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.
PERPENDICULAR TRAIL LOOP HIKE
Length: 5-mile loop
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Anywhere from easy (Long Pond Trail) to extremely difficult (Perpendicular Trail)
I hiked to the top of Acadia National Park’s Mansell Mountain along the extremely difficult Perpendicular Trail, then formed a loop with a variety of other trails to work my way back to the starting point. The longest of the trails is the Long Pond Trail, and only it and the Perpendicular Trail are hiked in their entirety. Short portions of the Mansell Mountain, Razorback, and Great Notch trails are also used.
The hike begins on the Long Pond Trail, which is located at the end of Long Pond Road on the west side of Mount Desert Island. Look for the trailhead behind the water pumping station next to the boat ramp.
No sooner do you start than you come to the Cold Brook Trail intersection. Pass this by and continue hiking along the lake shore until reaching the intersection with the Perpendicular Trail, .2 mile from the parking lot.
Paradise comes to an end at the Perpendicular Trail. Even the start looks tough, as it immediately begins an ascent up the mountain via stone steps. The trail gets its name because it is extremely steep, climbing 860 feet to the summit in .9 mile, an average grade of 18%. Short sections of the trail reach grades as steep as 365%, and grades between 30-40% are common.
The trail begins by following a series of switchbacks on widely spaced stone steps, so the climb is not bad at all. Switchbacks use an S-shaped pattern to gradually climb a steep hill.
In about five minutes you will reach a rockslide, and for the next .4 mile the trail climbs Mansell Mountain on a staircase built from the fallen stones. It’s an engineering feat, certainly a Stairway to Heaven if there ever was one. Most of the stones had to be cut, and I saw evidence of such work on some of them. However, other than walking up steps, which is tough enough for many people, the hike is not that difficult because it continues to use switchbacks. The following are photographs of some of the staircases.
There are a couple of places where you must climb a boulder or cliff by using rungs and ladders, but mostly the hike uses the stone staircases. Along the way are some nice views of Long Pond. Much of the eastern shore is private land and not part of Acadia National Park, so there are some sizable mansions along the shore.
At the top of the stone staircase is a short reprieve along level ground before the trail enters the forest. The terrain is not nearly as steep, though switchbacks continue to be used. Stone steps are also used, but they are like the loosely spaced stones at the beginning of the hike. By the time you reach the top you will have ascended what is essentially an 800 foot staircase, and I don’t think there is a stone step that was not placed by man.
Towards the top of the mountain, the stairs disappear and the trail now traverses large slabs of granite, some of which can be quite steep. There are a few large drops from one slab to another, and in a few cases I just sat and slid down. Also, because the trail is not as readily defined as it was when stairs were the only obvious way to go, the route is marked with blue paint splotches called blazes that 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.
There is a directional sign pointing to an overlook just before the summit of Mansell Mountain. Take this, because the summit is in the forest and there is no view from there. This is also where the Perpendicular Trail ends and the Mansell Mountain Trail begins.
The summit of Mansell Mountain is 1.1 mile from the parking lot (.9 mile from the Perpendicular-Long Pond Trail intersection). It is marked with a post that states the elevation is 949 feet. As mentioned, there is no view here.
When I began, I wasn’t sure if I would make a loop or simply hike back down the mountain, but once at the top I knew there was no way I was going back down the stairs due to the pounding that my knees would take. Furthermore, some of the steps are very narrow and it would be easy to trip and take a tumble that would certainly cause serious injury or even death. Thus, a loop hike of any distance was preferable to me, and in this case it would be five miles long, three miles longer than the trip back down, but worth every extra foot.
The Mansell Mountain Trail continues another tenth of a mile along the top of the mountain, so the terrain is fairly level and easy to hike. At the next intersection, follow the sign in the direction of Great Notch. I’m not sure what this short, .1-mile segment of trail is called, but it’s not the Mansell Mountain Trail and it’s not the Great Notch Trail. That leaves the Razorback Trail, though no specific name is mentioned on the sign. A plaque simply points to Great Notch. Regardless, other than a few short uphill climbs, from here all the way to the shore of Long Pond, the hike is downhill…and quickly downhill on some very steep slopes.
Between this intersection and the next, the slope is every bit as steep as the Perpendicular Trail, with the only difference being that the trail does not follow a rockslide, and thus no knee-shattering steps. Instead, it crosses slabs of granite, some on which I simply sat and slid down.
Steep rock cliffs on the hike to Great Notch along the Mansell Mountain Trail in Acadia National Park
Right before reaching the next intersection, which is definitely the Razorback Trail, there is a gigantic lump of granite that you must scramble over. The intersection is at the top of this hill.
Massive slab of granite that must be scaled to reach the intersection of the Mansell Mountain and Razorback trails in Acadia National Park
At the intersection, follow the signs that point to the Razorback Trail / Great Notch. From near the intersection is a nice view towards the islands of the Western Bay and the town of Surry on the mainland. Unfortunately, the air pollution was thick on the day I visited. This is known a regional haze, meaning that it is not produced in the area, but instead drifts in from other areas of heavy pollution such as New York. I was at Acadia National Park for two weeks, and for the first few days it was foggy and I couldn’t see a thing until it rained. After that, the air was crystal clear, but within a few days the haze had formed and pretty much ruined photography for the duration of my trip. Pollution is a serious problem at Acadia National Park, and it has been known to cause outfitters to cancel hikes and other tours due to poor visibility.
View towards the Western Bay and the town of Surry from the Razorback Trail on Mansell Mountain, Acadia National Park
The Razorback Trail connects to the Great Notch Trail in .2 mile. The route is not as steep as the previous section, but it is slow going due to the jumble of obstacles in the way. It starts off by running along a rocky fin at the top of the mountain, then eventually comes to the forest where there are actually sections of smooth terrain, though most of it is still full of stones and roots. The main difference in this type of terrain versus the steps of the Perpendicular Trail is that you can get up the Perpendicular Trail just as fast as you can run up steps—it’s like hiking to the top of a stadium. Without the steps you must take your time, placing your feet just right to avoid twisting an ankle.
Just before reaching the Great Notch Trail are two steep terraces laced with rocks and roots; the intersection is at the bottom.
Look back up a steep terrace just before the intersection of the Razorback and Great Notch trails in Acadia National Park
The Great Notch Trail intersection comes at 1.6 miles into the hike. This is also the intersection with the Bernard Mountain Trail, though this is not mentioned on the directional signage for some reason. To continue, take a right, heading away from the Mill Field / Gilley Field Parking Areas. It is .4 mile to the next destination, the Long Pond Trail.
After descending on a wooden-step staircase, the terrain is downward sloping, but the descent is gradual and like walking on flat ground. The trail passes through a forest that is so dense that parts of it are overgrown with small pine trees. The trail surface is loaded with roots due to the fact that there is very little top soil, and some sections are like walking through a snake pit.
Just before reaching the Long Pond Trail intersection, the roots grow thinner and you’ll find yourself on the nicest stretch of trail of the hike so far. The terrain is flat and easy at this point.
Level terrain along the Great Notch Trail just before the intersection with the Long Pond Trail, Acadia National Park
At 2 miles into the hike is the intersection with the Long Pond Trail. Head in the direction of Long Pond / Long Pond Parking, not the Long Pond Fire Road, a dirt road near the start of the Great Notch Trail at Pine Hill. Since I hiked the trail in its entirety, I will include a review of it on a separate page. See the Long Pond Trail review for details.
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Last updated on August 25, 2023