Acadia National Park
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The Acadia National Park (area 60 sq. mi.), one of the most visited nature reserves in the United States (open throughout the year; particularly fine in the fall), lies on the coast of Maine near the Canadian peninsula of Nova Scotia. It is a region of rocky coasts, forests with clear rivers, streams and lakes, and rolling hills, offering ideal conditions for a variety of sports and leisure activities both in summer and in winter.The core of the National Park is the hilly Mount Desert Island, on the east coast of which is the chief town, Bar Harbor. Particularly attractive are the Otter Cliffs and Otter Point, where a varied Arctic flora can be studied and numbers of birds (cormorants, seagulls) can be observed. There is a beautiful drive round the National Park on the Park Loop (28 mi.).The Park Loop road is closed in the winter due to snow, as is the Cadillac Mountain Road which leads to the summit of Cadillac Mountain.
Official site:
www.nps.gov/acad/
Address:
Box 177, Bar Harbor, ME 04609-0177, United States
Related Attractions
Sieur de Monts Spring
The Sieur De Monts Spring is a memorial to George B Dorr, who was instrumental in the creation of Acadia National Park. A spring house sits on top of the actual spring.Nearby is a Nature Center with natural history exhibits and The Acadia Wild Garden.
Abbe Museum of Stone Age Antiquities
The Abbe Museum of Stone Age Antiquities is located near the Sieur De Monts Spring in Acadia National Park. It features a collection of regional American Indian artifacts.
Loop Road
The Loop Road in Acadia National Park offers a scenic tour of the park and passes Sand Beach, Great Head (a high sheer headland) a gorge called Thunder Hole, as well as forests and cliffs.
Schoodic Point
Schoodic Point is a scenic area at the end of the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park. From the nearby Schoodic Head visitors there are panoramic views towards the Bay of Fundy and the Mount Desert Mountains.
Surroundings
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor (pop. 2,700) is the main resting place for those visiting Acadia National Park. The town is an array of quaint shops, seafood restaurants and views of an ever-changing harbor.
Bar Harbor Oceanarium
The Oceanarium in Bar Harbor consists of the Maine Lobster Museum and a lobster hatchery. Visitors can see a lobster boat and how traps are made. At the hatchery there is a nature walk through a marsh area which takes approximately 2 hours to complete.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
In 1604, what is now the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site was the first settlement by the French. The knowledge gained from living here allowed for a better understanding of the environment and life amongst native people.
Museum of Natural History
The Museum of Natural History at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor features a number of natural history exhibits, including mounted birds and animals.
More Acadia National Park Pictures
