Acadia National Park, Maine
According to travelationary, Acadia National Park was established to preserve the beauty of Maine’s rocky coast with its many islands off the coast and its mountain range. Just a short drive up the Park Loop Road on Mount Desert Island up to Cadillac Mountain shows the special features of this park. The sea is omnipresent. Depending on the weather, every day has its own special character. On a sunny day, the blue of the sea is broken by countless lobster buoys. In the fog, on the other hand, everything is gray and veiled. Away from the sea you can see the forests and mountains of Acadia.
200 km of hiking trails criss-cross the park, many of which are easy trails with only gentle inclines, but there are also many steep rock paths. In addition, about 100 km of forest roads lead through the park, which are closed to cars. Part of it is approved for bicycles, which can be rented in different places.
But Acadia is much more than just forests and sea. Mount Desert Island was already inhabited by local people when Samuel de Champlain discovered it in 1604 and named it ‘L’Ile des Monts Deserts’. Native Americans, explorers, fishermen and ship builders, artists and summer visitors all contributed to the region’s rich cultural heritage spanning 6,000 years.
Today, the island’s towns reflect the diverse lifestyles of modern society. Northeast Harbor is a sheltered haven for both large and small sailboats. Bar Harbor caters to the needs of visitors with inns, motels and restaurants as well as entertainment venues. Bass Harbor and Southwest Harbor on the west side of the island, as well as Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula, have retained more of the atmosphere of Maine’s small coastal villages. This is where the people live who earn their livelihood from the sea.
The 27-mile (43 km) Park Loop Road begins at the visitor center and winds past many landmarks up Cadillac Mountain, the highest mountain on North America’s Atlantic coast. There are numerous hiking trails here. With a height of 466 m the summit of Cadillac Mountain offers a spectacular view over the Atlantic and the many small offshore islands. From up here you are the first to see the sunrise in the USA. The sunsets are also spectacular and the starry night sky is breathtaking.
Sieur de Monts Spring, also located on Park Loop Road, offers many interesting sights. The botanical garden contains more than 300 species of native trees, shrubs, flowers and plants. Learn about Acadia’s natural history at the Sieur de Monts Spring Nature Center. The Abbe Museum has one of the largest collections of early American finds in Maine.
Stone beaches dominate the Acadia coast, with the exception of Sand Beach, which attracts visitors who want to relax here. However, it is better to leave swimming in the Atlantic to the fish, seals and birds, because even in summer the water temperature rarely rises above 13° Celsius.
Perhaps the most picturesque is the 2-mile drive down Park Loop Road to Sand Beach, skirting the rugged rocky coastline. Other highlights along the route include Thunder Hole, where the sea ‘thunders’ against the rocks. When the sea is rough, you can hear the surf crashing against the chasm particularly loudly. The water piles up and then sprays 10 m high into the air. At low tide you can get a good insight into the fascinating world of sea creatures.
Location and Size
Coastal Maine’s Acadia National Park covers approximately 192 km² of coastline, with most of the park on Mount Desert Island, smaller areas on the nearby Schoodic Peninsula and offshore Isle au Ha.
Arriving
by car
From Boston, I-95 runs north to Augusta, Maine. Continue on Route 3 East to Ellsworth to Mount Desert Island.
As an alternative route, take I-95 north to Bangor, Maine. Then continue on Route 1A East to Ellsworth. In Ellsworth, take Route 3 to Mount Desert Island.
By Air
There are direct flights from Boston Logan Airport (BOS) to Hancock County Airport, which is 10 miles (16 km) from Acadia National Park. National airlines also fly into Bangor International Airport (BGR), the drive from the airport to the park takes approximately one hour. Rental cars are available at both airports.
By bus
There are regular bus services (Greyhound, Concord Coach Lines) from Boston to Bangor.
Opening times and seasons
The park is open from May 1st to October 31st. open. Park Loop Road is closed from December to mid-April.
Visitor
Centers The Hulls Cove Visitor Center is open 19/05-30/09. open from 09:00 to 17:00, and from 01.10.-31.10. from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From 01.11.-15.04. is it closed
The Thompson Island Information Center is open from mid-May to mid-October with varying hours.
The Village Green Information Center opens from 23.06. to Columbus Day (2nd Monday in October) from 09:00 to 17:00.
The best place to start your visit is at the Hulls Visitor Centre. You will receive information about things worth seeing and experiencing in Acadia Park. The park newspaper Beaver Log contains the dates of the events led by the natural history-trained rangers. From mid-June to mid-October, short and long hikes, boat trips and lectures and performances, mostly in the evenings at the campsites, are on the programme. The center also publishes its own weather report.
Entrance Fees
USD 30 for a private, non-commercial vehicle with up to 15 occupants. USD 25 for a motorcycle with a passenger. USD 15 for hikers, cyclists or pedestrians. Admission is valid for 7 days.
America the Beautiful Annual Pass
The annual pass costs $80 and entitles you to visit over 2,000 US federal recreation areas and national parks for one year from the date of purchase. The entrance fee applies to the driver and all passengers of a private, non-commercial vehicle (or up to a maximum of 4 adults in total if per-person entrance fees are charged). Children under 16 are free. If you visit more than 4 national parks, it is usually worth buying the America the Beautiful Annual Pass. The pass can be purchased at many stores in the US and is also available in advance from various tour operators.
