Driving Acadia

Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England and covers 41,000 acres; that’s about two-fifths of the entire island (see our map). There are miles and miles of carriage roads built by Rockefeller for biking, walking, or enjoying the romance of a horse drawn carriage ride, over one hundred miles of hiking trails of all levels of difficulty and an auto only 27 mile “Park Loop Road” circling the island’s summit, Cadillac Mountain. It is a spectacular location where you can absorb the mountains, ocean and islands simultaneously. Facilities at the park include 45 miles of carriage roads built by J. D. Rockefeller for walking, biking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. The park has 120 miles of hiking-only trails, 2 campgrounds, a restaurant, and 3 gift shops. Acadia averages 3 million visitors each year with the majority visiting during July and August (almost 700,000 visitors per month) and the fewest during December, January, and February (almost 38,000 visitors per month). Open year round, Acadia provides an abundance of recreational opportunities. In season Fees are $20 per vehicle for a 7 day period. The top right photo of the "Cairn" is a common directional rock stack to help guide hikers and is found on nearly all trails in Acadia National Park.

Acadia National Park

The Official site from the National Park Service

Acadia Magic.com

Visit for an in-depth look at the island and activities along with a wonderful map illustrating the points of interest along the Park Loop Road

Acadia By Free Shuttle Bus

Free shuttle buses run at regular intervals around the entire island – during the busy season, guests will often say the shuttle is a welcome convenience.

Hiking Acadia

There are 26 mountains in Acadia National Park. Elevations range from 1,530 feet (Cadillac Mountain, at right) down to 284 feet (Flying Mountain, also at right). We have a great hiking book here at the inn for our guests to peruse called "A Walk in the Park" by Tom St. Germain which gives details about every hike there is on the island. It's among the best hiking guides available. The hikes are divided by areas of the island due to the island’s varied topography. He illustrates the changes in elevation, the duration of the hikes and what you will see along the way. The hikes on the island vary from level to strenuous and steep climbs up large granite steps or huge boulders to iron ladder rungs on the edge of a cliff. Some hikes run deep in the pine scented forests while others take you up smooth rock open to the sun. Here in Acadia National Park, there is a trail for everyone. We have hiking maps and information at the inn that we give to guests. We will make sure to highlight the areas not to miss, depending on your travel preferences. We also have hiking sticks for our guests to use.

Hiking Sites and Trail Information

Hiking the less traveled "Quietside" of the island:

Hiking Trails in Southwest Harbor

Hiking the more heavily traveled side of the island:

Hiking Trails near Bar Harbor

Hiking Trails near Northeast Harbor

Day Hiking Information

The Best Day Hikes

General Hiking Trail Information with Distance and Elevation Statistics
National Park Hiking Information

For Guided Rock Climbing Excursions and Classes
www.acadiaclimbing.com