Mansell & Bernard Mountains (Acadia National Park)

Mansell & Bernard Mountains (Acadia National Park)

Hike Type: Loop
Distance: 4.4 miles
Elevation: 1280 feet
Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Acadia Ascents; Summit Beer Society

The Hike

This was a unique drive for Acadia National Park, as the trailhead was in the woods after a windy drive on dirt roads. It was reminiscent of some of the drives to the whites, but these roads were lovely to drive on. I parked at the Mill Field parking (there was no field, which was fascinating to me), did my best to take a leave-no-trace-number-two in the woods, and suited up for the hike.

I started with a dirt road road walk to the reservoir, and then joined the Gilley Trail where I saw my first snake of the trip! It was a young garter snake that was very content with just chilling on the trail, so I gently stepped around and went about my day. The Gilley Trail terminates at Gilley Field, another fieldless field, which is the same fieldless field where the Mansell Mountain Trail begins. 

The Mansell Mountain Trail climbs first through the woods with a few steeper sections, but nothing every getting too bad. The trail then breaks out into the open with more scrubby slabby hiking and another snake! This snake was even more unbothered by me, which I truly prefer. The trail reaches a junction with the Razorback Trail, which is where the loop will continue later on. At the moment, I continued on the Mansell Mountain Trail to a lovely lookout and then the wooded summit. I turned around and headed back to the previous junction to continue the hike.

The Razorback Trail steeply descends towards the Great Notch with an open view towards Bernard Mountain and surrounding waters. At the Great Notch, the Bernard Mountain Trail begins at a trail register (the first I've seen in Acadia) and climbs up a rugged trail. I really loved the trails in this area - they were so different from the popular trails that I've already been on. None of these trails were manicured with precise stonework, which was actually a nice break. The clouds began to roll in the closer I encorached upon the summit, but I was still able to get a view from the outlook just before Knight Nubble (a peak with a sign that is not on the Acadia Ascents list). 

The Bernard Mountain Trail drops into Little Notch from Knight Nubble, and then makes the final climb to Bernard Mountain. There is a great overlook area with a couple benches and another trail register (the last one I saw in Acadia), but the clouds were fully present at this point, so I did not stick around. The summit is just past this overlook, and I stopped a little further down trail to enjoy my sit, snack, and summit beverage. 

The final stretch of this hike was a descent down the rest of the Bernard Mountain Trail. The trail started as a gorgeous meander through the woods with moss in abundance and started its main descent, which was never too steep but consistent enough to alert my knees. Thankfully we all pulled through and made it back to the car! This was such a great hike and I only saw one other person the whole time.

Step-By-Step

• Park at Mill Field.
• Walk along road, turn left onto Reservoir Rd.
• At the reservoir, turn right onto Gilley Trail.
• Hike Gilley Trail to Gilley Field.
• Turn left onto Mansell Mountain Trail, hike to summit.
• At summit, turn around and hike to jct. with Razorback Trail.
• Turn right to descend into Great Notch via Razorback Trail.
• At Great Notch, enter Bernard Mountain Trail, climb to Bernard Mountain and descend back to Mill Field parking.

Trail Descriptions from Maine Mountain Guide

Western Mountain (Bernard and Mansell)

        "Western Mtn. comprises two main peaks: Bernard Mtn. to the west and Mansell Mtn. to the east. Both summits are mostly wooded, but there are occasional view windows Trails in this area start from three primary trailheads: at the pumping station at the south end of Long Pond Road, at Mill Field, and at Gilley Field."

        "To reach the pumping station, follow Seal Cove Rd., west from ME 102 in Southwest Harbor. At 0.6 mi., take the first right (toward the landfill) onto Long Pond Rd. and follow it until it ends at the pumping station at 1.8 mi. To reach Mill Field and Filley Field, follow Seal Cove Rd. west from ME 102 in Southwest Harbor. The pavement ends at the ANP boundary at 3.9 mi. Take a right off Seal Cove Rd at 4.6 mi. (no sign). Reset odometer. On the dirt access road, reach the jct. with Western Mtn. Rd. at 0.4 mi. (To the left, it is 1.2 mi. to the West Ledge Trail trailhead.) Turn right on Western Mtn. Rd. and follow it to the next jct. at 1.2 mi. To reach Mill Field, turn left here and drive 0.2 mi. to the end of the road and the trailhead parking for Sluiceway Trail and Bernard Mtn. Trail. To reach Gilley Field, turn right here and drive 0.1 mi. to the end of the road and the trailhead parking area for Gilley Trail, Mansell Mtn. Trail, and Cold Brook Trail."

Gilley Trail

        "Thist trail starts at the Gilley Field parking area at the eastern end of Western Mtn. Rd. It provides access to mansell Mtn. and Bernard Mtn. via Razorback Trail, Great Notch Trail, and Sluiceway Trail. Gilley trail starts next to Mansell Mtn. Trail, but instead of climbing the peak, it follows easy grades to the west, passing Razorback Trail at 0.1 mi., then turning north and climbing moderately to its end at the jct. of Great Notch Trail and Sluiceway Trail at 0.6 mi. A short side trail halfway along on the left leads 100 yd. to the Reservoir, a small dammed pond in a scenic glen at the end of a short spur of Western Mtn. Rd."

Mansell Mountain Trail

        "This trail leaves from Gilley Field and offers a nice hike up the south slope of Mansell Mtn. The trail climbs gradually from the trailhead to ledges, where there are views of Southwest Harbor, Beech mtn. Long Pond, and Northeast Harbor. At 0.8 mi., a short but steep 0.1-mi. spur from Razorback Trail enters from the left. From this jct., Mansell Mtn. Trail climbs the final 0.1 mi. to the wooded summit of Mansell Mtn. to meet Perpendicular Trail."

Razorback Trail

        "Razorback Trail diverges right from Gilley Trail at a point 0.1 mi. from the Gilley Field parking area at the east end of Western Mtn. Rd. This trail climbs moderately up the west side of Mansell Mtn., offering views of Great Notch and Bernard Mtn. The upper portion of Razorback Trail climbs a narrow ridge of extensive open ledges (the Razorback) to reach a jct. between the summit of Mansell Mtn. and Great Notch at 0.8 mi. To the right, a spur climb steeply 0.1 mi. to Mansell Mtn. trail, which climbs an additional 0.1 mi. to the top of Mansell Mtn. Continue left on Razorback Trail, which leads down to Great Notch and the jct. with Great Notch Trail in 0.2 mi."

Bernard Mountain Trail

        "This trail also starts at Mill Field on Western Mtn. Rd. It makes a wide and gradual arc west to the south ridge of Bernard Mtn., then swings north to West Ledge Trail at 1.0 mi. Here, Bernard mtn. Trail turns right, ascending easily north over several wooded knobs to the summit of Bernard Mtn. at 1.5 mi. Iron posts mark an old fire tower site; just ahead is the summit sign. A short distance beyond, reach an overlook to the left and a register box. Ahead, the trail descends steeply to Little Notch and the jct. with Sluiceway Trail at 1.7 mi. Beyond the jct., Bernard Mtn. trail continues east, climbing over the low but rugged Knight Nubble (nice view to Southwest Harbor and the islands to the south) before dropping into a wet and mossy notch. Climbing out, the trail then drops steeply into Great Notch at 2.2 mi., where there is a bench and register box. Here, Great Notch trail leads north to Long Pond Fire Rd. and south towards Gilley Field, while Razorback Trail leads east to Mansell Mtn. in 0.6 mi."

Photo Album