The Jordan Pond Loop: 3.3 Miles You Won't Regret

The Jordan Pond Loop: 3.3 Miles You Won't Regret

The North and South Bubbles sit at the far end of Jordan Pond looking like the earth got playful. The loop trail circles the pond in 3.3 miles, and by eight in the morning you'll have the place mostly to yourself.

East side is packed gravel, flat and easy. The water is clear enough to count stones on the bottom. Loons call in the middle distance. The western shore gets rougher — log bridges, roots across the path, boulders — and then the trail opens up and the Bubbles appear reflected in the water with a sharpness that looks fake but isn't.

September is best. Maples turning, light going gold, crowds thinning out. Lot fills by nine, so don't be lazy about it. After the loop, walk up to Jordan Pond House for popovers and tea — tradition since 1893 and it still holds up.