ACADIA Circular of General Information 1936

HOW TO REACH THE PARK

Acadia National Park may be reached by railroad, by steamship, or by automobile.

The railroad terminus for the park and Mount Desert Island resorts is Ellsworth, Maine, on the line of the Maine Central Railroad. Comfortable motor busses transport rail passengers from Ellsworth to Bar Harbor, Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and Southwest Harbor. Information regarding rail connection between principal eastern cities and Ellsworth can be had on application at any railroad ticket office.

Eastern Steamship Lines maintain daily service between Boston and Mount Desert Island resorts during the summer season. The steamer leaves Boston late in the afternoon and arrives at the Mount Desert Island villages during the following forenoon. The water trip is one of the most delightful ways of reaching the park.

By motor the park is accessible from all eastern points over good State highways, the island being connected with the mainland by a steel-and-concrete bridge. The following are approximate highway distances to the park: From Portland, Maine, 170 miles; Boston, Mass., 300 miles; New York City, 500 miles.

Scheduled airplane service from all points in the United States to Bangor and Waterville is available through National Airways, which operate tri-engined equipment from Boston, connecting there with American Airlines from New York and points south and west. For persons of limited time, this service affords a splendid opportunity to see the park.

INFORMATION

The office of Acadia National Park is situated at Bar Harbor, Maine, on the corner of Main Street and Park Road, opposite the athletic field. It is open daily except Sundays from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. during the summer season (from June 15 to Oct. 15), at other seasons until 4 o'clock.

The Bar Harbor Information Bureau immediately adjoins it upon Main Street, and is prepared to furnish visitors with all information concerning train and boat service, motor routes, fares, hotels and boarding houses, objects of interest, trails, and excursions, or to answer inquiries by mail.

Maps of Mount Desert Island, issued by the United States Geological Survey, and literature relating to Acadia National Park and to the history and natural history of its region may be obtained from the office or the information bureau.

The superintendent of the park is George B. Dorr, to whom all correspondence relating to the park should be addressed.

Information of all kinds is also obtainable at all hotel and information offices in the villages of Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor.

The following maps are obtainable at the publicity office and book stores in Bar Harbor, Jordan Pond House, and the publicity offices at Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor:

There is also for free distribution at the various village publicity offices a small outline map of Mount Desert Island showing principal roads and drives and points of interest.

NATURE GUIDE SERVICE

The visitor is encouraged to avail himself of the free nature guide service which is maintained in Acadia National Park by the National Park Service.

The park naturalist, whose duty it is to acquaint the visiting public with the geology and the plant and animal life within this unique sanctuary, conducts a diversified program whereby the visitor may accompany him on a leisurely walk around one of the many lovely lakes, follow him on a climb to some mountain summit, journey with him over pleasant ocean waters to Islesford on Little Cranberry Island, and listen to his lectures, which are given three times a week at the attractive new outdoor amphitheater. Visitors can plan to make their stay in Acadia more pleasant by securing a copy of the Ranger-Naturalist's Program upon arrival in the park and accompanying the naturalist on the scheduled events.

MUSEUMS

An archeological museum has been built on land conveyed to it adjoining the Sieur de Monts Spring entrance to the park, and dedicated to public use. It contains relics of the stone-age period of Indian culture in this region, books, and maps. An archeologist is in charge during the summer season to explain the relics. The museum and its equipment, together with a substantial maintenance endowment, were provided through the generosity of the late Dr. Robert Abbe, of Bar Harbor and New York, and friends inspired by his interest and rare enthusiasm.

Open freely to park visitors also is a most interesting museum at Islesford on Little Cranberry Island, a brief and sheltered boat trip from Northeast Harbor or Southwest Harbor, which houses a unique collection of prints and documents relating to the settlement and early history of the region made by Prof. William Otis Sawtelle to whose vision and interest and long, untiring work the whole is due.

This museum is reached by a half-hour motorboat trip from Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor, or Southwest Harbor.

Parking area on top of Cadillac Mountain.

MOTOR ROADS

A road of great beauty through the lake district, connecting Bar Harbor with the resorts upon the southern shore, Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor, has been opened to travel. Rising from this, another road leads to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on our eastern coast, replacing an early buckboard road now washed away. Entrance to these roads is equally convenient from Bar Harbor or Seal Harbor.

On Schoodic Peninsula another motor road offers park visitors a shoreline drive of great charm and interest, following closely the rugged coast of the peninsula. Maine State Highway No. 186 may be left at Winter Harbor and reentered at Birch Harbor.

No place in the East offers an objective point of greater interest for motor travel than Acadia National Park and its surrounding coast resorts, which provide accommodations for its visitors.

The quiet waters of beautiful Jordan Pond in sharp contrast to the pounding surf a little distance away.

In addition to the park roads, there is an excellent system of State and town roads encircling and traversing Mount Desert Island which reaches every point of interest. These roads have a combined length of over 200 miles, and exhibit a combination of seashore and inland scenery not found elsewhere on the eastern coast.

For those who do not have their own automobiles, well-arranged motor-bus trips may be taken from Bar Harbor through the park and about the island. These trips are made twice daily with well-timed stops at the principal points of interest. In the various island villages public-hire automobiles, with or without drivers, are also available for small parties at established moderate rates.

MOTOR CAMPING

A public camp ground is maintained in the park for motorists bringing their own camping outfits. The ground is equipped with running water, modern sanitary conveniences, outdoor fireplaces, electric lights, and places to wash clothes. It is under the close supervision of the park authorities, and safety and freedom from annoyance are assured. No charge is made for the camping privilege.

CARRIAGE ROADS AND BRIDLEPATHS

Connected with the town road system and leading into and through the park is an excellent system of roads for use with horses, some 50 miles in extent. Stables at Bar Harbor, Jordan Pond, and Northeast Harbor furnish horses, saddle and driving, for trips over these roads, entrances to which are provided near Bar Harbor, Seal Harbor, and Northeast Harbor.

TRAILS AND FOOTPATHS

Acadia is primarily a trail park and contains within its boundaries at the present time some 200 miles of trails and footpaths, reaching every mountain summit and transversing every valley.

The system is so designed that the inclination of every type of walker is met. Broad lowland paths offer delightfully easy walks; winding trails of easy grade to the mountain summits are provided for those who like a moderately strenuous climb; and rough mountainside trails give opportunity for hardy exercise to those who enjoy real hiking.

It is only by means of these trails and paths that the park can be really seen and appreciated, and the system is so laid out that there is no danger of becoming lost.

Visitors view Thunder Hole. Rinehart photo.

GUIDES

While no guides are necessary on any park trips, free guides may be obtained at the Bar Harbor information office, adjoining the park office, to accompany parties, either riding or hiking, over the island.

MOTOR AND BOAT TRIPS

From the park as a center, a wide variety of interesting motor trips, along the coast as far as to the Maritime Provinces and inland to Moosehead Lake and Mount Katahdin, can readily be made, and excellent cars for the purpose can be hired by visitors not coming in their own. From it also delightful trips by water can be made over island-sheltered reaches of the sea, extending from Frenchman Bay to Penobscot Bay and River along the most beautiful section of our Atlantic coast.

Regularly scheduled boat trips from Bar Harbor along the shores of Frenchman Bay are made daily. The boats are safe and comfortable and are in charge of competent captains who point out and explain all features of interest. From the water the park mountains are seen at their best, as are the estates of the island summer residents.

Boat trips can also be arranged at the public boat landings in Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and Southwest Harbor.

FISHING

Acadia National Park combines the opportunity for excellent fishing in fresh waters, of lake and stream, with that for deep-sea and coastal fishing in waters identical in life and character with those of the famous banks which lie offshore, across the Gulf of Maine. Power boats, sail boats, canoes, and camping outfits can all be rented, with competent guides.

Visitors desiring to fish in the inland waters of the park are required to obtain a nonresident State fishing license, the fee for which is $3.15. This license permits fishing anywhere within the State.

ACCOMMODATIONS OUTSIDE THE PARK

In the various villages on Mount Desert Island which border the park excellent accommodations for visitors are to be had at reasonable rates. The National Park Service exercises no control over these accommodations either as to rates or type of service.

The accommodations available vary in character from high-class summer hotels to good rooming houses and restaurants. The several publicity offices in the various villages maintain lists of all accommodations and will gladly furnish full information, including rates, to visitors. Visitors may secure this information by writing in advance or upon personal application on arrival.

The publicity offices may be addressed as follows: Publicity Office, Bar Harbor, Maine. Publicity Office, Northeast Harbor, Maine. Publicity Office, Southwest Harbor, Maine.

TRANSPORTATION

MOTOR TRIPS.—Well arranged motor-bus trips may be taken about the island and through the park during the summer season. The busses run on regular schedules twice daily, at 10:30 a. m. and 2 p. m. The charge for the morning trip is $1.50 per person; the charge for the afternoon trip is $2 per person.

The routes followed are not identical, and by taking the combination of the two all points of interest are seen. In addition to the motor-bus trips, public cars with competent drivers, or, if desired, cars without drivers, may be hired at reasonable cost for special trips, in any of the villages. Arrangements for this class of transportation may be made with the car owners or through the publicity-office attendants.

BOAT TRIPS.—At Bar Harbor there are three competent concerns offering sightseeing trips by water. Boats leave daily at 10:30 a. m., 2:30 p. m., and 4:30 p. m. The trip is of 2 hours' duration, the boats following closely the shores of the island bordering Frenchman Bay. All points of interest explained. The cost is $1 per person. Arrangements for special parties desiring an extended trip may be made with the boat captain or through publicity office. While no scheduled boat trips are available at Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor, or Southwest Harbor, arrangements can be made through their publicity offices for interesting trips by water.

BUCKBOARDS, CARRIAGES, AND SADDLE HORSES.—Arrangements may be made at the publicity offices in Bar Harbor and Northeast Harbor or at the Jordan Pond House at Seal Harbor for buckboard trips, or for the hiring of driving and saddle horses to enjoy the remarkable scenery afforded by the driving-road and bridle-path system in the park.

REFERENCES

DOLE, NATHAN HASKELL, and GORDON, IRWIN LESLIE. Maine of the Sea and Pines.¹ 1928. Chapter devoted to Acadia (Lafayette) National Park.

GEORGE B. The Acadian Forest. Bar Harbor Publicity Office, 25 cents.

JOHNSON, D. W. The New England-Acadian Shoreline. Published by Wiley & Sons, New York. 1925. Price, $8.50.

KANE, J. F. Picturesque America, Its Parks and Playgrounds. 256 pp., illustrated, 1935. Published by Frederick Gumbrecht, Brooklyn, N. Y. Acadia (Lafayette) National Park on pp. 187-192.

PEABODY, HAROLD, and GRANDGENT, CHARLES H. Walks on Mount Desert Island, Maine, 1928. Sherman Publishing Co., Bar Harbor, Maine. On sale at Bar Harbor bookstores. Price, 50 cents.

RAISZ, ERWIN J. The Scenery of Mount Desert Island. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. XXXI, pp. 121-186.

RAND, B. L., and REDFIELD, J. H. Flora of Mount Desert Island, Maine.¹ Geological introduction by Prof. William Morris Davis. This book is out of print but obtainable for reference.

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¹May be seen for reference at the Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor, Maine.

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LITERATURE CONCERNING OTHER NATIONAL PARKS

Booklets about the national parks listed below may be obtained free of charge by writing to the Director, National Park Service, Washington, D. C.