This Remote Maine Hike Is the Perfect Alternative to Acadia’s Popular Jordan Pond Path

Maine is an indisputably beautiful state. From Aroostook County to the Atlantic Coast, its stunning natural gifts are on full-on, full display in every season of the year. When folks think of the Pine Tree State’s scenery, their minds likely wander toward the rugged coastline and forested highlands of Acadia National Park—and for good reason. Its diverse landscapes, from rocky ocean coves, charming lighthouses, and pebbled beaches to granite peaks, sky-blue ponds, and forested islands, have attracted people for centuries. The iconic park is one of the most beloved spots in New England, drawing around 4 million visitors each year to enjoy its wonders.

Maine’s interior is equally as beautiful and makes up for its lack of coastline with rugged mountains, pristine wilderness, and glassy lakes. It’s baffling to me, then, that a place like Baxter State Park, which is home to Mount Katahdin, the famed northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, and one of the largest stretches of undisturbed wilderness east of the Mississippi, sees far fewer visitors than Acadia.

They both have many comparable features. In fact, if you were to hike a trail in each park, say Jordan Pond Path at Acadia and Chimney Pond Trail at Baxter, the only real difference you might notice in the landscape is the number of other hikers. Take a look at what I mean.

Jordan Pond Path, Acadia National Park

• Distance:  3.3 miles, loop
• AllTrails Rating: Easy
• Suitable For:  National park visitors looking for a taste of Acadia, dog parents
• Best Time of Year to Hike: April through October

Jordan Pond Path is everything you’d hope for in a front-country hiking trail in a national park. It’s a beautiful, relatively easy loop on a well-maintained path through a gorgeous northern forest with views across a pristine lake to coastal mountaintops. You can even bring along your dog (as long as you pack a leash, too).

Although it can be muddy in some places and you may need to scramble over a few rocks in others, you’ll only gain 62 feet of elevation over the entire course. The only real complaint you may have is a lack of solitude. You may be able to remedy this by heading out earlier in the morning, on weekdays, or in the winter or spring. Ultimately, though, there’s no way around the fact that this beautiful, relatively small park is incredibly popular.

A fee is required to enter the park, or present your America the Beautiful Pass for free entry. No additional permits are necessary to hike Jordan Pond, but you’ll need a timed-entry reservation if you plan to drive the Cadillac Summit Road during your Acadia visit.

Chimney Pond Trail, Baxter State Park

• Distance:  6.3 miles, out and back
• AllTrails Rating: Moderately challenging
• Suitable For:  Serious hikers, nature lovers, backpackers
• Best Time of Year to Hike: May through October

Baxter State Park is almost three times the size of Acadia but sees an average of around 64,000 visitors per year—or less than 2 percent of the national park’s visitation rate. It also contains a slice of one of the most pristine wilderness areas in the Lower 48. The trail to Chimney Pond is a 3.1-mile path through this wilderness of old-growth pines, boasting views of towering granite peaks before it opens up to the pristine mountain lake.

At 6.3 miles, round trip, this moderately challenging hike is a leg burner. With more than 1,400 feet of elevation gain over the course, your dog will be happy to stay at home—they’re not allowed on the trail, anyway—and let you hike this one on your own. Although this remote hike is one of the most popular in the park, it’s far from Acadia-level popular, which makes it a great alternative to Jordan Pond Path.

Maine residents can visit Baxter State Park free of charge, but non-residents must pay an entry fee that is updated annually in January.

My conclusion? Both trails belong on your bucket list. You just need to decide which kind of hiking mood—or which part of the Pine Tree State—you're in before you choose which one to tackle.

One more characteristic these Maine trails share is supremely spotty cell service. That's why I'm always glad to have AllTrails+ on my phone when I go hiking, especially when I know ahead of time that service may be questionable. I've had my subscription for a while, and I'm officially a heavy user. It comes in handy both out on the trail and when I'm planning a hike (or trying to decide between two trails on a particular trip).

In the case of these two trails (particularly Chimney Pond), I think you'll find the downloadable maps a useful tool. Save them to the app—and print a paper backup—before you go hiking, and you'll have fingertip navigation even when your phone has no signal.

Other features that keep me coming back to AllTrails+ include access to trail reviews from AllTrails' useer base of 75 million, as well as first-person POV trail previews that fly you along the path via an interactive 3D interface. No matter where you plan to hike—Jordan Pond, Chimney Pond, or anywhere else—it's always a good idea to have AllTrails+ on your smartphone.