When you think of the most scenic parts of the United States you might not immediately think of Maine, but that would be a serious oversight. And some of the most beautiful spots in Maine can be found among the 47,000+ acres of Acadia National Park. The park consumes much of Mount Desert Island and parts of a couple of nearby smaller islands. Acadia was designated a national park in 1919, the first east of the Mississippi River.
Mount Desert Island is accessible from the Maine mainland by a bridge and is about 50 miles southeast of Bangor. It’s a very rocky island – the coastline is a photographer’s heaven, with hundreds of photo-worthy locations where land, water and forest come together. Cadillac Mountain, named after the French explorer, dominates the eastern half 0f Acadia National Park. Thanks to its height and longitude, Cadillac is one of the first places in the United States to see the sun rise every morning. The mountain is accessible by road, but the road is closed during the winter.
While there are some great scenic drives in Acadia, there’s lots more to see on over 125 miles of hiking trails. There are 45 miles of crushed stone “carriage roads” suitable for bicycling. In addition to the coastline, sounds and coves connected to the Atlantic Ocean, there are many lovely lakes and ponds on the island. Freshwater fishing season runs from April through September (license required) and you can find salmon and trout in the lakes of Acadia National Park. There are two lifeguard-equipped beaches, Sand Beach and Echo Lake Beach, where swimming is permitted.
Acadia National Park shares Mount Desert Island with several coastal towns, the largest and most famous of which is Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor has several hotels and inns, if you’re looking for a place to stay near Acadia. There are two campgrounds in the park, Blackwoods and Seawall, both within a 10-minute walk of the coast.
