%, while the average grade from South Col (final camp) to the summit is 60%. Average grades of many trails in Acadia exceed Everest’s 17%, and short stretches go way beyond 60%. The difference, aside from ice and snow, is that the 60% grade of the South Col to Everest summit hike covers 3,100 vertical feet and lasts for a mile, whereas a 60% grade at Acadia may last a few hundred feet. The tallest mountain in Acadia is only 1,530 feet, so even if the grade was 60% from bottom to top, the hike would still only be half as long as the Everest summit hike.


ANVIL TRAIL

Length: 1.2 miles one way to Schoodic Head summit
Time: 1.25 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous with many rocks to climb up and over

The Anvil Trail is one of three trails at the southern end of Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Peninsula that leads to the summit of Schoodic Head. It can be combined with the Schoodic Head Trail, the Alder Trail, and a short segment of the Schoodic Loop Road to form a 2.6-mile loop hike around the area, which I highly recommend. Parking is at Blueberry Hill at the southern end of the peninsula. The trailhead is a tenth of a mile down the road to the east (right) of the parking lot.

Southern trailhead for the Anvil Trail on Acadia National Park's Schoodic Peninsula

Southern trailhead for the Anvil Trail on Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Peninsula

While I never got confused as to which way to go on the Anvil Trail, it is important to understand how the route is marked. Blue paint splotches called blazes are either painted on the rocks or on the trees. These function as Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs, so when in doubt as to which way to go, look for the blazes. In areas where there are no trees at all, cairns are used to mark the trail. These are distinct piles of rocks placed on barren surfaces. You typically can see from one blaze or cairn to the next, and if not, you should see one within a few minutes of hiking if you are going in the right direction.

Blue blaze painted on a tree along the Anvil Trail on Acadia National Park's Schoodic Peninsula

Blue blaze painted on a tree along the Anvil Trail on Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Peninsula

Cairns mark the route of the Anvil Trail on large areas of granite, Acadia National Park

Cairns mark the route of the Anvil Trail on large areas of granite, Acadia National Park

Like all trails in the area except for the easy Alder Trail, the Anvil Trail not only climbs a mountain, it is full of rocks and roots that require a hiker to pay close attention to each step to avoid twisting or breaking an ankle.

Rough terrain on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Rough terrain on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

The trail does differ from the other Schoodic trails, at least at the start, in that it has many large rock and boulder obstacles. Some you must actually climb over, though most are small enough to step up onto. You’ll be hoisting yourself up the rocks quite often, so hiking poles are highly recommended. Poles allow you to take some of the strain off of your legs by using your arms to help pull yourself up.

Large boulders on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Large boulders on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Three tenths of a mile into the hike is a sign that points to an Overlook, which is just a half minute down a spur trail to the left. Unfortunately, I have no idea what I was looking at due to heavy fog. Just a few hours earlier the sky was clear and blue.

Fogged-in overlook on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Fogged-in overlook on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

The trail remains difficult due to the large boulders that continue to get in the way. However, I love trails like this. Having to climb up and over rocks is much more fun than simply hiking unhindered.

Large boulder obstacles are common on Acadia National Park's Anvil Trail

Large boulder obstacles are common on Acadia National Park’s Anvil Trail

Not long after the overlook, the Anvil Trail heads down a steep hill into a small valley, a fifty-foot descent in a very short distance. I came to one spot where all I could see was three ledges, one after another. The third one looked like a cliff, and I had to put my hiking poles away and shimmy down it.

Steep ledge on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Steep ledge on the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

The descent doesn’t last long, and you’ll soon be climbing back up the hill, eventually coming face to face with the side of the mountain. The spot is marked with log stairs, and this begins the steepest part for the hike. The trail climbs 130 feet in a tenth of a mile, an average grade of 25%. Some short climbs are as steep as 60%.

Start of the steepest section of the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Start of the steepest section of the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

The steep section of the mountain is climbed by utilizing switchbacks—four of them (switchbacks gradually climb a steep hill by using an S-shaped pattern). At each turn are stairs of some sort that bring you to the next level of the switchback, and after the fourth turn it looks like a rockslide buried the trail.

Stone stairs on Acadia National Park's Anvil Trail

Stone stairs on Acadia National Park’s Anvil Trail

Hike on the Acadia National Park's Anvil Trail continues up what appears to be a rockslide

Hike on the Acadia National Park’s Anvil Trail continues up what appears to be a rockslide

The trail becomes much easier after the rockslide, with grades no worse than 15%. The boulders disappear as well and are replaced by small rocks and plenty of tree roots. In some places the trail gets a little faint, so be on the lookout for the blue blazes.

Upper end of the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

Upper end of the Anvil Trail at Acadia National Park

The Anvil Trail ends at the intersection with the Schoodic Head Trail, a little over one mile from the start. If you’ve hiked this far, you certainly want to reach the summit of Schoodic Head, which is just .2 mile farther. A sign at the intersection indicates that the Schoodic Head Trail runs in two directions, but it is ambiguous as to what lies in these directions. Luckily, two other signs point to Schoodic Head and Schoodic Woods—this is the way you want to go. There is another intersection just up ahead, so follow the same directions.

Intersection of the Anvil and Schoodic Head trails, Acadia National Park

Intersection of the Anvil and Schoodic Head trails, Acadia National Park

The Schoodic Head summit is marked with a sign stating its elevation (442 feet). This is also the southern terminus for the Buck Cove Mountain Trail that begins at the Schoodic Woods Campground, passing Buck Cove Mountain on the way.

Sign marking the summit of Schoodic Head, Acadia National Park

Sign marking the summit of Schoodic Head, Acadia National Park

There are no views at the summit, but if you follow the directional sign to the Overlook, you will be rewarded with some great views of Buck Cove to the east and numerous islands to the west. The overlook is approximately 100 yards from the summit.

Granite trail to the overlook on Schoodic Head, Acadia National Park

Granite trail to the overlook on Schoodic Head, Acadia National Park

Panorama of Buck Cove seen from the top of Schoodic Head in Acadia National Park (click to enlarge)

Panorama of Buck Cove seen from the top of Schoodic Head in Acadia National Park (click to enlarge)

View west from Schoodic Head towards the islands, Acadia National Park

View west from Schoodic Head towards the islands, Acadia National Park

When done, you can head back down to the parking lot the same way you came or make the loop hike around the area. To hike the loop, return to the intersection of the Anvil and Schoodic Head trails and follow the Schoodic Head Trail away from the summit. When you reach the end of the trail at Blueberry Hill Road, take a left and walk down the road a short ways to the Alder Trail. This is an easy trail that leads back to the Blueberry Hill parking lot.

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Last updated on August 9, 2023
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