Along the rugged coastline of Maine is a gem of the Northeast—Acadia National Park! With 45 miles of historic carriage roads to bike and 125 miles of trails to hike, Acadia is a premier destination for the adventurous and outdoorsy! Among the park’s granite peaks is Cadillac Mountain, which at 1,530 feet stands as the tallest mountain on the United States Atlantic coast.

The gorgeous Maine landscape includes ocean shoreline, coastal forests, remote islands, and rocky young mountains. The coast is marked by historic lighthouses like Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse on Mt. Desert Island.

The park is a great place to boulder and rock climb; Otter Cliffs and Great Head have spectacular sea cliff climbs with scenery that will take your breath away. You can also canoe, kayak, and sail on the lakes and ponds of Mt. Desert Island. The extensive trail system takes hikers to lovely vistas that sweep across the mountains and coastline. The Park Loop Road takes visitors on a 27 mile scenic drive around the park. Enjoy the pristine beaches and take a dip in the ocean if you can handle the cold!

In this diverse environment, you can fish for both freshwater fish like trout and salmon, and saltwater fish like mackerel and bluefish. To see more of the ocean wildlife, sign up for a whale watching boat tour.

Acadia national park is truly multi-seasonal. Come in the magical Maine winter months to cross-country ski, snowshoe, dogsled, or ice fish!

—Caroline Griffith

Threats

Air pollution is among the most serious threats to national parks. The National Park Service has established the NPS air quality webcam network to show “live” digital images of more than a dozen parks. Click here to see current air conditions at Acadia National Park.