Acadia National Park Sports & Outdoors

There are over 120 miles of hiking trails. The hiking range is very easy to extremely difficult. We found most trails to be easy to moderate. I will write a different tip to review each trail we hiked.

Equipment: The weather changes a lot. Be prepared for all kinds of weather. Even if it is sunny in the morning,,,later it may be raining.

Although there are many miles of shoreline at Acadia National Park, they are mostly very rocky and dangerous. This one small but very pretty beach is the only spot of sand you will find, and it is very popular in summer. However, even on the hottest day, the water temperatures only reach about 55 degrees Fahrenheit (10-C) so only the hardiest swimmers dare go into the water.

Even if you don't get wet, Sand Beach can afford a great place to play, picnic or sunbathe. A short access road leads to the beach, just south of the Park Loop Road Entrance Station. There is a parking area and Restrooms/changing rooms are available.

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Acadia National Park contains more than 120 miles of historic hiking trails. Many of these trails were established by local village improvement societies in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today many of the historic features, such as stonework, are still visible.

Karen and I took a few short hikes along these trails. The one we enjoyed most was the 4 mile loop trail around Jordan Pond. It was extremely scenic. The trail was gravel for most of the way, but a considerable portion of it was along a boardwalk over a wooded wetland area.
For those who are more energetic, many of the trails of Acadia lead up and over the several small mountains that are scattered throughout the Park.

The carriage roads run all over the park.These are gravel roads closed to cars. They make pretty easy and enjoyable biking for everybody. You can pass by beautifull ponds, forests and mountains and let your feet cool off in one of the wonderfull lakes. I highly recommend doing this! They start about a mile away from the bike shop and you'll have to conquer a hill first.

Equipment: We rented a bike on Main street. There are a number of shops offering bikes. They were very helpfull and discussed routes and gave us a map. You can rent a bike for a couple of hours or a whole day. They said: "we'll see about that when you come back", but we didn't want to test their kindness and came back in time for the cheapest option.

Hiking is a great way to keep off the calories while visiting Acadia National Park You'll be eating lots of great seafood and there are lots of beers to try so you better do some kind of excercise. By hiking, you can get away from the masses and by no means in total solitude up there, you at least avoid the traffic. There are trails to suit all levels but our favorite was the Precipice Trail.

Equipment: It is a small park and the hikes are short so you don't have to carry a lot of stuff with you if you start early and if the weather is clear. Still, it's good to bring water and a wind breaker. Good boots are a plus as the trails can be rocky and you don't want to twist an ankle and ruin your hike.

Bike the carriage roads which criss-cross the park. There are 45 miles of roads for you to enjoy. The roads are very pleasing to the eye with the numerous stone bridges, waterfalls, lakes, forests, and scenic views. The ride itself was also a pleasure. It's not all flat though - there's a lot of ups and downs. ;-)

Equipment: A helmet is advisable. Also bring a day pack with water, some food, a warm fleece or shirt and a raincoat. Don't forget your camera! There are several places in Bar Harbor to rent your bike from. We used Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop. They charge $12 for a half day and $17 for a full day. A helmet, a lock and a map are included.

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Echo Lake Beach provides visitors with fresh water swimming, while Sand Beach has saltwater.Ocean temperatures average 50-60 degrees. Both beaches offer lifeguards in the summer.