Day 6 of our Acadia trip focused on hiking The Bubbles, visiting Bubble Rock in Acadia National Park, exploring the quiet boardwalks of Jessup Path, and ending the day with a sunset at Otter Point.
North and South Bubbles
Spending the previous day at Jordan Pond, we couldn’t help but notice the rounded peaks overlooking the water; North Bubble and South Bubble. Their unique shape and position above the pond made them impossible to ignore, and naturally drew us toward the Bubble Trails for a view looking down on Jordan Pond.
🧭 Agenda Highlight
The Bubbles hike was a highlight of the trip. Plan to include both North and South Bubble as part of your itinerary.
Day 6 map preview showing Jordan Pond and Bubble Rock. The full interactive map is available via Free Resources.
The Bubble Rock trailheads, serving both North and South Bubble, are most accessible from the North Bubble Trailhead, although you can take a much longer route directly from Jordan Pond. Parking here is similar to other secluded areas in Acadia. We arrived early enough (around 9:00 AM) to grab a spot just as another hiker was leaving. Others we spoke with later on the trail weren’t so lucky. The lot is small, and it’s worth repeating: arriving early is always recommended when hiking anywhere in Acadia.
Starting from the North Bubble Trailhead, you’ll eventually reach a fork where you must choose your own adventure: North Bubble (right) or South Bubble (left). In our opinion, this isn’t a choice of which to hike, it’s simply deciding which to do first. Both are must-do hikes and easily rank among our favorites of the entire trip.
Bubble Rock on South Bubble
Choosing North Bubble leads to rockier, more technical terrain, though nothing extreme or unsafe for confident hikers. We chose this route first. The view from the summit is outstanding and offers a perfect vantage point for landscape photography. If you’re comfortable with some light rock scrambling, this is a rewarding direction to start. It’s also fun to experience both perspectives looking up at the Bubbles from Jordan Pond, and later looking down toward the pond from above.
Choosing South Bubble offers a more gradual and steady climb, and leads to the infamous Bubble Rock. Bubble Rock Acadia may be more accurately described as Bubble Boulder, as it’s estimated to weigh between 20–30 tons. The boulder was carried and deposited here by a glacier during the Ice Age. It’s hard to comprehend how it appears to teeter so effortlessly on the edge of the summit, seemingly defying gravity. This is a must-see stop and a great place for some memorable (and playful) photos.
🌿 MWN Top Pick
Bubble Rock earns a Top Pick for its unique glacial history, accessibility, and iconic perch on the cliffside.
Two attempts at “pushing” Bubble Rock — same place, different approaches.
🎥Watch the Bubbles in motion: (Coming Soon)
See more images from Bubble Rock Acadia and Otter Point in our Acadia gallery
Jessup Path Boardwalk and Wildlife
Leaving the Bubbles, our next stop was Jessup Path. This makes for an excellent midday hike, especially for photographers. The raised boardwalks and wooded trail sections provide countless opportunities for leading lines and unique compositions at nearly any time of day.
A Quiet Walk Through Jessup Path
As we quietly walked along the boardwalk, we encountered deer browsing just off the path. They appeared completely at ease around people, adding to the calm, immersive experience. Jessup Path felt tranquil and peaceful — a place where you quickly feel connected to your surroundings. Each step carried the hope of spotting an owl, with the Barred Owl being the most commonly seen species in this area. While we didn’t see one, we did hear a call, which was exciting in its own right. Their call is often described as sounding like: “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?”
From a photography standpoint, I became too focused on finding a specific composition, a curved section of birch trees that I never located. In doing so, I missed opportunities to explore other scenes along the path. It was a good reminder to stay flexible and adapt when a plan doesn’t unfold as expected. Sometimes, arriving without a rigid plan allows you to discover something even better. I’d encourage visitors to explore Jessup Path openly, you’ll likely leave with a photo, and a memory, that lasts.
🎥Watch Jessup Path in motion: (Coming soon)
Otter Point Sunset After Hiking Bubble Rock Acadia
After logging roughly 13,000 steps throughout the day, we were ready to slow things down and enjoy the evening. We chose to watch the sunset from Otter Point, just south of Otter Cliff, along Park Loop Road.
Otter Point sits along the southeastern edge of Mount Desert Island and offers one of the better sunset vantage points in Acadia. Parking was available nearby, which was a welcome relief at this stage of the day. While much of Acadia, especially the Ocean Path and eastern Park Loop Road, is better suited for sunrise photography, Otter Point is a notable exception.
This experience stood out as one of the most memorable moments of the trip. We found a comfortable perch on the rocks, enjoyed the sound of the waves, and took in the cool evening breeze. As the light faded, the crowds thinned, and the coastline felt quiet and personal. We even had a seagull companion linger nearby, clearly interested in our snacks, as it watched the sunset with us.
While Otter Point is a different landscape entirely, moments like this helped balance the experience of visiting Bubble Rock in Acadia National Park earlier in the day.
🎥Watch a timelapse of the Otter Point sunset:
https://youtu.be/FdCqQJpwmqM?si=IkoMPIQtFCZD49Uu
🌿 MWN Top Pick
Otter Point at sunset earns a Top Pick for its evening light and scenic coastal setting.
🧭 Agenda Highlight
The bell ringing offshore near Otter Cliff.
The Sound of the Bell at Dusk
As darkness approached during the walk back, the experience became even more atmospheric. The crowds had all but disappeared, the waves continued to crash below, and a rhythmic bell rang in the distance. The sound came from a navigational bell buoy, maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, positioned just offshore. The granite cliffs and headlands amplify its tone, making it a well-known feature of this stretch of coastline. That steady rhythm, paired with the fading light, became one of those moments that quietly imprints itself; a lasting memory of our time in Acadia.
Site maps for each destination, to include Otter Point, will be available in our Free Resources section (Coming Soon)
🦞 Dinner at Abel’s Lobster
We closed our long day, returning again to our favorite local Lobster place, Abel’s round 2. If you missed it, you can read all about Abel’s in our Day 3 blog post: Acadia Trip – Day 3: The Drive North, A Quiet-Side Stay, and Our First Maine Lobster.
