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Plan a Road Trip > Explore America > Maine > National Parks |
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Acadia National Park
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 4609
Phone: 207-288-3338
Fax: 207-288-5507
Overview.0 Carved by glaciers and pounded by ocean waves, Acadia National Park's rugged seashore and hilly interior offer a wide range of activities. Over 2.5 million people per year take advantage of the park's 47,000 acres, making it one of the most popular national parks. Swooping ospreys, bobbing boats, and silent stands of trees welcome visitors to this group of islands and peninsulas located two-thirds of the way up the Maine coastline.
When the glaciers retreated, they scoured mountains, fjords, and lakes out of an ancient granite ridge. Mussels and crabs found homes in the tidal pools, while many colorful species of ducks paddled on porpoise playgrounds. Wabanaki Indians made their homes on the Maine coast, where the French explorer Samuel de Champlain found them in 1604. Until the United States claimed possession of these islands in the late 18th century, they were a bone of contention between France and Britain. In the late 19th century, East Coast society families shared the islands' resources with local fishermen and boat builders. In order to preserve their quiet retreat away from the hubbub of city life, many summer residents purchased land and donated it to the Park Service. It became a national park in 1919, but land was acquired long after that.
Today visitors enjoy not only the magnificent coastline but also the unspoiled, forested interior of Mount Desert Island and Isle au Haut. Hiking trails thread the trees and skirt the shore, while John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s carriage roads through Mount Desert Island welcome walkers, bikers, and horseback riders. Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak on the eastern seaboard, rises over an island home to thriving villages coexisting with outdoor preserves.
What to see and do. 0 Your visit to Acadia could be divided into two parts: a day on the main island, then days spent on excursions to outlying islands and peninsulas. Split roughly in half by Somes Sound, Mount Desert Island has two "lobes." If you have only a day for Acadia, focus your time on the eastern lobe. When crossing the causeway from the mainland, stop at the Thompson Island Information Center. You'll receive good directions to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center (open from mid-April to October 31), where a film, exhibits, and rangers introduce you to the park. Consider making a tour around the Park Loop Road. Along its 20 miles, you'll have plenty of opportunity to sample the island's riches. Bird-watchers will want to spend time at Sieur de Monts Spring and along the coast, especially at Otter Point. After following the coastline, the road turns inland through tranquil forest, eventually bringing you to Jordan Pond House. A bite to eat and a constitutional along the nature trail will leave you ready for the second half of the road, which includes a spur up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. At 1,530 feet the park's highest point, Cadillac is a splendid place from which to witness a rising or setting sun.
In order to best appreciate Acadia's quiet interior spaces, most visitors take advantage of more than 120 miles of hiking trails and 44 miles of carriage roads. Hikes are relatively brief but range from strenuous to easygoing. The carriage roads are unique to Acadia. Don't miss the granite bridges built especially for these roadways. Bikers are welcome to ride carriage roads within the park, though mountain bikes are recommended for all but two roads. Biking is prohibited on hiking trails and on posted private-land carriage roads (south of Jordan Pond).
Naturalists can enjoy this park in many ways. You'll find self-guided nature trails at the Jordan Pond House, at the Carroll Homestead in Southwest Harbor, and at Ship Harbor, located on the far southern tip of the western lobe. Canoeing and kayaking are increasingly popular ways to see Acadia's wildlife. Because these watercraft are quieter than powerboats, animals and birds don't take fright so easily, and you can better observe them in their natural habitats. On the boat rides to Islesford Historical Museum, located on Little Cranberry Island, rangers lead programs focusing on the natural and cultural history of the bay. During your explorations of Acadia's hallmark seashore, pay close attention to the tidal pools, where myriad small creatures such as sea urchins make their temporary homes.
Summer may be the high season at Acadia, but wintertime offers delights, too. Roads are closed to cars; snowmobiles may be welcome, but you should check with park rangers regarding available routes. Snowshoers and cross-country skiers may wind their way along the carriage roads and hiking trails. Maine is close to the ocean, though, so don't expect a lot of snow. Blackwoods Campground remains open throughout the year. All pets must be on a leash. Hiking is discouraged, as trails are usually icy, snow-covered, and dangerous.
If you can spend more than a day, lodging is easy to find. Mount Desert Island itself hosts tiny Bar Harbor as well as smaller communities, all offering private accommodations. Two campgrounds within the park, Blackwoods and Seawall, invite overnight stays. Because Acadia is a short drive from many towns along the Maine coast, gas and supplies are easy to come by. Boat, bike, and ski rentals are widely available.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
PO Box 177 c/o Acadia National Park
Bar Harbor, ME 4609
Phone: 207-288-3338
Fax: 207-288-5507
Overview. In 1604, before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, French explorer Pierre du Gua, Sieur de Monts and 78 others, including famous explorer Samuel Champlain, tried to establish a permanent French settlement here. They began to build fortifications, service buildings, and dwellings, but they were not prepared for the harsh winter that lay ahead. The first snow fell in early October, and by December the Saint Croix River froze, effectively cutting them off from hunting and foraging opportunities on the mainland. The isolation was almost as debilitating as hunger and scurvy, which plagued most of the men.
Almost half of the group died, and the survivors moved north to Port Royal to settle in what is now the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Most of the buildings were transported from the island to the new settlement; the remaining structures burned.
French settlement of Canada continued, and Saint Croix Island saw intermittent human habitation since de Monts' men abandoned it. It served as neutral ground for meetings between the U.S. and Britain during the War of 1812, and a farm was also established here, but winters are bitter on Saint Croix, summers are rainy, and at high tide, only six and a half acres are above water. Eventually, the island was left to the elements. No infrastructure, plumbing, or electrical systems have been built. A lighthouse was erected here in 1856, but was destroyed by fire in 1976. Today the Coast Guard maintains a navigation beacon in its place.
What to see and do. The island is open only for daytime excursions and may be reached only via private boat; there is no ferry service available. It is a bird-watcher's paradise: several species of migratory birds, including warblers and cormorants, use the island as a rest stop in the spring and fall. No hunting or campfires are allowed. Saint Croix is best for communing with nature--a place to just "get away from it all" for a day.
Picnic facilities and a pit toilet are located on the mainland, but water is not available. An interpretive shelter, also on the mainland, consists of a plaque from 1904 commemorating the tricentennial of de Monts' discovery.
Nearby Port Royal National Historic Park in Nova Scotia features a reconstruction of the village de Monts and his men built there after Saint Croix Island was abandoned.
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