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
View More Acadia Photos
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
Park Service defends actions after finding arsenic at Fort Reno
May 15, 2008 - 12:28pm
The National Park Service was fending off uncomfortable questions Wednesday after it waited 14 hours to tell the public that one of Northwest’s most popular parks was potentially tainted with poison. The Park Service and U.S. Park Police swooped into Fort Reno Park early Wednesday, moving out pedestrians and throwing up storm fences. Officials said satellite pictures from the U.S. Geological Survey revealed pockets of arsenic on the ground that were nearly twice federal safety standards. The park has been closed to visitors until the arsenic can be removed, officials said. There was no timetable for reopening. It took until 9 a.m. for federal officials to call the D.C. Department of Health. The D.C. fire department wasn’t notified until around 1 p.m., a spokesman told The Examiner.
May 15, 2008 - 12:28pm
The National Park Service was fending off uncomfortable questions Wednesday after it waited 14 hours to tell the public that one of Northwest’s most popular parks was potentially tainted with poison. The Park Service and U.S. Park Police swooped into Fort Reno Park early Wednesday, moving out pedestrians and throwing up storm fences. Officials said satellite pictures from the U.S. Geological Survey revealed pockets of arsenic on the ground that were nearly twice federal safety standards. The park has been closed to visitors until the arsenic can be removed, officials said. There was no timetable for reopening. It took until 9 a.m. for federal officials to call the D.C. Department of Health. The D.C. fire department wasn’t notified until around 1 p.m., a spokesman told The Examiner.
Vets get heroes' welcome
May 15, 2008 - 12:27pm
A crowd of hundreds whooped, clapped and waved signs and American flags as one by one, about 100 World War II veterans from Simpsonville and across the Upstate descended the escalators on their return to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.The group, part of Honor Flight Simpsonville, returned May 7 from a daylong trip to Washington, D.C., where they visited the National World War II Memorial and other historic sites.Honor Flight Simpsonville, a project announced by the city of Simpsonville on Veterans Day last November, flew the veterans, guardians and a doctor on a chartered U.S. Airways flight to the nation's capital. The flight returned to Greenville at 7:45 p.m. after a day that started with a 9 a.m. flight and included visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the National Mall.
May 15, 2008 - 12:27pm
A crowd of hundreds whooped, clapped and waved signs and American flags as one by one, about 100 World War II veterans from Simpsonville and across the Upstate descended the escalators on their return to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.The group, part of Honor Flight Simpsonville, returned May 7 from a daylong trip to Washington, D.C., where they visited the National World War II Memorial and other historic sites.Honor Flight Simpsonville, a project announced by the city of Simpsonville on Veterans Day last November, flew the veterans, guardians and a doctor on a chartered U.S. Airways flight to the nation's capital. The flight returned to Greenville at 7:45 p.m. after a day that started with a 9 a.m. flight and included visits to Arlington National Cemetery and the National Mall.
Young guides give free tours, but welcome tips
May 15, 2008 - 12:26pm
With a little bit of rap (about King George III, of all people: "He was a meany and we were so teeny"), a healthy but not overbearing dose of history and a whole lot of nerve, two recent college graduates are rattling the genteel world of Washington tour guides. Ben Hindman and Brody Davis are giving tours for free. Working only for tips, the two friends in bright orange caps are attracting tourists who find themselves on the National Mall knowing little more than that the really tall one has to do with Washington; the squat, columned one is where Forrest Gump liked to hang out; and the one with the dome is where the president lives, or something like that. "A lot of tourists really don't know anything about Washington or history," Hindman says. "We thought we could entertain people and get them interested in history at the same time."
May 15, 2008 - 12:26pm
With a little bit of rap (about King George III, of all people: "He was a meany and we were so teeny"), a healthy but not overbearing dose of history and a whole lot of nerve, two recent college graduates are rattling the genteel world of Washington tour guides. Ben Hindman and Brody Davis are giving tours for free. Working only for tips, the two friends in bright orange caps are attracting tourists who find themselves on the National Mall knowing little more than that the really tall one has to do with Washington; the squat, columned one is where Forrest Gump liked to hang out; and the one with the dome is where the president lives, or something like that. "A lot of tourists really don't know anything about Washington or history," Hindman says. "We thought we could entertain people and get them interested in history at the same time."
Jefferson Memorial Needs Repair, Study Says
May 15, 2008 - 12:25pm
The sea wall at the Jefferson Memorial has sunk almost a foot in places since the monument was built, and the rate seems to have increased in recent years, according to a year-long study commissioned by the National Park Service. As a result, the sea wall, in the Tidal Basin, should be reinforced with pilings driven through the mud flats and anchored in bedrock far below, a project that would probably cost more than $10 million, a Park Service spokesman said. Park Service officials said they would study the report and conduct further investigations before deciding on a course of action. The 32,000-ton memorial does not appear to be sinking. But the report urges continued monitoring of the 18-acre complex to understand what is happening in the ground. One engineer said that if nothing is done, the problems will worsen.
May 15, 2008 - 12:25pm
The sea wall at the Jefferson Memorial has sunk almost a foot in places since the monument was built, and the rate seems to have increased in recent years, according to a year-long study commissioned by the National Park Service. As a result, the sea wall, in the Tidal Basin, should be reinforced with pilings driven through the mud flats and anchored in bedrock far below, a project that would probably cost more than $10 million, a Park Service spokesman said. Park Service officials said they would study the report and conduct further investigations before deciding on a course of action. The 32,000-ton memorial does not appear to be sinking. But the report urges continued monitoring of the 18-acre complex to understand what is happening in the ground. One engineer said that if nothing is done, the problems will worsen.
Kayaking Trips at Channel Islands National Park
May 15, 2008 - 12:22pm
My friend Craig and I were nearing the end of our paddling excursion through Channel Islands National Park: a circumnavigation of Santa Rosa Island, followed by an open ocean sprint through pea soup fog to Santa Cruz Island, and an exploration of the natural wonders on that island’s craggy front side. We kayaked past volcanic sea stacks and configurations such as Profile Point, then paddled into the Dardanelles, where we ducked under triangular and keyhole-shaped arches. But it was the black mass that swarmed beneath Craig’s kayak at Potato Harbor that we remember most.We couldn’t have asked for cleaner paddling conditions: no swell or wind, and the water clarity mirrored the South Pacific. We’d paddled the entire front side of the largest island in the archipelago without a break, and decided to stretch our legs at Potato Harbor, the last protected cove before Scorpion Anchorage on the southeast end of the isle. As soon as our hulls scraped wet sand, that black mass appeared in the waist-deep water. A gazillion silverfish bonded into a giant baitball. Stiff-legged, Craig gently shoved his kayak back into the protected waters of Potato. Perhaps instantly drawn toward his multicolored vessel, the baitball swayed beneath him, a sort of aquatic ballet and another Channel Islands natural wonder within the ebb and flow of a draining tide.
May 15, 2008 - 12:22pm
My friend Craig and I were nearing the end of our paddling excursion through Channel Islands National Park: a circumnavigation of Santa Rosa Island, followed by an open ocean sprint through pea soup fog to Santa Cruz Island, and an exploration of the natural wonders on that island’s craggy front side. We kayaked past volcanic sea stacks and configurations such as Profile Point, then paddled into the Dardanelles, where we ducked under triangular and keyhole-shaped arches. But it was the black mass that swarmed beneath Craig’s kayak at Potato Harbor that we remember most.We couldn’t have asked for cleaner paddling conditions: no swell or wind, and the water clarity mirrored the South Pacific. We’d paddled the entire front side of the largest island in the archipelago without a break, and decided to stretch our legs at Potato Harbor, the last protected cove before Scorpion Anchorage on the southeast end of the isle. As soon as our hulls scraped wet sand, that black mass appeared in the waist-deep water. A gazillion silverfish bonded into a giant baitball. Stiff-legged, Craig gently shoved his kayak back into the protected waters of Potato. Perhaps instantly drawn toward his multicolored vessel, the baitball swayed beneath him, a sort of aquatic ballet and another Channel Islands natural wonder within the ebb and flow of a draining tide.
