Acadia National Park

Entrance Sign

Sweeping mountain views, rugged ocean scenery, and abundant wildlife all contribute to the splendor that is Acadia National Park. Acadia's 46,000 acres stretch from Isle au Haut in the southwest to the Schoodic Peninsula in the northeast. However, the heart and soul of Acadia is Mount Desert Island, a place of scenic pink-granite mountains, deep glacial ponds, cobblestone beaches, and ocean-side cliffs. Bald Eagles, ospreys, and peregrine falcons patrol the skies while seals, porpoises, and seabirds fish the cold waters of Frenchman Bay and beyond. Mount Desert Island is the third largest island in the continental United States and boasts such natural wonders as Somes Sound, the only fiord on the East Coast, and Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the East Coast north of Brazil.

Acadia National Park consistently ranks as one of the ten most visited national parks in the United States. With 3 million visitors entering the park every year, it sees the same amount as much bigger parks, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. With that many people enjoying Acadia's limited and fragile resources, everyone must remember to help protect the resource. It is imperative that everyone learn and adhere to Leave No Trace principles.

Location
Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are located forty-five miles southeast of Bangor, Maine. From Bangor, drive east on the Alternate Route 1 to Route 3 in Ellsworth. Following Route 3 south will take you to Mount Desert Island. The entrance to Acadia National Park is located off Maine Route 3 in Hulls Cove, just north of Bar Harbor. Once you are on the island you can take advantage of the park's free bus system, Island Explorer, from late June through early October.  Nature Man highly recommends this transportation system to get around the park.

Lodging
There are two campgrounds in the national park: Blackwoods and Seawall. Many private campgrounds including a very nice KOA (Nature Man camped here) are in the area.  Bar Harbor Northeast Harbor, and Southwest Harbor are full of inns, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.

Food
Restaurants are located throughout the island, with the biggest selection in Bar Harbor. The Hannaford on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor is the island's largest grocery store. The Alternative Market, located across from the Bar Harbor town green, has a good selection of health foods. In Southwest Harbor, you can buy groceries at the Southwest Harbor Food Mart.

National Park Service Information
First-time visitors to Acadia National Park should begin their visit by stopping in the Hulls Cove Visitor Center on Maine Route 3. Here you can pick up a schedule of ranger-led events, talk to a ranger about your park visit, and pick up fliers and books about Acadia.

A Diversity of Life

Rocky Shores

Sea meets land at Acadia, and life thrives from shore to summit. Tide pools or pockets in the rocky shore trap pools of water as the tide recedes. Amazing plants and creatures, starfish among them, survive in the worlds between the tides. Woodlands or Spruce-fir forest dominate the park until 1947, when fire burned 10,000 acres. In its wake grew birch, aspen, and oak. The fire brought more variety to both the woodlands and the wildlife the new growth attracted, such as the red fox and white-tailed deer.  Lakes or glacially carved valleys cradle freshwater lakes in Acadia's interior. Here waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates thrive. Mountains are home to woodlands and numerous plant species. On some of the cliff faces peregrine falcons nest.

Scenic Driving and Carriage Roads
The 20-mile Park Loop Road connects Acadia's lakes, mountains and seashore. Cadillac Mountain Road offers panoramic views of the coast and island-studded bays. Acadia's 44 miles of historic carriage roads are one of the finest examples of broken-stone roads left in America. You can bicycle on the carriage roads or the 27 miles of paved roads.

Nature Man Photography is pleased to bring you the following: