St. Sauveur, Acadia, and Flying Mountains, Acadia National Park

This bundle of trails lies between Somes Sound and Echo Lake (a fabulous place to take a post-hike dip, by the way), and includes easy, moderate, and advanced hikes through pretty pitch pine forest, open ledges with views, and to a stony beach. Those who want to avoid the steepest trails (mainly on 681-foot Acadia Mountain and the trail up the north side of Valley Peak) can still get beautiful views, especially from Valley Peak Mountain.

Of the four peaks in this section of the park — Acadia, St. Sauveur, Valley Peak, and Flying — Acadia offers the most stunning views — that’s a subjective assessment, of course! It’s a tough but short little hike, about 2.8 miles round trip, and quite popular. Expect lots of hikers on nice weekends.

My favorite part of the trail system was walking along Somes Sound on the Valley Cove trail, from Acadia Mountain to Flying Mountain, going north to south. It is fairly flat, with views at points across the sound. It comes out to a pebbly beach on Valley Cove before rounding the head of Flying Mountain and heading up to the 284-foot summit. 

St. Sauveur, 690 feet, doesn’t have many views to speak  of, but Valley Peak is the second prettiest peak in this trail network (according to my assessment). The best views are just north of the peak, on some open ledge overlooking the sound and the eastern part of the park. You can see the length of the sound, the mansions that dot the opposite shore, and the island-studded ocean.

Flying Mountain is also nice, and short. The 0.4-mile road from the parking area off Fernald Point Road to Valley Cove is very easy walking — an old carriage road or fire road? It makes a nice leg in a 1.4-mile loop up and over Flying Mountain.

A couple of suggested routes: To avoid Acadia Mountain, but still have a nice hike of 3.6 miles, you can take the flat Man O’ War Brook Fire Road, a wide dirt road that runs between Acadia and St. Saveur Mountains, to Valley Peak Trail. The next 0.5-mile leg up to the ridge is the steepest part of the loop, but once it levels off, there are several spots with gorgeous views. For maximum beauty, follow the Valley Peak Trail to the junction with St. Saveur Mtn. trail.

For a long and beautiful hike of roughly 5.7 miles, start at the Acadia Mountain parking area, hike up Acadia Mountain on the Acadia Mountain Trail, then head south along the sound on the Valley Cove Trail to Flying Mountain Trail. Have a snack at the beach. Summit Flying Mountain and make your way back to Valley Peak Trail. Finish by cutting over to St. Sauveur Mountain and taking the St. Sauveur Mountain Trail to your starting point.

Swimming: If you park at the trailhead near Echo Lake, you can take the short trail down to a stony ledge that plunges into the refreshing lake. There are some slightly flatter rocks for sunbathing to the right, if you’re looking at the lake.

Directions: There are two parking areas closer to the southern end of Echo Lake off Route 102 (careful crossing the road — the cars travel fast). Or you can leave your car on Fernald Point Road.