One of the most visited national parks in America, Acadia National Park is packed full of exciting activities amidst some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of the North East. An impeccable playground of around 49,000 acres of protected forests, beaches, mountains, and rocky coastline, Acadia plays host to over 2 million visitors each year seeking fresh air, beautiful landscape and active pursuits. Use Bar Harbor as your jumping-off point and get ready to embrace the outdoors with equal parts thrill and chill.
Very few would associate Acadia National Park with beaches with good reason although there is an exception in the gorgeous little Sand Beach.
Nestled between the mountains and the rocky shore, Acadia’s only sandy ocean beach is a popular spot for relaxing after a hike or just making a day out of playing in the sand. You can also easily access the nearby Ocean Path trail (a gorgeous 4 miles round-trip coastal path) which begins right here at the far end of the beach parking lot.
One thing you’ll immediately notice is the absence of swimmers even on the hottest of days… Only a handful of kids are brave enough to play in the arctic water which rarely exceeds 50-55 degrees in the middle of summer. Spontaneous squealing is a common sound bite whenever a rolling wave hits the shore.
Tide pools offer a much warmer alternative and play area for little ones and canine companions.
When you’re ready to get your legs moving and heart pumping, you only need to look across the parking lot and stare at the towering rock face of The Beehive – probably the most popular hiking trail in the park. This is where the ‘thrill’ portion of Acadia kicks in with this ‘ladder trail’ which is essentially a grown-up version of your childhood’s vertical rope and climbing courses. Not recommended for small children or people with a fear of heights, this trail is relatively short (only 2 miles) and fairly easy save for a few vertical cliffs to navigate using iron rung ladders and handrails.
The beginning is a pretty walk through the forest climbing gently before reaching an intersection.
Turn right at the warning sign to follow the Beehive as it starts to climb up more steeply.
As you ascend, the views keep getting better with Sand Beach slowly emerging to your right.
I must admit, the exposure can be intimidating at times but the views more than make up for the brief discomfort of standing so close to a vertical drop of unknown consequences…
The higher you get, the narrower the ledges become and that’s when you’ll start to see the iron ladders and handrails to help propel you up the rock scrambling sections. It’s really a lot of fun and an ingenuous way to reach one of the best peaks in all of the park.
Nearly there…just a few more rocks to climb over and the victory will be yours.
Finally, you reach the summit and one of the most bang-for-your-buck views on the entire east coast, 500 feet above where you started earlier. It’s the perfect spot for a picnic and to admire the ocean views with islands extending as far as the eye can see. Thankfully, the return route is not where you just came from but down a much more gentle trail through the woods on the opposite side.
Back at sea level, you can go relax at Sand Beach or keep moving and take a walk on the Ocean Path which starts right at the Sand Beach parking lot. This gentle 4-mile trail offers gorgeous Atlantic views the whole way with many options to stop and admire the scenery.
You’ll eventually meet with a crowd at Thunder Hole, a natural rock inlet that has been battered by sea waves for centuries.
What gives this attraction its name is the regularly occurring phenomenon of a thunder-like roar and powerful splash of water. It happens when the waves are coming in quick and strong enough to force the air that is trapped in a small cavern out, causing a thunderous boom and sometimes sprays as high as 40 foot!
Timing is key though. Somewhere in the middle of low and high tide is supposedly ideal. We only caught a small spurt of water but the sound was nevertheless very special to hear.
Once back to your car, be sure to drive the entire 27-mile Park Loop Road to get your bearings in the park. This is the main avenue for navigating to the main attractions and connects some of the prettiest spots in the park together. It can get some heavy traffic at times but this is the quickest way to see all the highlights in a short amount of time and a seriously pretty scenic drive you’ll want to do again and again.
If you want a gentle hike with amazing views, it’s hard to beat the Bubbles. Two connected trails lead to two different peaks, each with its own reward, and it can all be done under two hours with kids of any age. A word of warning though – the parking lot is on the tiny side so either get there super early or have a plan B… The 1.5 mile hike starts at the Bubbles Divide parking lot and climbs smoothly upwards on a wide wooded trail.
At the junction, turn left to follow the trail to the summit of South Bubble which is nice enough but not your final destination. Instead, turn back and follow the blue blazes for a few minutes…
…to reach Bubble Rock, the best-known boulder in the entire state of Maine!
The iconic rock is perched precariously on the eastern edge of the summit of South Bubble and was apparently moved here by the powerful action of ancient glaciers over some 40 miles.
Retrace your steps to the junction and make a right this time to get to North Bubble. While there are no spectacular rocks perched up here, the views are fabulous. Jordan Pond lies right at your feet with the Cranberry isles in the distance.
Other gem right off the Park Loop Road is Little Hunters Beach. This little crescent of cobblestone beach is totally secluded from the road and much less crowded than Sand Beach. You’ll want to spend some time relaxing here and listening to the hypnotic sound of cobbles tumbling over each other when the surf comes in and out.
The famous rocks found here have been carved by glacial activity and the constantly rolling waves. While they’re pretty to look at, they’re much more exciting to listen to as they roll over each other every time a wave crashes in. It’s like listening to a meditative ocean chime…
Back inland, get acquainted with the park’s indigenous flora at The Wild Gardens of Acadia.
This tranquil garden is rarely crowded and offers a quiet respite from the hiking crowds despite being close to Bar Harbor. What you’ll find here is an impressive field guide of over 400 plant species that are native to Mount Desert Island split into twelve sections that represent natural plant communities such as “mixed woods”, “meadow”, “seaside”, etc.
There are some short trails to explore right outside with great birdwatching opportunities. The Jesup Path is a gorgeous one on a boardwalk along a birch and hemlock forest with a few signs and benches along the route.
We even spotted a few barred owls up in the trees.
There are over 20 mountains on Mount Desert Island and although they might not appear particularly high compared with the Adirondacks or Rockies, they’re actually the tallest points on the North American Atlantic coast. The tallest of them all, Cadillac Mountain, is a must on any visit to Acadia whether you decide to hike or drive to the summit. Just bear in mind that as the only attraction in the park that can be reached by car, it gets packed and COVID brought a new reservation system to limit the crowds. You’ll have to reserve your timed entry through this site preferably days or weeks before your visit especially if you’re keen on witnessing the sunrise or sunset.
We opted to view the sunset from the summit which was gorgeous. If you’re an early bird though and don’t mind the 5am wake up call and frigid temperatures, you’ll get some bragging rights as Cadillac Mountain is the first place to witness the sunrise in the United States from October through March….
Get there early and take a stroll on the easy Cadillac Summit Path which begins right by the parking lot. This short paved pathway yields panoramic vistas aplenty with viewing platforms describing some of the views and history of the park.
The pink granite, vivid green of the bushes and blues of the bays are truly awe-inspiring as the light goes out. Standing here at 1,530 feet, dominating the park gives all the meaning to Acadia’s reputation as the “crown jewel of the North Atlantic Coast.”
As the sun starts its final descent, walk back from the parking lot on the Summit Road down to the first pullout you’ll see to your right: The Blue Hill Overlook. It’s the best spot on the mountain to watch the sunset with plenty of space to stretch out.
Get down a bit more to see Eagle Lake pop out from behind and bid good night to this spectacular display from Mother Nature. After being cooped up inside for so long, I can’t think of a better getaway than visiting one of our amazing national parks and Acadia is surely among the very best.
