The Triad, Acadia National Park

At 698 feet, the summit of this little triangular-peaked mountain is fairly quick to reach (about 1 mile from Jordan Pond along the shortest route, the Bubble Jordan Pond Path to Hunters Brook Trail). While the journey up doesn’t offer dramatic views, you will see a at least one or two, especially if you hike up or down Hunters Brook Trail to the Triad Pass. You’ll also catch a view from the Triad summit, around some spruce trees, over on the Triad Trail.

The trails link up to all the other trails on this side of the island, so you could combine Pemetic Mountain or Day Mountain in your hike. The possibilities are endless in this park!

Also, like all of Acadia’s trails, while Triad’s paths are short, there are some steep, rocky, and rooty sections. The trail system includes a long, relatively flat spur, roughly 1.8 miles, out to the Park Loop Road and Route 3 along the southern end of Hunters Brook Trail. This path follows the picturesque brook, requiring a few stone-hopping crossings at points, especially at the northern end. (These crossings can make it more likely to lose sight of the trail, so keep your eyes out for the blazes!). When I hiked this trail recently in mid-March, it was clear no one had come out here for a long time, so it might be a nice place to find solitude during busy summer months.

Directions: The best place to pick up Triad trails is from Jordon Pond, where there is a lot of parking. Then you can follow the carriage road out to Hunters Brook Trail or Triad Trail. Or, you could start your hike on Bubble and Joran Ponds Path. Bring a map or use a reliable digital one!