Can you do this?
The Carriage Roads — what it takes
The carriage roads are 45 miles of broken-granite road with no cars on them — built by Rockefeller for horse carriages, so the grades stay gentle and the 16 stone bridges are part of the draw. You can ride the whole web over a long weekend or pick a loop a morning at a time. It suits families, casual cyclists, and walkers who want miles without traffic or steep climbing; it is not the place for road-bike speed or technical mountain biking.
- Distance 45 mi
- Time 2–3 days to ride the full network
- Permit Not required
- Season Mid-May – early Nov
There is no permit — the constraints are seasonal and logistical. The roads close in mud season when the spring-thaw surface is too soft to ride without rutting, and they aren't plowed in winter. In summer the Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond lots fill by mid-morning, so bring a bike from town or take the Island Explorer bike shuttle instead of fighting for parking.
The route, in order
How the route runs
Each stop below is a real place on the park's map — walked in sequence, with how long you spend at each.
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The signature ride
From Bar Harbor out to Jordan Pond — the most-ridden stretch, past Eagle Lake and under several of the cut-granite bridges. Refuel at the Jordan Pond House before looping back.
Plan B
If conditions turn
A multi-day route has more ways to go wrong than a dayhike. Here is what forecloses it — and your move when it does.
- Mud season (spring thaw)
The park closes the carriage roads when the surface is soft, to keep the crushed stone from rutting — typically late winter into April.
Instead: Ride the paved Park Loop Road in the shoulder season instead, or wait for the late-spring reopening.
- Summer parking full
The Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond lots fill by mid-morning in July and August.
Instead: Leave the car in Bar Harbor and take the Island Explorer bike shuttle to the trailhead.
Make it happen
Reserve your spot
The route is decided. The only thing between you and the trail is the permit — settle it now, while it's fresh.
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