Somes Sound Overlook Loop
5.8 mi
Distance
2 hrs 47 min
Time
terrain
646 ft
Elev Gain
Overview
This is a moderate loop trail to Somes Sound Overlook in Acadia National Park.
This trail goes by Acadia Mountain, Overlook, Valley Cove Trail Head', Flying Mountain, Trail sign, trailsign, Valley Peak, and Saint Sauveur Mountain.
Sights to See
Rate this Hike
★★★★★
Usually the Valley Cove Trail that forms the middle of this loop is usually closed from spring to August 15 or so each year for Peregrine Falcon nesting. For the past two years the trail has also been closed for maintenance and rerouting. We hiked this trail shortly after the trail's reopening in late August 2020, starting from the Acadia mountain parking lot and heading up Saint Sauver first. Views from St. Sauver are modest, but sweet. Next the loop goes over Valley Peak, which has some lovely views toward Southwest Harbor. Then you arrive at the Flying Mountain parking lot (which was full). Lots of families were hiking up and down Flying Mountain which made keeping a safe distance for COVID-19 prophylaxis. We had to keep masks up for most of this short ascent. The rebuilt Valley Cove Trail is gorgeous, with several ascents and descents of well built stone staircases. It's perhaps the most tiring part of the loop, but affords nice views of Somes Sound. Unfortunately the dry summer of 2020 had last many of the normally lush ferns along the trail withered and browned. We ate lunch on the rocks above Man O'War Brook, which had run dry and was not cascading into the sound like it usually does. Climbing Acadia Mountain from the brook is a steep and moderately strenuous ascent, but it's not a very high mountain, so it's a short, sharp shock up the big pink block. The view from the top was clear on our hiking day. Descending to the parking lot finished our hike with modest tugs on our aging knees. Overall a lovely day.
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