If you’ve been to Acadia National Park during the summer, you know all too well how crowded it can get with the many tourists that flock here each year.
But what many of these tourists don’t know, unless they happen upon this site, is that there are still some little-known-about hidden gem areas of the park that remain uncrowded, even during peak season.
One such place is called Little Hunters Beach, and unlike other lesser explored sections of Acadia like the breathtaking Schoodic Point, it’s located right in the heart of the main park on Mount Desert Island.
If you’re visiting Acadia and want to get away from the crowds, check out this magical little beach.
Beach Information
PARKING: YES – small parking area across the road.
BATHROOM: NO – none onsite.
LIFEGUARDS: NO – swim at your own risk.
CROWDS: LOW – not crowded at all.
DOG FRIENDLY: YES – pups will love exploring this beach.
FEES: YES – you will need an Acadia park pass.
About Little Hunters Beach
Little Hunters Beach is a cobblestone beach, made up of Acadia’s famous cobbles mixed with smaller pebbles and a handful of larger boulders.
A “cobble” or cobblestone is technically a rock between 2.5 inches and 10 inches in size, and you’ll find many of them that make this beach home.
These Acadia cobbles are mostly rounded and completely smooth, with ancient ice and powerful waves shaping them this way over long periods of time.
And they were carried great distances by ancient glaciers to this spot in Acadia they now call home.
Mixing with local rocks that have been rounded and smoothed over time, the cobbles and rocks of this beach offer an ever-changing mosaic of colors and textures.
Finding Little Hunters Beach
Little Hunters Beach truly puts the “hidden” in hidden gem, so you’ll need to pay close attention when trying to locate it.
The beach is located past the Otter Cliff and Otter Cove section of Acadia, where the road is one-way.
After passing the Otter Cove Overlook and crossing the Otter Cove Bride and Causeway, you’ll drive for about five minutes (two-ish miles) on the one-way section of Park Loop Road before coming to Little Hunters Beach.
Just before coming to it, you’ll go past the Western Point Overlook on your left.
After passing the Western Point Overlook, you’ll come upon a small pull-off area on the right side of the road that’s a mix of pavement and gravel where you can park.
Directly across from this pull-off area on the left side of the road is a wooden staircase, which you can just barely see the top of from the road.
These stairs will lead you directly down to Little Hunters Beach.
There’s a small faded marker sign near the road, but it’s easy to miss which helps keep this beach one of the hidden gems of the park that rarely attracts more than a handful of people who happen to stumble upon it or who have done their research before visiting.
SInce the road is one-way, if you miss it you’ll have to loop all the way back around – so keep your eyes peeled!
Tip – there is a Hunters Beach that is further down Loop Road, that’s not what you’re looking for. You want Little Hunters Beach.
What You’ll Find At Little Hunters Beach
The few sections of stairs that lead down to Little Hunters Beach are long and somewhat steep.
The stairs are doable for most, but if you have mobility issues you may have a tough time.
A creek runs down to the right beside these stairs, and as you near the bottom, the beach that is hidden from the road will come into view.
Amazing Scenery
Upon making it down the few sections of stairs, you’ll find a small section of beach completely made up of cobblestones and pebbles.
The many different sizes, textures and colors of these rocks make for a magical setting.
But all of these rocks can be a little tough to walk on, and they can be quite slippery when wet, so be careful.
The beach is surrounded by bluffs on both sides that jut out into the ocean, giving it an enclosed feeling.
And the view of the ocean from here is incredible.
The left bluff is forested at the top of the cliffs that drop steeply down onto the rocks below that lead into the water.
The bluff on the ride side is less steep, and offers a flattish rocky area that leads just under the forest line that you can walk out onto the rocky bluff area.
A Singing Beach
Similar to another all-rock beach about an hour north of Acadia called Jasper Beach, Little Hunter Beach is said to sing.
This “singing” is the unique sound of the many stones tumbling against one another as the waves roll in and back out.
The “shushhhh, shushhhh” sound will put you at instant peace and stay with you for a long time after visiting.
Tidepools & Sea Life
At low tide, the rocky bluff area on the right side of the beach leaves tidepools where you can occasionally spot some sea life.
It makes for a great area to explore for those who are feeling adventurous enough to walk out on the rocks.
What You Won’t Find At Little Hunters Beach
Other people. Even during peak season, you’ll rarely see more than a handful of other visitors at this little hidden beach, and many times you’ll have it all to yourself.
The beach is well-hidden from the street and the shuttle doesn’t stop here, so it’s typically the best kind of lonely at Little Hunters Beach.
Pros
- Secluded and one of the few non-crowded areas you’ll find in Acadia National Park, even during peak season.
- Unique scenery, setting, and awesome views of the ocean.
- Beautiful place to snap pictures.
- Peaceful sound of the waves tumbling the rocks amongst each other.
Cons
- Can be hard to locate.
- If you miss it on the one-way section of Park Loop Road, you’ll have to loop all the way back around again as you can’t just turn around.
- The stairs leading down to the beach are long and steep.
- The cobblestones and pebbles make walking on the beach a chore and can be slippery.
- Frequent, strong undertows make swimming here a hazard.
Final Word
Find some respite from the crowds in Acadia at Little Hunters Beach, one of the best hidden gems of the main section of the park.
For those who want a homebase outside of Bar Harbor, check out the awesome little town of Winter Harbor just north of it.
There are a number of unique places to stay in Winter Harbor, which makes for a relaxing place to return to after visiting Acadia and offers some of the more underrated restaurant options in Maine.
You can even ride the Winter Harbor Ferry straight to Bar Harbor to avoid driving and parking.