Acadia National Park – Review

Somehow the only national park in the Northeast, Acadia National Park sits pretty on Mount Desert Island in Eastern Maine. The first place in the United States to see the sun rise every morning, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the tranquility that abounds here.

What is it?

Peaceful lakes, rugged mountains, rough oceans, rocky beaches, outlying islands, and plenty of New England charm.

Fast Facts:

Location: Coastal Maine plus several islands off the coast

Founded: 1919 (prior, a National Monument since 1916)

Size: 76.68 square miles

Cost: $35/car, $70/annual pass (if it’s in your budget, just buy the $80 America the Beautiful pass – access to every national park without additional fees for a full year). An additional $6 must be spent on a permit to drive the Cadillac Mountain road in peak season, May-October.¹

Islands: 20, plus part of the mainland on Schoodic Peninsula²

Visited: 2014

The Ridley Review:

One of the most remarkable aspects about Ken Burns’ 2009 documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea was how it emphasized the incredible diversity of the people who helped protect the lands that would become the national parks of today. In a lot of cases, it was the work of humble, working class people who were able to get their beloved land into the national discourse and argue for protection: a naturalist in the Everglades, an immigrant photographer in Great Smoky Mountains.

Acadia National Park’ s formation is rather unique in that regard. It starts out in a common manner: European settlers first pushed Native Americans off the land for their own settlement. As the heart of industrialization developed far from rural Maine, settlers moved away and the land became a summer home for the upper 1% of society: Rockefeller’s, Ford’s, Carnegie’s, and many other wealthy families bought up property on Mount Desert Island. In a touch of altruism, those same families gradually sold the land to form the park, with John D. Rockefeller personally designing the roads that weave through the park. Considering how the uber-wealthy took advantage of a global pandemic to increase their net worth an eye-watering amount, I challenge them to stop doing vanity space trips and ruining social media companies and bring back the spirit of philanthropy that was exhibited here.

A visit here brings a unique New England flavor not found in any other national park. It bears repeating that this is somehow the only national park in the Northeastern United States; seriously, I know the states and feds butt heads over these things, but how are Adirondacks in New York not a part of the National Park system? At Acadia you will hear foghorns, enjoy lobster rolls and clam chowder, and a horse-drawn carriage ride through the woods. Different activities abound depending on the season you visit and crowds are taking notice. There has been a real rise in visitation in recent years, and weekends and holidays are crowded. Be prepared for potential traffic on the main roads and even the Cadillac Mountain road.

I have a soft spot for this one – it was a nice respite in the Summer of 2014 from trying to decide on schools and next steps. It packs a lot into its small size and deserves the title of National Park.

The Layout

The main chunk of park is on the Eastern half of Mount Desert Island. Mount Desert Island connect to the mainland via a bridge on Highway 3. While Highway 3 cuts through the park at times, and other roads cut through the park elsewhere on the island, the best way to drive Acadia is via the Park Loop Road. The park’s highest peak, Cadillac Mountain, is reached via a branch road from the Park Loop Road.

Elsewhere, there is a portion of park on the Southwestern part of Mount Desert Island, of which Echo Lake is the main attraction. Off Mount Desert about an hour away, the Schoodic Peninsula on the mainland (reached from Mount Desert Island by crossing back to the mainland on 3, then turning East onto Interstate 1, and then South on State Route 186) provides additional hiking and ocean views. Isle au Haut is the largest of the many other islands that are protected by the park; to reach from Mount Desert, head back to the mainland on 3, then turn hard left onto 172 South. 172 turns into Highway 15, and continue South until you reach Stonington, where a passenger fairy takes you to Isle au Haut in the warmer weather months.

Transportation

Acadia is trying to cut down on cars on the island, and the Island Explorer bus does just that. A free bus, it picks up guests from the Bar-Hancock Regional Airport just off the island and the small towns that dot the island including Bar Harbor. It then takes passengers to most major points of interest within the park with the exception of the Cadillac Mountain summit.

Of course, you can still drive yourself. The Park Loop Road takes you from the main visitor center at the Northern part of the island on a 27-mile odyssey. The Park Loop Road provides access to the road that summits Cadillac Mountain.

A unique aspect of the Acadia Experience is taking a carriage ride. The roads for these are automobile-free and were built and used by Rockefeller before being taken over by the Park Service. You can book a ride here, and there are 45 miles of carriage roads to explore. Biking and, in the Winter, skiing are allowed on these roads as well.

Activities

Holy options, Batman! Hiking, biking, skiing, horseback riding, rock climbing, boating, and even swimming in the warmer months are all on tap here.

Roads and Gas

No gas stations inside the park, but there are plenty on Mount Desert Island, including in the nearest town to the park, Bar Harbor.

Most of the roads were covered in the “layout” section above. You can take Route 3 from the mainland and stay on it until you reach the Park Loop Road, or continue on 3 to reach the town of Bar Harbor. The other major roadway that enters Bar Harbor is Route 233, which takes you West through the park to Eagle Lake and then out of the park again. You can turn off 233 to pickup a continuation of Highway 3, which takes you to a quieter portion of the park with North and South Hadlock Ponds, or continue West on 198 until you reach 102 and then turn South, in order to see the Echo Lake area.

Rating:

An essential part of any New England road trip. Try to time it to visit in late September/early October for the peak of Fall.

Food & Lodging

Food

The cozy, quaint Jordan Pond House, right off the southern shore of Jordan Pond, opens for lunch, tea (!), and dinner during warmer months only. Note that this is NOT a cheap meal – you are paying for the view that comes with your meal.

Outside the park there are loads of restaurants and grab-and-go places, especially in Bar Harbor. Check menus before eating – there is huge discrepancy between the upscale restaurants and more casual counterparts. Bar Harbor is also Breakfast Heaven: the small town has 3 different bakeries!

Lodging

Hotels

None in the park, but several options on Mount Desert Island.

Camping

3 standards campgrounds and one option to really rough it:

Mount Desert Island

The Blackwoods Campground is located just off Highway 3 inside the park; it can be reached by staying on the road from Bar Harbor or taking the Sieur de Monts entrance off the Park Loop Road. By reservation only, these spots go at $30/night. The campground is open during the warmer months, usually May-October.

The Seawall Campground is located on the less-traveled western portion of the park. Take Highway 102A from either Bass Harbor or Southern Harbor to reach it. Also open seasonally at roughly the same dates as its counterpart above, the cost is also $30 by reservation only 2 months in advance.

Both campgrounds have water, flushing toilets, and trash collection.

Schoodic Peninsula

The Schoodic Woods Campground is also open May-October typically and costs the standard $30/night. By reservation only 2 months in advance, you get the same water, toilet, and trash amenities as the Mount Desert Island sites.

Isle au Haut

Primitive camping in the form of wooden lean-to shacks are available on the island. The cost is $20/night, and reservations are available 7 months in advance. There are only 5 spots, and they fill up quickly.

Hikes and attractions:

Hikes

Jordan Pond Path – Easy, meandering walk around the whole of Jordan Pond. The trail is mostly wheelchair accessible, but there is a small section of boardwalk that can get a bit hairy. This is a great walk for all fitness levels; for more advanced hikers, this is great to pair with a more difficult hike in the same day. Can be started at the Jordan Pond House or the boat launch on the opposite side of the pond.

The Bubbles Trail – short, steep, and sweet, this trail takes you up the Bubbles at the North end of Jordan Pond and gives you some amazing views of the pond below and the precarious Bubble Rock that somehow has not fallen off its cliff. Pick up the trailhead from Bubbles Divide parking lot. Great when paired with Jordan Pond Loop, to get an overlook after hiking around it.

Other Well-Regarded Hikes (That I haven’t Done)

Beehive Trail – one of the most well-known and popular hikes at Acadia, this adrenaline rush of a trail features a legendary section of climbing up iron rungs on an open-faced rock wall. Amazing views and adventure all in a 1.4 mile loop. Do not attempt if you are scared of heights.

Cadillac South Ridge Trail – the longest, most difficult, and most spectacular of the trails summitting Cadillac Mountain. 7.1 miles take the hiker from forest, to meadow, to cliff and eventually to the top of Cadillac Mountain.

Buck Cove Mountain Trail – the most well-regarded hike in the Schoodic Peninsula section of the park, this difficult, 3.2 mile hike goes to the highest section of the Peninsula and gives you sweeping views of the Peninsula and ocean.

Attractions

Thunder Hole – a neat force of nature: when the tides are right, water enters this hole in such a way that it sprays up and out, leading to onlookers potentially getting soaked! Right off the Park Loop Road.

Nature Center/Wild Gardens of Acadia – research center and accompanying gardens that is working to preserve and educate people on the native plants of Acadia. If you have 3+ days in the park, I recommend hitting this gem, but otherwise it is not vital to the Acadia experience.

National Park Rankings

1. Yosemite National Park
2. Olympic National Park
3. Zion National Park
4. Mount Rainier National Park
5. Bryce Canyon National Park
6. Arches National Park
7. Canyonlands National Park
8. Crater Lake National Park
9. Indiana Dunes National Park
10. Shenandoah National Park
11. Capitol Reef National Park
12. Acadia National Park
13. Redwood National Park
14. Pinnacles National Park
15. Cuyahoga Valley National Park

A note: as with all reviews to come, this will be updated upon any re-visit to the park. Feel free to comment or send in your own reviews or recommendations and we will get it added here!

1. https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/fees.htm ↩︎
2. per NPS ↩︎