Exploring Acadia National Park
Bar Harbor serves as the primary gateway to Acadia National Park, offering direct access to 47,000 acres of granite peaks, spruce forests, and dramatic Atlantic coastline on Mount Desert Island. Below are some of our tips and tricks to exploring Acadia National Park.
On Land
Always visit Acadia National Park with a backup plan. If a parking lot or area is full when you arrive, pick a new destination and protect the park by not adding to the congestion.
Acadia National Park offers more than 125 miles of interconnected and looping hiking trails that appeal to explorers of all skill levels. To simply relax and enjoy your vacation on a scenic yet casual walk, try some local favorites which can all be reached from the Island Explorer Bus Service...
Ocean Path
From the upper parking lot at Sand Beach, this easy walk takes you to Otter Point and back. The entire trail skirts the Atlantic, so you have breathtaking views at every step. Stop at Thunder Hole for photos (Easy, 4 mile round trip).
Jesup Path
Start in town at the Village Green and connect to the Jesup Path, which meanders through the woods near Kebo Valley Golf Club and across a bog to Great Meadow, a freshwater marsh (2.5 miles, easy). Visit with park rangers at Acadia's Nature Center, take a walk through the Wild Gardens of Acadia, and visit the historic Abbe Museum before returning to Bar Harbor. For a one-way walk, take the Island Explorer bus to Sieur de Monts then take a leisurely stroll back to Bar Harbor after visiting these park highlights.
Cadillac Mountain
Hike on the North or South Ridge Trails to the Cadillac summit at 1,530 feet to enjoy spectacular 360-degree views of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Cranberry Isles. If driving is your only option, remember that you'll need a reservation during peak visitation times (May through October) in order to gain access to the mountain's summit. Consider alternate locations to take in the sunrise or sunset if you aren't able to secure a reservation during your visit. Locals know that Cadillac Mountain is also one of the best places to enjoy the moon rise or to take in the beauty of the starry night skies.
The Precipice
On the eastern face of Champlain Mountain, you'll discover the most challenging of the Park's hiking trails. With an exposed 1000-foot vertical surface ascended on rung ladders, the climb is strenuous and recommended for experience, fit, and fearless adventurers. This hike is not recommended for young children or hikers with a fear of heights. Dogs are prohibited for their safety. The Precipice is also home to a family of endangered peregrine falcons and is always closed between late spring and early summer while these territorial birds are nesting.
By Sea
The best place to get expansive scenic views of Acadia National Park is from offshore in Frenchman's Bay. Avoid the bustle of mid-day crowds and join a Ranger-led boat tour around Mount Desert Island or visit an offshore island...
Baker Island Cruise
Join a park ranger on a five-hour ocean and island tour to Baker Island to visit a historic cemetery and homestead, the Baker Island Lighthouse, and a rugged, rocky shoreline. Enjoy fantastic views of Mount Desert Island and watch for seabirds, seals, porpoise, and other marine life while traveling to this offshore gem. No recommended for small children or visitors with mobility issues as this tour walks for several miles on non-level surfaces. Departs from Bar Harbor. For reservations, call (207) 288-2386 or visit www.barharborwhales.com to buy tickets.
Compass Harbor
Visit the remains of the cottage home of the father of Acadia, George B. Dorr. Enjoy an old growth forest and scenic views of the Bar Harbor shoreline. This path is a short walk from the ball fields located on the south-side of Bar Harbor. It is the easiest trail to access on foot from Bar Harbor so it is perfect if you want to leave your car at your downtown hotel or if you want to take a short ride on the Island Explorer bus from another Bar Harbor location.
Islesford Scenic & Historic Cruise
Join a park ranger for a 3-hour cruise to explore the connections between people and the sea with a visit to the Islesford Historical Museum and Little Cranberry Island. Enjoy sweeping views of Somes Sound, watch for marine mammals and seabirds, and view multiple lighthouses while traveling to the lobstering community of Islesford. Tour departs from Northeast Harbor. For reservations, call (207) 276-5352 or visit www.barharborcruises.com.
These are the boat tours with park rangers on-board but many other boat tour options exist for sea kayaking, lobstering, nature viewing, whale watching, underwater diving, and sunset sailing. Sunset is an amazing time to take a boat trip because you will get 360 degree views of the setting sun as the colors reflect on the offshore waters.
For more trip planning ideas and information on Ranger-led programs, special use permits, fees, and management efforts in Acadia National Park, please visit the Acadia National Park website at www.nps.gov/acad or join them on their official social media pages at AcadiaNPS.
Get up-to-date information on the latest trail conditions with the NPS App.
Download the National Park Service app
​Skip the hassle of parking and explore Acadia National Park stress-free with the Island Explorer! This clean, propane-powered bus system offers 100% free transportation, connecting downtown Bar Harbor directly to Acadia's most popular destinations—including Sand Beach, Jordan Pond, carriage roads, trailheads, and neighboring island villages.
​Operating daily from late May through Indigenous Peoples' Day (mid-October), the shuttle features multiple convenient routes departing regularly from the Bar Harbor Village Green hub. Buses are equipped with bicycle racks, making it easy to combine public transit with a day of biking on the park's historic carriage roads.
​Cost: Completely Free
​Main Hubs: Bar Harbor Village Green (Downtown), Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Acadia Gateway Center
​Key Destinations: Sand Beach, Jordan Pond, Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Carriage Road access, and local campgrounds
​Season: Late May – Mid-October
​Tip: Download the real-time shuttle tracking app (myStop) before your trip to monitor bus arrivals and spend less time waiting at the stop!
Download the myStop App for real-time Island Explorer shuttle tracking to monitor bus arrivals and spend less time waiting at the stops!
Our Island Beacons
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
A single lighthouse stands on Mount Desert Island: Bass Harbor Head Light. Located at the southwestern reach of Acadia National Park in Bass Harbor, the light guards the southern entrance of Blue Hill Bay and warns against Bass Harbor Bar. The light is still fully operational, signaling an occulting red four seconds—three red flashes, one second of darkness.
Built in 1858, the lighthouse sits high atop a rugged granite shoreline, making it one of the most scenic views in New England. Today, the U.S. Coast Guard mans the station, which is listed on the National Historic Register. Visitors may tour the grounds at Bass Harbor Head, but not the lighthouse itself.
With 180,000 annual visitors, the light station is the most visited place on the west side of Mount Desert Island and the fifth busiest destination in the park. During the summer and fall months, you can expect a high volume of traffic at sunset which may result in gridlock due to the lack of parking. Please be aware:
- Parking is limited to 27 spaces.
- Do not park outside of designated parking spaces.
- Roadside parking is prohibited along the entrance road and Route 102A.
- Respect neighbors and private property owners.
Six other nearby lighthouses with island settings from Blue Hill Bay to Frenchman Bay signal with flashing lights and fog blasts to keep boaters safe in foul weather. Two of them—the Mount Desert Rock Light and the Great Duck Island Light—are owned by the College of the Atlantic, where students study whales and nesting seabirds. The other four are Baker Island, Bear Island Light, Burnt Coat Harbor, and Egg Rock Light.
Some of these great old lighthouses can be viewed and photographed on boat tours that reveal their incredible histories.
Mount Desert Island-area Lighthouses
Bear Island
Constructed in 1839, the tower is only 31 feet high. It is located on the high, western end of Bear Island just south of the entrance to Northeast Harbor. It is now privately maintained and accessible only by boat.
Burnt Coat Harbor
Off Swans Island and marking the entrance of Burnt Coat Harbor, this lighthouse originally sported two towers. The existing 32-foot tower, which began shining on its own in 1885, was actually the shorter of the two lights. It was automated in 1975. The site is now owned by the town of Swans Island and sports a park and museum. The Island is accessible via Maine State Ferry from Bass Harbor, with lighthouse access via the road.
Egg Rock
Due to the growing seasonal ferry traffic to Bar Harbor, Egg Rock Lighthouse was constructed in 1875. It stands 40 feet tall and marks the entrance to Frenchman Bay, near Winter Harbor. Egg Rock is accessible only by boat.
Egg Rock Lighthouse
The original tower, built in 1828, was made of wood. The existing 43-foot high stone tower, painted white, was built in 1855. The light was automated in 1966. It is now owned by Acadia National Park and is accessible only by boat.
Mount Desert Rock
This 48-foot granite tower was built in 1847 to replace an earlier wooden structure. There is no vegetation on this windswept rock. Waves from winter gales frequently damage other structures. It is now used by College of the Atlantic’s Allied Whale as a marine mammal research station. Mount Desert Rock is accessible only by boat.
Great Duck Island
Built in 1890, the 42-foot brick tower light was automated in 1986. The keeper and his wife who lived there in the early 1900s set a record for the greatest number of children in one keeper’s family – 16. Several shipwrecked sailors washed up on the island over the years. Great Duck Island is accessible only by boat.
For more trip planning ideas and information on ranger-led programs, special use permits, fees, and management efforts in Acadia National Park, please visit the Acadia National Park website at www.nps.gov/acad or join them on their official social media pages at AcadiaNPS.
The mountains of Acadia National Park offer you the chance to climb multiple peaks in a single day and view the park from different perspectives. With more than two dozen peaks of varying size in and around Acadia National Park, there's an opportunity for everyone to conquer mountains.
Where will you begin? Start with the list of all the mountains in and around Acadia National Park and decide what suits your hiking abilities. Then, check the official Acadia National Park website for details on how to get started.
- Cadillac (Green) – 1,530 feet.
- Sargent – 1,373 feet.
- Dorr (Flying Squadron) – 1,270 feet.
- Pemetic – 1,248 feet.
- Penobscot (Jordan) – 1,194 feet.
- Bernard (of Western) – 1,071 feet.
- Champlain (Newport) – 1,058 feet.
- Gilmore – 1,036 feet.
- Bald – 974 feet.
- Mansell (of Western) – 949 feet.
- Cedar Swamp – 942 feet.
- Parkman (Little Brown) – 941 feet.
- North Bubble – 872 feet.
- Norumbega (Brown) – 852 feet.
- Beech – 839 feet.
- South Bubble – 766 feet.
- Huguenot Head (Picket) – 731 feet.
- McFarland – 724 feet, no official trail.
- The Triad – 698 feet.
- Acadia (Robinson) – 681 feet.
- Youngs – 680 feet, no official trail.
- St. Sauveur (Dog) – 679 feet.
- Day – 580 feet.
- Gorham – 525 feet.
- The Beehive – 520 feet.
- Flying – 284 feet.
Source: National Park Service.
Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island offer exceptional stargazing opportunities, boasting some of the darkest night skies remaining on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. Thanks to the park's natural setting away from major urban centers and conscious efforts by communities like Bar Harbor to implement dark-sky friendly lighting ordinances, light pollution is minimal, allowing celestial objects to shine brightly. Within the park, locations such as Sand Beach or viewpoints along the Ocean Path provide expansive overhead views. On clear nights, especially away from the full moon, visitors can witness the breathtaking arc of the Milky Way, identify numerous constellations, spot planets, and potentially catch meteor showers, offering a truly awe-inspiring connection to the universe right from Mount Desert Island.
The Enduring Legacy of the Acadia Night Sky Festival
Although the Acadia Night Sky Festival concluded in 2022, its long legacy of celebrating Downeast Maine's dark skies and promoting their preservation remains. The festival was born from a successful local conservation effort, initiated at a 2007 summit highlighting Mount Desert Island's unique skies. This led the Bar Harbor Conservation Commission to develop a 'night sky friendly' lighting ordinance, which proved incredibly popular and passed by a landslide vote in 2009. Recognizing this overwhelming community and government enthusiasm, the inaugural festival was launched that same year to celebrate this achievement and the region's natural nocturnal beauty.
Best Stargazing Conditions
- New moon, before moonrise, or after moonset - Though a very fantastic and powerful celestial body, the moon and its brightness can impede your ability to see the stars in their multitude. Check the phases of the moon and the moonrise and moonset times.
- Clear skies and good weather - Stargazing is best on a cloudless or minimally clouded night. Check the forecast for inclement weather and cloud coverage before you venture out.
- An hour or two after sunset - Even after the sun sets, there remains some residual light. Stargazing will be best an hour or two after sunset, when this residual light has dissipated.
Stargazing Preparation and Safety
What to Bring
- Flashlight/headlight (ideally with a red-light function). It is important to stay safe while navigating in the dark, but the bright white lights of a flashlight can impact your night vision and your ability to see all of the stars. Using a flashlight with a red light preserves your night vision, so your eyes do not need as much time to adjust to seeing the night sky.
- Blanket, towel, chair, or something comfortable to sit or lie on. These items are recommended to most comfortably enjoy viewing the night sky and to prevent any upward gazing induced vertigo.
- Star map or stargazing app: If you are interested in identifying constellations, asterisms, planets, or other celestial bodies, star maps printed from the internet specific for the time of year or stargazing smartphone apps are useful tools.
- Junior Ranger Night Explorer Book: For National Park Service Junior Rangers out enjoying the night sky, there is an astronomy and stargazing specific junior ranger program to work through.
Safety First
- Careful when navigating in the dark, especially when traveling over uneven or rocky surfaces.
- Careful when stargazing on beaches or coastlines and avoid going in the water at night.
- Nighttime in Acadia can get colder than you might expect, so bring layers to stay warm.
- Mosquitos are common during summer months near water sources. Come prepared with proper clothing or insect repellant for the most comfortable experience.
Additional Resources
From May 20, 2026 through October 25, 2026, The National Park Service is requiring advanced vehicle reservations to access Acadia National Park's Cadillac Summit Road. Feeling anxious about getting a reservation? Don't panic! Here are eight most important things you need to know
- The system is an effort to protect Cadillac Summit's natural environment and to avoid overcrowding of the parking lot.
- No one likes traffic, but especially not the sensitive plant life on Cadillac Summit. This reservation system aims to help limit vehicles and protect the ecosystems on the mountain.
- It only affects Cadillac Summit Road.
- Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and all other areas remain unaffected and reservation-free.
- It only affects cars and vehicles.
- That means bikers and hikers can get up to Cadillac without worrying about a reservation. Reaching the summit is your reward! (But don't forget your park pass - See tip #6)
- You can make a reservation by going to the National Park Service's timed entry page.
- Select "Tickets." From there, choose either sunrise (3:30 a.m.) or one of the various daytime slots (time slots are available every half-hour from 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.). The total cost is $6 per vehicle. They are sold online in advance at Recreation.gov. They are not available for purchase at the park.
- 30% of available vehicle reservations are released 90 days ahead of each calendar date on a rolling basis. The remaining 70% are released at 10 a.m. EST two days ahead of each date.
- Spontaneous road trip? They're the best king. That's why the majority of reservations are released just two days ahead of each date.
- You still need to purchase a park pass.
- There's a step two, and it's an important one! Go to Site Pass Selection to pick up your park pass. (If you're hiking or biking, you'll need one, too!). Vehicles must display park passes through the windshield.
- There are alternative transportation options.
- Get to Cadillac's peak on one of these fun and informative local providers:
- Cadillac Mountain Summit Shuttle: Offering easy, hassle-free shuttle service to the Summit of Cadillac Mountain. No summit reservation needed.
- Oli's Trolley: The Acadia National Park Tour stops at Cadillac Mountain Summit, in addition to Thunder Hole and Jordan Pond.
- Acadia National Park Tours: The Classic Tour stops at Cadillac Mountain Summit, Thunder Hole and Sieur de Monts Spring (Wild Gardens of Acadia).
- At Your Service Taxi and Tours: Offering shuttle service from the Village Green to the Summit of Cadillac, and a guided tour that includes Cadillac Mountain.
- Get to Cadillac's peak on one of these fun and informative local providers:
- There are alternative sunrise and sunset locations.
- Many know Cadillac Mountain as the place in Acadia to enjoy the sunrise or sunset, but there are many other spots to catch those golden rays. Check out these alternative places to enjoy a glorious sunrise or sunset.