Friends of Acadia invites hikers and their dogs to join the third annual dog-friendly Save Our Summits hike on Saturday, September. 12.

Participants will meet at 8:15 a.m. at the Parkman Mountain Carriage Road Trailhead and carry bags of soil to restoration sites on either Sargent or Penobscot Mountain, where the soil will support ongoing efforts to restore fragile summit vegetation. Advanced registration is required.

The dog-friendly outing also marks the final Save Our Summits hike of the season. A partnership among Friends of Acadia, Schoodic Institute, and Acadia National Park, the program brings volunteers together throughout the summer to help support restoration work on Acadia’s summits.

Acadia’s mountain plants are remarkably hardy, but they aren’t built to withstand repeated foot traffic. Decades of inadvertent trampling have damaged vegetation and contributed to the loss of the thin layers of soil plants need to survive. Increasingly frequent extreme weather can accelerate erosion and make natural recovery difficult.

The soil carried by hikers is used to rebuild eroded areas and create conditions for native plants to regrow. Since Save Our Summits began in 2023, more than 1,000 volunteers have carried more than 15,000 pounds of soil to Acadia’s peaks. Huge thank you to everyone who’s participated!

Be a Good Dog Steward in Acadia

Acadia is one of the country’s most dog-friendly national parks, with more than 100 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads open to dogs and their people. When exploring the park with your pup, help protect wildlife, other visitors, and your dog by:

• Keeping your dog on a leash no longer than 6 feet.
• Picking up after your pet and properly disposing of waste.
• Staying on designated trails to protect fragile vegetation.
• Checking weather, trail descriptions, and conditions to choose a hike appropriate for your dog’s abilities.

Friends of Acadia is grateful to Zuke’s dog treats for supporting this year’s dog-friendly Save Our Summits hike and for its broader support of Acadia and the park’s dog-friendly trails.

Ready to become a Soil Hero with your pup? Register now to join us on Sept. 12!

Claire Burnet smiles while petting a dog during a Save Our Summits soil restoration hike. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)

Hikers and their dogs participate in a Save Our Summits soil restoration hike to Sargent Mountain in Acadia National Park. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)

MJ Penn puts soil in her dog’s harness bag while participating in a Save Our Summits soil restoration hike. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)