Half of 113 square mile Isle au Haut is privately owned, but the other half is a part of Acadia National Park and boasts eighteen miles of trails. The Isle au Haut Trace is a challenge to link all of these trails in a single push, making a complete loop back to your origin point, without the use of vehicles. The relevant trails are blue-blazed and are predominantly loamy singletrack, with a few rocky beach miles and a touch of scrambling. Completing the route will also require some inevitable time on dirt roads. The trails in question, as listed on the NPS website, are Bowditch (2.0 mi), Cliff (0.7 mi), Deep Cove (0.2 mi), Duck Harbor (3.8 miles), Duck Harbor Mountain (1.2 mi), Eben’s Head (0.8 mi), Goat (2.1 mi), Long Pond (3 mi), Median Ridge (1.8 mi), Nat Marchant (1.1 mi), and Western Head (1.3). There are public water sources at the Isle au Haut village National Park Service office (which makes a convenient starting point) and the Duck Harbor Campground. The route will involve hiking sections or entire trails more than once. The route can be completed in around 25 miles, and is an incredible way to get a feel for a starkly beautiful island with varied landscapes.
