View from the top end of the Orange and Black Path at Acadia National Park

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Sections of the Orange and Black Path typically closes from mid-March through mid-August for peregrine falcon nesting season. Exact closing dates differ each year, and closure notices are posted at the trailheads. If you are coming to Acadia National Park specifically to hike this trail, check the National Park Service’s Current Conditions web page for the latest closure notices.

I hiked a .5-mile segment of the Orange and Black Path as part of a loop hike to the summit of Acadia National Park’s Champlain Mountain via the Precipice Trail. This is the third leg of the journey, and it starts at the intersection with the Champlain North Ridge Trail. See the Precipice Trail Loop Hike web page here on National Park Planner for details on the hike up to this point.

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Length: .5 mile
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Strenuous

Precipice Trail Loop Hike map (click to enlarge)

Upon departing from the summit of Champlain Mountain on the Champlain North Ridge Trail, you should reach the intersection with the Orange and Black Path in roughly 20 minutes. Take a right at the intersection to begin the hike down to the Park Loop Road starting on a steep, stone staircase.

Start of the hike down Acadia National Park’s Champlain Mountain on the Orange and Black Path

At the bottom of the stairs is where the Orange and Black Path splits, with a left heading back to the Precipice Trail and a right to the Park Loop Road. A directional sign marks the intersection. It is the section towards the Precipice Trail that closes during peregrine falcon nesting season, not the section that leads to the road.

Fork where the Orange and Black Path splits in two directions, Acadia National Park

If you have bad knees as I do, coming down the Orange and Black Path is going to kill you because every time you turn around there is another set of stone stairs of some sort. Even using hiking poles it’s a rough time. There were two places where I had to sit and slide down a rock, otherwise I’d have had to jump down four feet. If I were young, I’d jump. If I did it now at age 50 I’d probably compress my spine and end up two inches shorter.

More stone stairs on the Orange and Black Path at Acadia National Park

The stairs end towards the bottom, just about the time you can see the Park Loop Road. From here to the road the trail is a granite slab, so it’s like walking down a steep driveway.

Lower end of the Orange and Black Path near Acadia National Park’s Park Loop Road

When you get to the Park Loop Road, the quickest way back to the Precipice Trail parking lot where the hike began is to take a right and walk along the road for a half mile. However, I decided to hike an additional .2 mile on the Orange and Black Path to the intersection with the Schooner Head Path. The Orange and Black Path continues directly across the road.

Intersection of the Orange and Black Path and the Park Loop Road at Acadia National Par

Continuation of the Orange and Black Path east of the Park Loop Road at Acadia National Park

The trail continues to head downhill, but it’s negligible compared to before. The main concern now is twisting an ankle, for the trail surface is lined with uneven slabs of granite and other small rocks.

Typical terrain on the Orange and Black Trail east of the Park Loop Road at Acadia National Park

The Orange and Black Path ends at Schooner Head Path (Schooner Head Road runs right next to it). Take a right to get to the next destination, Murphy’s Lane. See the Schooner Head Path review page here on National Park Planner to read about this section of the Precipice Trail Loop Hike.

Intersection of the Orange and Black Path and the Schooner Head Path at Acadia National Park

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