Acadia National Park falls in the top ten list of most visited parks in the United States, welcoming more than three million travelers every year.

Early risers can drive, bike, or walk to watch the sunrise along Acadia’s beautiful rocky shoreline on Ocean Drive. They’ll be among the first in the United States to see the dawning of a new day. Later they can enjoy dinner or simply stop in for popovers and strawberry jam at the famous Jordan Pond House, a delightful restaurant founded in the early 1870s.

Established by Woodrow Wilson in 1916 with 6,000 acres, Acadia now covers more than 49,000 acres thanks to the remarkable dedication and philanthropy of wealthy private citizens such as Charles W. Eliot, George B. Dorr, and JohnD. Rockefeller, Jr. The park encompasses nearly half of Mount Desert Island, a scattering of smaller islands, and the Schoodic Peninsula.

Download the NPS App

The first step to begin your national park app adventure is to download the NPS App onto your mobile devices, such as phones or tablets. The NPS App is currently available for iOS- and Android-powered devices. It can be downloaded for free through the App Store and Google Play.

Take a step back in time when you walk, hike, bike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski the carriage roads of Mount Desert Island. You can choose to go by horse and carriage, the way John D. Rockefeller, Jr. intended when he built the 45 miles of crushed stone roads between 1913 and 1940. No matter how you experience the carriage roads, you’ll enjoy the magnificent beauty that surrounds them.

Though sometimes called carriage trails, the word trail is truly a misnomer. The historic carriage roads are 16 feet wide with generous crowns that keep them well drained. Considered the best example of broken stone roads in the United States, they are, indeed, an engineering wonder. Local workers quarried granite right here on the island to build the intricate network of roads and 17 spectacular stone bridges. In fact, the stone cutters developed such skill that Rockefeller asked them to create a more rustic look. He also took care to preserve trees and to landscape with native plants— ferns, sheep laurel, and blueberry bushes—so the roads blend naturally with their surroundings.

The well-marked roads wander through Acadia National Park, covering long, shady stretches of woodland, skirting peaceful lakes and ponds, circling mountain elevations, and showcasing breathtaking views of the Atlantic and nearby islands.

More than 60 years ago Rockefeller donated 11,000 acres to Acadia National Park, complete with the road system he planned, funded, and constructed. Today both Mainers and visitors enjoy the quiet beauty of Acadia’s beautiful carriage roads.

Whether it’s adventure or relaxation you crave, MDI is teeming with fabulous experiences.