Breakneck Road is part of an ancient travel route across Mount Desert Island, from Hulls Cove to the former Native American shell fishing sites and villages around what is now Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor. Locate the Hulls Cove post office and general store on Route 3, a few miles north of Bar Harbor, and you’ll have found not only Breakneck Road, but Breakneck Brook, Breakneck Hollow, a wealth of fascinating history, and a wonderfully wild hike.

For many millennia, Breakneck Brook was an important source of fresh water for the native peoples who journeyed here from around Frenchman Bay and points further inland to use the cross-island trail. From the early 1600s into the 1700s, French expeditions also visited the site to collect water – including Samuel de Champlain in 1604 – and trade furs, fish and other fruits of the sea with the Wabanaki, and this is thought to be one explanation for the bay’s name.

You’ll learn these interesting factoids and a lot more 100 feet up Breakneck Road at the Breakneck Hollow Historic Site information kiosk. A quarter-mile beyond, the paved road ends at a gate and small parking area. This is the start of your Breakneck Road hike, which leads for a little over 3 miles through the lightly-traveled northern reaches of Acadia National Park to Route 233 near the north end of Eagle Lake.

On the hill beyond Breakneck Brook is an impressive grove of mature hemlocks, old soldiers that were miraculously spared in the Fire of 1947. Carey Kish photo

The old road – unmarked and unmaintained, so travel is at your own risk – follows Breakneck Brook gradually uphill into a beautiful ravine, and just after crossing the brook, you’ll saunter through an impressive grove of mature hemlocks. These big trees and the large oaks, pines and spruce you’ll see ahead were miraculously spared from the horrific fire of October 1947 that burned nearly 18,000 acres on the island over a month’s time.

How did Breakneck Road get its intriguing name? Apparently in the 19th century, there were quite a number of unpleasant carriage accidents on the steepish hill in the area of Breakneck Brook, enough to warrant the descriptor to warn of its potential dangers to life and limb. Speaking of, for the Wabanaki, overland travel on foot was much safer than canoeing in the open ocean and battling the strong winds and heavy waves along the island’s rugged margin.

Beginning in the 18th century, Breakneck Road served as a principal connector route between Hulls Cove and Northeast Harbor. In 1999, the road was declared impassable and abandoned by the town of Bar Harbor and later gated. The land reverted to Acadia National Park, but the town kept the right-of-way, and today, while the forested track is eroded in a few places, it’s still in surprisingly good shape.

Cresting a rise, Breakneck Road arrives at the Breakneck Ponds and a lovely view across to Youngs Mountain. The track crosses the narrows between the two ponds on a crumbly old causeway, and it’s here that you’ll enjoy a fine look at the steep western slopes of lofty Cadillac Mountain. The final stretch of the old road ascends the little valley between McFarland Mountain and Brewer Mountain.

At Route 233, it’s a short hop east to the Eagle Lake trailhead, where you’ll pick up the carriage road system for your return leg. Along these wide, fine-gravel roads, you’ll pass by the Breakneck Ponds once more and then Witch Hole Pond before skirting Paradise Hill and reaching Hulls Cove. All told, the circuit is just shy of 7 miles.

The Hulls Cove Sculpture Garden showcases some 50 open air works of art. Carey Kish photo

At Hulls Cove once again, pause at the historic site marker to absorb more of the remarkable Breakneck story. Amble ahead to the Hulls Cove Sculpture Garden, a project of the Davistown Museum, where you’ll enjoy 50 works of art. The conclusion of your sojourn through this window of natural beauty and rich history is soon after.

Breakneck Road is accessible year-round and makes a nice winter snowshoe adventure. You might even consider spotting a vehicle and your Nordic ski outfit at the Eagle Lake trailhead, in which case you can ski the groomed and tracked carriage roads back to the start.

Note: Parking is tight at the Breakneck Road and Eagle Lake trailheads, so if the spaces are full, please choose a different hike and return at another time.

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is the author of “Beer Hiking New England,” “AMC’s Best Day Hikes Along the Maine Coast” and the AMC “Maine Mountain Guide.” Follow more of Carey’s adventures on Facebook and on Instagram @careykish

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