precipice trail

last september i hiked this trail 2 days in a row, great views great workout. I was a bit sore afterwards but it was worth it.

I did this trail with my 12 year old daughter and my 65 year old mother. It is thrilling if you like heights and a challenge. My advice is to go very slowly and carefully. Some parts of the trail are rock face with metal ladders up it. My daughter had a hard time, as the rungs are adult size. This trail is only open a few weeks out of the summer, because falcons nest there.

precipice trail is the most popular and dangerous trail in acadia national park. wouldn't recommend it while / short after rain because it can get very slippery and very dangerous. just be aware of the warnings, make sure you have a good stand and don't rush. you'll be fine. the view and the feeling after completing it are simply stunning

My wife and I hiked the Precipice Trail many years ago, but after reading the reviews here I wanted to add my own comments. Many other reviews are brief and just say this is a great, thrilling trail that you really ought to do "if you can do it". My guess is that many of these brief reviewers are "of an age" where they believe they are immortal. For them, high, exposed climbs are just thrilling - and not really seen as dangerous.After our climb, my wife and I concluded this is the most dangerous, exposed climb we had ever done in a national park that is open to the general public. Now in our mid-sixites, we do the Beehive every year and enjoy the less exposed, handhold climbing thrills that it provides. The Beehive is about 500 feet high, compared to the almost 1,000 height of the Precipice Trail. Importantly, during the higher reaches of the Beehive you are climbing back into the rounded top of the Beehive, so although you are up pretty high you are not climbing on a sheer cliff face.In contrast, the 1,000 foot high Precipice Trail begins with a talus slope where the trail has switchbacks and trees that disguise the fact that you are approaching a vertical cliff face at the top. Once you leave the talus slope, you hike and climb a series of traverses along the cliff interspersed with vertical iron handhold sections that take you straight up the cliff face. Climbing up a vertical cliff face on iron handholds would be thrilling if you were a few hundred feet off the ground and the beginning of the talus slope was only fifty feet below you. The same climb at the very top of a 1,000 cliff with a several hundred foot drop to the talus slope below is more than thrilling - for us it was heart-pounding.

Started out expecting a good workout and beautiful views but this hike turned into something life-changing (in a good way). I consider myself an above-average hiker the Precipice Trail was a stern dose of reality. Yes, it was challenging and scary at times but the sense of accomplishment when I completed the journey changed me as a person. Absolutely, my favorite part of Acadia and will forever be engrained in me psyche.

This was absolutely the most awesome and terrifying trial I've ever done. Although I've always suffered a little of vertigo, I've decided to challenge myself doing this path. Was absolutely worth it! But I'm not gonna do it again!

Most exciting trail we did. Great views (better along the trail than from the top). More than a few places that are a bit scary.

absolutely stunning views at the top. there are easier trails to get to the top but def this trail is the most fun and most exhilarating way to get to the top (and equally if not more exciting going down).

It was great - just do it. There are only one place that was a bit scary, it was wet and no handle to grab, hands and knees came in handy for about four feet - besides that no problem. Loved every step

Do it if you can! What an exhilarating climb! Up and over boulders; bunches of vertical climbs on iron bars driven into solid rock; look up to see the entire face of the mountain which is solid rock and vertical; scramble through and under rock-lined passages; look up for many more vertical climbs yet to come; carefully walk skinny trails to get to the next climbs; use your strategy to figure how to twist and turn from rock to handhold and then more rock; look down to see how vertical your climb has been so far; and all the while look out to the sea and some of the most spectacular views Acadia has to offer. Please be aware that you must be in shape and a good climber to do this trail. Any question about your capabilities means "don't do it." But if you do the climb you will be thrilled! The climb; views; & sheer thrill are more than worth it. for Note: Precipice Trail is said to be the most challenging climb in all of Acadia -- it's true. PS: your own safety first read the signs with their warnings about who should do it and who should not attempt the climb and check Acadia's websites. All say "climb is almost vertical" & "only physically fit and experienced should attempt" & "only in good weather" & "no dogs or pets". However, if you are "in good shape" and capable -- Then Do It! It is a big Wow! Enjoy!

I'm afraid of heights and conquered the Precipice Trail! The views were simply spectacular! If you want to see Frenchman's Bay from the best seat, the Precipice Trail is it!

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this hike / trail... It was definitely the best hike we did in Acadia during our visit! It is one of those trails that will provide you with some level of challenge but once you reach the summit of Champlain Mountain - be proud of your accomplishment, relax a bit and enjoy the views!!!As you may or may not know - DO NOT ATTEMPT to hike back down the way you just hiked up - there is a much easier way back to the trailhead... head north (approx. 0.5 miles) on the Champlain North Ridge Trail to the junction for the Orange & Black Path. Follow this trail to a designated fork in the trail and stay to the left (East) continuing on the Orange & Black Path which will take you the shortest distance down to the the road where you will head to your right and along the one-way road (approx. 0.5 miles) walking with traffic back to the trailhead parking lot. *Taking the right (South) on the Orange & Black trail back at the fork - will also bring you back to the trailhead but you will have to navigate some of the steep scrambles and boulders you hiked on the way up. Be smart, be safe and enjoy this hike!! It will be one you won't soon forget!

Hands down the best trail we did in Acadia. Different than anything we've done anywhere else. I hope this is an experience that continues to be available to hikers/ climbers for many years. Acadia NP's materials label this a "non-technical climb" instead of a hike for a good reason. The Precipice Trail rapidly gains elevation in a short distance by going right up the cliffs, at times straight up, using iron rungs and ladders that have been attached to the rocks. It's not a trail for anyone that is afraid of heights, children, or pets. If you don't have experience, I wouldn't recommend starting here. Acadia does a good job of warning away the unprepared, including big signs at the beginning of the trail. We didn't encounter anyone that shouldn't have been there but there is a very real risk of injury or falling. I worry that as this trail increases in popularity and more people attempt it, that the park could decide it's more prudent to close it. Please don't let that happen! There are two other trails that reach the top of Champlain Mountain and accomplish the same final views as the Precipice.If this is a trail for you, you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the ocean and challenging steps along the rocks as you climb higher. Take some time to lean against the rocks, catch your breath, and admire the scenery.The Precipice Trail was the start of a 7-mile hike for us. After reaching the top of Champlain Mountain, we hiked down the south ridge trail, went by the Bowl, and up the Gorham Mountain trail and down the other side. We linked up with the ocean path and walked along Monument Cove, saw Thunder Rock and Sand Beach (and all the crowds), and over to Schooner Head overlook before taking the path along Schooner Head road back to where we had parked at Precipice. With several stops it took us about 5 hours and was a great way to see some of the more popular attractions in Acadia without driving. I'd recommend this route, but you probably will need the more detailed hiking trail map ($5) from the park visitor's center in Bar Harbor if you want to duplicate it. The map they give out for free doesn't have enough information for hiking.

Ok, it's not for everybody but if you like hard hiking with some vertical relief this is the one. Our kids have hiked the Grand Canyon and Angels Landing, and gave the Precipice two thumbs up - "not as cool as Angels Landing, but it was a lot of fun". We did the Beehive the day before and it doesn't really compare.

I'm in my 30's and typically only do a big hike twice a year or so, so I was worried that I couldn't hack this one. It was not easy by any means, but the type of hiking/climbing was so much fun, and not too difficult for me! I loved this hike. It seems terrifying on paper, but the way you climb up is safer than it seems, most of the time the longest fall you could endure would be 10 feet or less. It would still hurt, but at least the warnings of death seemed unlikely! I would recommend going first thing in the morning, we started around 8am. It gets hot with the direct sunlight, and it was kind of annoying on the way down when you had to wait for 3-5 minutes every time you went to a ladder or skinny area because you had to wait for other people.