Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park, located on the rock-bound Maine island of Mount Desert, is full of soaring cobblestone beaches, sand, and soaring granite cliffs. Glacier-carved mountains rear up from the sea, cupping deep lakes in their valleys. Meadowlands, marshes and dense evergreen forests also thrive in the park. The ocean makes its presence felt with sights, sounds and smells that abound in the park.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Sheridan SteelePhone Number: 207-288-3338
Entrance Fees: Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $20; Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $5; Annual Pass: $40
Sights: Carriage Roads; Sieur de Monts Spring Area; Thunder Hole; Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse; Islesford Historical Museum; Cadillac Mountain; Park Loop Road
Endangered Species: Peregrine Falcon
Important Dates
Established as Park: January 19, 1929By The Numbers
Acres: 47,400.00Highest Point: Cadillac Mountain (1528 feet)
Annual Visitation: 2,083,588 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :44.345040 / -68.307580 (map it)
State: ME
Nearby Big City: Bar Harbor, ME
Gateway Communities: Hulls Cove, ME; Bar Harbor, ME; Salsbury Cove, ME; Seal Harbor, ME; Northeast Harbor, ME; Islesford, ME
Nearby Airports: Hancock County Airport (BHB); Bangor International Airport (BGR)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : Yes
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Acadia National Park Co...
David Kay
Acadia Coast 2
Michael Rickard
Acadia Fall
George Burba
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In Detail
At Your Fingertips General Park Information (207) 288-3338 TTY:(207) 288-8800 Website http://www.nps.gov/acad/ Emergencies (207) 288-8791 Lost and Found (207) 288-8791 Weather Information (207) 667-8910 ... read more.
Camping Acadia National Park offers three wooded campgrounds, all within a five-minute walk of the ocean, two on Mount Desert Island and one on Isle au Haut. Additional camping facilities are located outside ... read more.
Carriage Roads In 1901, a group of wealthy Mount Desert Island summer residents banded together to set aside the land that would later become Acadia National Park. One of the park's early benefactors was John D. Ro ... read more.
Did You Know : Beavers The best time to see beavers is at dusk when they come out to forage and cut trees. From Park Loop Road, you can see beaver lodges in Beaver Dam Pond near Bear Brook Pi-cnic Area. ... read more.
Did You Know : Cadillac Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the Atlantic seaboard north of Brazil. ... read more.
Did You Know : Fire In 1947, a fire burned for 10 days before it was brought under control, consuming some 17,000 acres and destroying more than 60 grand cottages. ... read more.
Did You Know : Sea Smoke Sea smoke, which often swirls across the bay, is caused by chill winds blowing across the warmer ocean water. ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Not just any species of plant or animal can adapt to the ecological demands of Acadia's overlapping environments, but Acadia's flora and fauna have flourished. Most of the park's animals are adept at ... read more.
Highlights Established: Since it opened in 1916, Acadia National Park has boasted a number of firsts. It was the first national park east of the Mississippi. Perhaps more significantly, it was the first nationa ... read more.
History An Island Is Born Some 500 million years ago, what we now know as Mount Desert Island began taking shape on the ocean floor. Erosion swept sediments from the North American continental plate—sa ... read more.
How Long Does Litter Last? Glass bottles 1,000,000 years Aluminum cans 80 — 100 years Rubber boot soles 50 — 80 years Leather Up to 50 years Nylon fabric 30 — 40 years Plastic film containers 20 &m ... read more.
In A Nutshell PLANNING YOUR STAY Getting to Acadia Acadia National Park lies two-thirds of the way up the Maine coast, approximately 164 miles from Portland, 270 miles from Boston and 475 miles from New York City. ... read more.
Just For Kids A visit to Acadia National Park gives kids a chance to get back to nature, and in the process to learn about plant and animal life, living history and the wonders of the ecosystem. At the same time, ... read more.
Leave No Trace Our love of and desire to experience wild places are ultimately changing them. As park visitation increases, how can we lessen our impact on the land we care about? We can practice "Leave No Trace." ... read more.
Lobster Of all the creatures that inhabit Maine's cold ocean waters, none is better known or more highly prized than the lobster. This hardy crustacean once adorned the state's license plate and pops up on r ... read more.
Lodging & Dining Accommodations are not available within the park boundaries, but inns, motels, bed-and-breakfasts and campgrounds are plentiful around Mount Desert Island. LODGING When it comes to putting a roof o ... read more.
Mount Desert Acadia National Park covers much of Mount Desert Island. Most of the park is preserved in its natural state, with commercial activity taking place outside the park in surrounding communities. Busy li ... read more.
Oh Ranger The national parks have been called "the best idea America ever had." The idea, put simply, is to preserve and protect places and resources unimpaired for future generations. In an ever-changing worl ... read more.
Only A Day Acadia's compact size enables you to take in many of the park's highlights in one day. To make the most of your time, begin your day before 9 a.m. During the summer, the park is busiest between 10 a. ... read more.
Park Regulations For your safety, and to protect Acadia's treasures, please read and follow all NPS regulations. Complete regulations are available at any park visitor center. Shoreline Exploring Exercise caution alo ... read more.
Recent News
- “Eco-resort” Proponents to Make Their Case at Winter Harbor Meeting May 8, 2008, 7:44 pm
- House approves Acadia funds April 29, 2008, 6:19 pm
- Hundreds of volunteers turn out for annual Acadia park cleanup April 28, 2008, 3:01 pm
Acadia In Depth
News from the Parks
Alexander Backs New Source of Funding for National Parks
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
July 3, 2008 - 9:38am
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today announced he will cosponsor bipartisan legislation to create a new source of funding for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks across the country as part of the “Centennial Challenge” celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park System in 2016. “The Centennial Challenge could bring up to $4 million to the Smokies – the country’s most visited national park – and will go a long way toward improving park facilities, aiding conservation efforts, and helping build upon the excellent visitor services already offered. This 4th of July, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our country’s birthday than backing legislation that will aid efforts to preserve and celebrate our national parks, one of America’s greatest treasures.”
EPA's Pollution Plan Slammed
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
July 3, 2008 - 9:35am
City officials and business leaders here Wednesday warned that a federal proposal to relax air quality standards for the nation's national parks will ultimately be bad for business. Simply put, they said during a news conference at the entrance to Zion National Park, lower air standards being proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will hurt this gateway city economically if fewer tourists visit the park. "Air pollution could damage the stars, vistas and clean air we enjoy," Springdale Mayor Pat Cluff said. "Some places deserve to be preserved and it is my responsibility to preserve [the park] for those who come here."
Dinosaur Fossils In Utah Inspire 'Jr. Paleontologists'
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
July 2, 2008 - 9:57am
Millions of years ago, northeastern Utah was a hot spot for dinosaurs. Today, people travel to the Dinosaur National Monument located on the borders of Colorado and Utah to see the leftover dinosaur bones. Visitors can see as many as 1,500 Jurassic-era fossils exposed on the cliff face of the Douglass Quarry.
A Paiute Take On Bryce Canyon's Hoodoos
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
July 2, 2008 - 9:56am
The red spindly rock formations that make up the views at Bryce Canyon National Park are called hoodoos. Geologists say they were formed by erosion, but Kevin Poe, chief of interpretation at Bryce, shares his take on the Paiute legend about hoodoos.
Can The Everglades Be Saved?
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
July 2, 2008 - 9:55am
Environmentalists have been issuing dire warnings about the deterioration of the Florida Everglades for years, saying these wetlands have to be restored in order to revive fragile ecosystems and increase scarce fresh water supplies. Over half of the Everglades are gone, irreversibly converted to urban or agricultural development. But this week, in an attempt to save what's left, the state of Florida announced a plan to buy nearly 200,000 acres of former wetlands from a sugar cane producer. Advocates say the plan is the largest restoration project in American history.
The East Coast's Only Natural Fjord!
Someone told me recently that it was Somes Sound in Acadia. Is that true, and can someone tell me what exactly a fjord is? Thanks.