Acadia National Park Guide
Nestled on the high coast of Maine, Acadia National Park has been described as the Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic, and for good reason. Its most popular attractions are found on Mount Desert Island, offering travelers a mix of comfort and wilderness with the resort town of Bar Harbor, and the untouched beauty of Acadia's nature. Pink coastal cliffs, mountain peaks, fresh-water lakes, and lush forests await visitors--and a variety of wildlife, from humpback whales, puffins, beaver, turkey, and white-tail deer, there's many that call this park home. With miles of coastal and interior hiking trails, a network of carriage roads popular with cyclists, several beaches and an entire ocean around it, Acadia lives up to its crown jewel title.
When to Visit
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Summer and early fall are peak season in Acadia, with July and August having warmer weather, while September and October have cooler temperatures, but put on a show with spectacular fall foliage. Peak season brings the heaviest crowds though, and expect long lines at the Sand Beach entrance station unless you arrive early. While Acadia is open in the winter, much of the park loop road closes to cars, and opens for snowmobiling. Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are popular winter activities too, and an opportunity to enjoy the park in a season where few visit.
How to Get There
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Located near the end of Maine's coast, not too terribly far from the Canadian border at New Brunswick, Acadia National Park is pretty far north for the continental United States. That being said, those planning to drive to the park will have no issue, and taking the scenic route along the coastal Highway One is never a bad idea. The closest major airport to the park is in Portland, Maine, about three and a half hours away. Another closer, but likely more expensive option is the Bar Harbor Airport, which services smaller planes and airlines, though JetBlue does run flights into here from Boston. Both airports have car rental facilities on site.
Things to Do in Acadia National Park
Cadillac Mountain
Time: 2.5 hour hike/10 minute drive.
Distance: 4 mile hike via the North Ridge Trail/3.5 mile drive via Cadillac Summit Road.
Acadia has a number of peaks, but none are more famous than Cadillac Mountain. How you reach the summit though, is entirely up to you. It's four miles roundtrip hiking via the North Ridge Trail, or if you're a masochist, around eight miles via the South Ridge Trail. The higher you get, the better the views of the surrounding coast and Bar Harbor get. If you're saving your legs for another day, or not the hiking type, it's a short drive to the top where a gift shop and large parking lot await, along with some amazing, 360 degree views of the park. Why such a big parking lot though? Because the summit gets busy around an hour before sunrise everyday, and for good reason: during certain times of the year, Cadillac Mountain is the first place in the United States to see sunrise, and it is a breathtaking view you won't want to miss. Again, do arrive early though, because it gets crowded quick!
The sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain lives up to the hype.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Time: 30 minutes.
Distance: .4 miles.
Maybe the most photographed lighthouse in the park, there's good reason for it. There's a small parking lot next to the lighthouse and pathway to its base, but the real view comes from taking the short trail through the forest at the end of the parking lot, down a wooden staircase, and out onto the pink granite cliffs. Carefully scramble downwards closer to the water, and you're rewarded with maybe the most famous view of the park, with the lighthouse sitting on top of the cliffs, and the ocean beneath it. Stop by for sunset, where it sinks below the horizon just to the left of the lighthouse, varying depending on the time of year. Get there early though, as the parking lot fills quickly for sunset, and a ranger will often shut the road down to vehicle traffic once it's at capacity. For more on Bass Harbor Lighthouse, click here.
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Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is a classic Acadia view--and for good reason.
Carriage Roads
Time: Up to you!
Distance: 45 miles total.
One of the things that separates Acadia from other parks is its network of carriage roads. Originally constructed during the park's early days for horse-drawn carriages, the roads are now popular with bicyclists and hikers too. Weaving past the bases of Acadia's mountains, fresh-water lakes, lush forests, waterfalls, and more, the carriage roads are an amazing, scenic, and relatively easy way to see some Acadia's most popular, as well as lesser-known sights.
Take the carriage roads to Waterfall Bridge (above) or Eagle Lake (below).
Jordan Pond
Time: 1 - 3 hours if hiking.
Distance: 3.4 mile Jordan Pond Loop trail/1.5 mile Bubbles trails.
If the Bass Harbor Lighthouse is the most famous Acadia view, then Jordan Pond is the second most famous. It's so scenic, they decided to put an upscale restaurant on its shore: the Jordan Pond House. Whether you're in the mood for fine-dining or not, Jordan Pond can be accessed via the park loop road, or by the carriage road system. A flat trail loops around the pond--keep your eyes open for wildlife like beaver, bald eagles, and loons. The two rounded mountains at the pond's end are known as the Bubbles, and can be summited via the North or South Bubble Mountain trails--around 1.5 miles long each. Find the trails on the park loop road that runs parallel to Jordan Pond, or access them from the Jordan Pond Loop.
Jordan Pond with the Bubbles in the distance.
The Beehive
Time: 1 - 2 hours.
Distance: 1.4 miles.
So you've summited Cadillac Mountain and maybe the Bubbles, what's next? How about Acadia's most treacherous hike? 1.4 miles might not be that long, but the Beehive isn't for those with a fear of heights. Iron rungs and railings are bolted into the mountainside, to assist hikers in skirting the vertical and narrow cliff edges of its trail. Reaching the top, you get a fantastic view of Sand Beach below and Otter Cliffs in the distance. Begin at the Bowl Trailhead across from the Sand Beach parking lot (arrive early or else you'll be waiting for a spot) until you reach the junction for the Beehive, then begin your ascent. Upon reaching the top, finish the loop off by descending the Beehive's backside and taking the Bowl Trail back.
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The Beehive's famous iron rungs--they only get steeper.
Credit Jeff Gunn.
Sand Beach
Time: N/A.
Distance: N/A.
When trekking a national park, your first thought might not be about having a beach day, but if traveling to Acadia, you might just change your mind. Passing through the entrance station on the southeast side of Mount Desert Island puts you at the park's most popular spot: Sand Beach. Did they put a lot of effort into naming it? No, but it's a great place for relaxing on a hot summer day, even if the water here stays pretty cold in the warmer months. The secret is long out on this place though, so despite the large parking lot, arrive early in the morning or you're liable to be parking a mile down the road. If daylight isn't your thing (are you a vampire?), stop by on a moonless night (or maybe a werewolf?) for some breathtaking star-gazing--some of the clearest dark skies are found up here.
They weren't lying: there is indeed sand on Sand Beach!
The Milky Way rises over Sand Beach.
Honorable mention: Echo Beach
Sand Beach too crowded? Atlantic Ocean too cold (hint: it is) up here? Sea creatures teasing you (they can be mean) too much? Why not try out Echo Beach on the western side of Mount Desert Island, located on the fresh-water Echo Lake? While still busy in the summer months, it's a welcome alternative to the often-crowded Sand Beach.
Echo Beach: not quite as sandy as Sand Beach, but not quite as crowded either.
Acadia National Park Cinematic Video
Crystal clear night skies, sand beaches, spectacular cliffs, and aquatic life are just some of the things you'll see in this cinematic video of Acadia National Park. Oh, and what just might be one of the best sunrises ever from the peak of Cadillac Mountain, all in under two minutes.
Otter Cliffs
Time: 2 - 3 hours.
Distance: 4.4 miles via the Ocean Path Trail.
Passing through the Sand Beach entrance station on the park's southeast side puts you smack in the middle of some of Acadia's most famous coastal views: the sheer, pink-granite Otter Cliffs rise above the Atlantic Ocean, as waves crash into them below. The relatively easy 4.4 mile long Ocean Path Trail might be the best way to see them, meandering through green forests with ample turnouts where the hiker is free to walk out onto the cliffs themselves and check out the views.
Otter Cliffs are free for you to explore--cautiously, of course.
Honorable mention: Little Hunter's Beach
While just past the Otter Cliffs area on the Park Loop Road, this rocky beach in a hidden cove is worth checking out. While marked on the park map, there's no signage on the road for it, so keep your eyes peeled for a turnoff on the right once you cross the bridge over Otter Cove and begin ascending. Across the street from the turnoff is a wooden staircase that will take you down to Little Hunter's Beach: years and years of crashing waves have smoothed and rounded the stones here, and while it might not be comfortable to lay on, it's worth checking out for the scenery alone. For more on Little Hunters Beach, click here.
Bar Harbor
Time: N/A.
Distance: N/A.
You'd do yourself a disservice to visit Acadia and not check out the town of Bar Harbor. Located on the east side of Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor is certainly a tourist town, but that's not a bad thing necessarily. While it can get crowded in the summer, it's worth checking out the novelty shops, outdoor stores, cafes, ice cream parlors, and restaurants in this coastal town. Find fresh lobster at Stewman's Lobster Pound, or some local craft beers at Atlantic Brewing Company. Bar Harbor is where you'll also find Acadia's Bar Island Trail, only walkable during low tide. If you want to see some big marine life though, you're going to book tickets for a whale watching expedition in downtown Bar Harbor.
Bar Harbor is bustling during the summer months.
Whale and Puffing Watching
Time: 3 - 5 hours.
Distance: N/A.
Mount Desert Island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, so of course there's whales, right? The Bar Harbor Whale Watching Co. offers daily tours for a chance to see some of the ocean's biggest inhabitants. Tickets cost $63.00, but if they fail to spot any whales, you're given a voucher for another tour. In the summer months, they also offer puffin and lighthouse tours for $53.00, taking you past some of the area's less-accessible lighthouses and to the nesting grounds of Atlantic Puffins. Unlike the whales, you're pretty much guaranteed to see some puffins--and lots of them.
Whales call the waters around Acadia home, as well as Atlantic Puffins in the summer.
Bar Island only becomes reachable during low tide.
You never know what you might find in the Ship Harbor Trail tide pools.
Bass Harbor Campground.
Here you'll find Thunder Hole, a narrow inlet known for creating gigantic sprays when ocean waves get channeled in. If you don't feel like hiking the whole trail, the Park Loop Road runs parallel to it, with numerous areas where you can park your car and explore the cliffs in shorter sections.
Visit Thunder Hole as the tide is coming in for the best waves--prepare to get wet if you stand this close!
The smooth stones of Little Hunters Beach.
Tide Pooling
Time: 1 - 2 hours.
Distance: 1.8 miles via Bar Island Trail/1.3 miles via Ship Harbor Nature Trail.
Whales too big for you? Or maybe you just want to see some of the ocean's smaller residents. Either way, you have several options should you feel like exploring some tide pools and seeing some of their residents. From snails, to crabs, starfish and more, the tide pools are teeming with aquatic life--just be sure to tread carefully so you don't crush any of them!
Bar Island Trail
The Bar Island Trail is actually found in the town of Bar Harbor, and only accessible about two hours before and after low tide. The island and path emerge once the water has receded enough, and visitors are free to explore the island and the tide pools left behind. The trail itself is found by following West Street along the coast until you come to Bridge Street, which leads down to the trail and island. For more on Bar Island, click here.
Ship Harbor Trail
Located on the southwestern part of the island near Bass Harbor, the Ship Harbor Trail is a short, scenic loop through the forest, emerging about midway near an inlet that becomes quite shallow during low tide. Make your way out onto the rocks and down to the water which is teeming with life. It's here where we had our best luck, seeing many crabs of different sizes, and even a starfish. Ship Harbor is located on route 120A near the Seawall Campground and Wonderland Trail (similar to the Ship Harbor Trail). For more on the Ship Harbor Trail, click here.
Where to Stay in Acadia National Park
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Hotels and Lodges
All over Mount Desert Island you'll find a variety of chain and independently-owned hotels and motels. Those closest to Bar Harbor will be the most expensive, starting at $200.00 per night and up during the peak season. The smaller, independently owned motels will be cheaper, but without the flair of the higher-end resorts. If the summer crowds of Bar Harbor aren't your thing, consider looking at motels on the quieter west side of the island near the small towns of Northwest Harbor or Southeast Harbor. There are also numerous Airbnbs available on the island as well.
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Camping
There are two campgrounds within the park on Mount Desert Island: Blackwoods Campground is located near the southeastern tip of the island, close to some of the park's major attractions, while the Seawall Campground is on the quieter, southwestern side; both cost $30.00 per night, and reservations should be made well in advance at Recreation.gov. An alternative is choosing one of the many private campgrounds on the island, such as Mount Desert Campground, or our personal favorite, the Bass Harbor Campground. Private campgrounds often have hot showers and other facilities the park campgrounds lack, but are usually slightly more expensive and outside of park boundaries.