The Always Magical Bubble Rock Acadia
Bubble Rock Acadia Info
Miles: 1.13
Height: 766 feet
Elevation Gain: 315 feet
Type: Out & Back, Loop and/or Connector
Dog Friendly: Yes
Where To Park
Parking for Bubble Rock is located on the Park Loop Road around 1.5 miles north of Jordan Pond House and a mile South of Bubble Pond. You will see signs for it. It is located on the two way traffic section of Park Loop Road. The lot fills up quickly because like all good things in life, this one too has its limitations when it comes to availability so make sure you get your spot early!
Where Did Bubble Rock Come From
The origin of Bubble Rock has been speculated by geologists. Some say it arrived from it’s original location 20 miles away around Dedham Maine and some say it came from 40 miles away near Lucerne. Either way it came to its’ current location when the glaciers receded the area around 16,000 years ago. Estimates put the weight of the rock between 8 and 14 tons!
Can You Move This Behemoth?
This rock is a mystery! Try as you may to move it, but it just wont budge. An entire football team has tried to move this monster of a rock but to no avail. It seems that Bubble rock with forever remained perched on it’s ledge high above the ground.
The Trail To Bubble Rock
Bubble Rock is located on the trail to South Bubble. It is perched on the Eastern edge of the summit to South Bubble. It is located on a side trail almost to the summit of South Bubble. The trail to it is well marked so you won’t need to worry about missing it.
The time it will take to hike to Bubble Rock will depend on which way you decide to go. We went the quickest way which took us about a hour. It can take upwards of two hours if you take the loop trail. We just did an out and back trip as we had to rush.
You will head on the trail following Bubbles Divide. When you reach a four way intersection at 0.01 miles in continue straight. At the next junction you will head left following the signs to South Bubble. After 0.01 miles you will take another left heading towards the summit.
The elevation gain on the trail up to Bubble Rock will be fairly gradual. Remember to look out for the trail marker! The views of the surrounding area are impressive. Once you finish staring in aw of Bubble Rock be sure to take in the surrounding views.
An Extra Adventure
For an extra adventure you can take the longer way back to the parking lot and make this a loop trail. Don’t forget to bring extra water just in case. Continue on to South Bubble once you have tried with all your might to move the gigantic rock. Here, you will be rewarded with incredible views of Jordan Pond straight ahead. To your left you will see Pemetic Mountain peak at 1,247 feet and on your right will be Penobscot Mountain at 1,181 feet.
Bubble Rock is one of the most popular hikes in Acadia National Park so I suggest going first thing in the morning and if you can go on a weekday. We went mid morning on a weekend and had to wait for a parking spot.
This trail was pet friendly. We hike with our older yellow lab and she did just fine. While this hike is beautiful any time during the summer, I would highly recommend doing it in the fall during foliage season. Just be sure to use caution as the granite rocks can be slippery when they are wet. Make sure you are prepared for your hike, check out our beginner hiking article.
