Discover 6 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Acadia National Park (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Cadillac Mountain, Bass Harbor Head Light, and Jordan Pond. Also, be sure to include Ellsworth City Hall in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Acadia National Park (Maine).
Table of Contents
Cadillac Mountain
Sweeping summit with panoramic views. Cadillac Mountain is located on Mount Desert Island, within Acadia National Park, in the U.S. state of Maine. With an elevation of 1,530 feet, its summit is the highest point in Hancock County and the highest within 25 miles of the Atlantic shoreline of the North American continent between the Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia and peaks in Mexico. It is known as the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise, although that is only true for a portion of the year.[1]
Address: Cadillac Summit Rd., 04609 Bar Harbor
Bass Harbor Head Light
19th-century cliffside lighthouse. Bass Harbor Head Light is a lighthouse located within Acadia National Park in the southwest portion of Mount Desert Island, Maine, marking the entrance to Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay.[2]
Address: Route 102A, 04653 Bass Harbor
Jordan Pond
Tarn in Maine. Jordan Pond is an oligotrophic tarn in Acadia National Park near the town of Bar Harbor, Maine. The pond covers 187 acres to a maximum depth of 150 feet with a shoreline of 3.6 miles.
The pond was formed by the Wisconsin Ice Sheet during the last glacial period. Penobscot Mountain (1194 ft) rises to the west, while Pemetic Mountain (1247 ft) rises to the east. Two roche moutonnées known as The Bubbles (North and South) rise above the northeastern shoreline. The southern end is constrained by glacial debris and an artificial dam.
The pond has clear water, with visibility normally 44 feet (13.4 m) and occasionally recorded up to 61 feet (18.6 m), the deepest recordings in Maine. The pond exhibits high levels of dissolved oxygen, and low levels of plant nutrients and plant life.
Some types of boating are permitted, but people and pets are prohibited from entering the water as it is the water supply for the village of Seal Harbor.[3]
Ellsworth City Hall
Ellsworth City Hall is the seat of local government in Ellsworth, Maine. Built in 1934-35 after a devastating fire destroyed the old city hall and part of the business district, it is a municipal building with Georgian Revival features unusual for Maine. The building was designed by Philadelphia architect Edmund Gilchrist, and is reflective of that area. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.[4]
Acadia National Park carriage paths
Acadia National Park, largely on Mount Desert Island, off the coast of the U.S. state of Maine, was created in part by land and other donations by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Between 1919 and 1931, Rockefeller, who was opposed to the introduction of automobiles on the island, personally oversaw the construction of a network of carriage roads, closed to motorized vehicles, on the eastern half of the island, including sixteen granite bridges and two gatehouses. The major portion of this network now falls within the bounds of the national park, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The network of carriage roads is open to the public for non-motorized uses in the summer, including walking and bicycling. In the winter, most of the network is open to cross-country skiing, and a portion of it is open to snowmobiling.[5]
Blackwoods Campground
Campground in Mount Desert, Maine. Blackwoods Campground is located on the east side of Mount Desert Island, off Maine State Route 3 in Acadia National Park. Construction on the site was begun by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935, and reaching its present appearance around 1961, with the completion of Loop B. The campground has 306 individual campsites, several group campsites, and offers only limited amenities, which include potable water and restrooms, but not showers or electrical hookups. Campsites may be reserved up to six months in advance. The portion of the campground built by the CCC, which includes its core and Loop A, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.[6]
Address: State Route 3, Acadia National Park