Aunt Bettys Pond Loop

Aunt Bettys Pond Loop is unique not only for its unusual place names but also because the pond is the largest on Mt. Desert Island to which there is not vehicle access. If you see a canoe on this pond, its been carried in.

After parking your car in the Eagle Lake parking lot about three miles west of Bar Harbor on Rte. 233, walk west along the footpath to where you can turn left. Go under Rte. 233, and at [6] continue straight along the west side of Eagle Lake. The first mile is flat, but the second climbs to 468 feet at [8]. Turn right here. At [10] the carriage roads intersect in a K shape. Stay to the right.

If youre skiing, the fun starts now. The carriage road twists and turns as it drops steeply, crossing a meandering stream over six little bridges. The crossings are known as Seven Bridges. Old-timers say the seven bridges actually include a culvert below the six structures.

The long descent ends near Gilmore Meadow, which youll see on your left. Stay to the right at [11]. Aunt Bettys Pond, shallow and marshy, appears on the left. Exactly who Aunt Betty was is still unclear to historians. The name can be found on maps dating back to 1890.

Leaving the pond, the carriage road rises from the marshy lowlands to an elevation where the views of the pond and of Eagle Lake and Cadillac Mountain are magnificent. At [9] turn left to return to your car.