Acadia National Park – Best – Beech Cliff Loop

I have limited experience in Maine but am highlighting what I expect will be my quintessential Maine experience. It all took place on the 0.4 mile loop of the Beech Cliff trail.

My mental model of Maine includes fall foliage, granite outcropping, and the occasional sandy beech. You will see all of these sites on the short hike.

My key tips and tricks are walk the entire loop one time before taking a second more leisurely walk to take in all the many different view points. We and many other people stopped at the 1st view and lingered only to be astonished that 15 feet later there was another incredible view. The trail reveals sight after sight.

On your second loop, do indeed linger, even standing still you will start to see different things as you are standing on one rock you’ll notice another vantage on another point of the cliff.

You are 600 feet above Echo Lake and the valley floor. You can climb/hike from the lake up to the Beech Cliffs. However we parked our van at the Beech Mountain trail head and only had a brief 0.3 mile walk to the Cliffs and maybe 50 feet of elevation change.

High above Echo Lake on Beech Cliffs Trail