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Acadia National Park, Maine, United States

Acadia Park Loop Road

Follow the official Park Loop Road in this extensive guide of all the interesting spots to stop at and explore in Acadia

Acadia Park Loop Road
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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 27 miles / 43 km
Duration: Full day
Family Friendly • Dog Friendly
 
Overview: This 27 mile Park Loop Road will take you to some of the best highlights of the Acadia National Park. You will have multiple opportunities to stop and go on hikes up into the hills or along the rocky Atlantic shoreline. There are several beaches on this loop for you to relax at, a nice restaurant over a beautiful pond and other exciting attractions for the kids like Thunder Hole and Carraige Rides on the old roads of the park. Make sure you bring a camera and have a full day to experience this drive.

Tips: Follow Route 1 up the coast of Maine following many signs for Acadia National Park. When you cross over the bridge to Mt. Desert Island (the name of the island the park is on) stay east on Route 3 towards Hulls Cove where you won't miss the entrance to the visitor center. Stop here to get some pamphlets on the park and then start your drive.

There is a $20 fee I believe to enter the park and this Loop Road is closed in the winter.

Points of Interest

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Hulls Cove Visitor Center
Stop in the visitor center to acquaint yourself with the park and learn a little bit about what you will see. Pick up some free pamphlets as well that will tell you a bit more about all the spots that you will visit on this guide.
Junction
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Coastal Loop first
Take a left here to follow the twisting Park Loop Road towards the coast first.
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Abbe Museum, Wild Gardens, and Nature Center
Take a left into this area to explore a wonderful museum and nature center. There are beautiful gardens to explore and nature trails if you have the time. Make sure to check the links in this guide for more information.
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Precipice Trail
Take this trail up very steep Champlain Mountain. I'll provide a link to another guide for this in the description of this guide if you are interested.
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Beehive Trailhead
I have another guide for this hike. The link for the guide is in the description section of this guide. Here are some photos from the Beehive trail and summit.
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Sand Beach and Great Head Trail
This is a beautiful beach to relax at and if you have time you can take the short 2 mile Great Head Loop Trail to the point of land extending out into the Atlantic. You can also choose walk the Shoreline trail but I think it's easier if you keep driving as there are parking places as well along the coastline.
Viewpoint
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Thunder Hole
Watch as the waves get channeled into a narrow crack in the rocks causing the water to explode upward. You might get wet here!
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Gorham Mountain Trailhead
If you are interested in taking this open ridge climb please refer to my other guide in the links section of this one.
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Otter Cliffs
The 110 foot high famous Otter Cliffs.
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Little Hunters Beach
This rocky beach in a protected cove is a nice place to relax by the ocean.
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Wildwood Stables
Here you can take a carraige tour along the parks old carraige roads to the top of nearby Day Mountain or to Jordan Pond House or Mr. Rockefeller's Bridge. There are also private charter options. Please check out the link I have in this guide for their website.
Food/Dining
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Jordan Pond House
The only full service restaurant in the park. Stop here to grab something to eat and have amazing views out over Jordan Pond, which unfortunately you are not allowed to swim in.
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Jordan Pond & Bubble Mountain Trails
Here is a trailhead with access to multiple carraige roads and trails to Bubble Mountain and the north shore of Jordan Pond. Look for my Bubble Mountain Guide if you are interested.
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Bubble Pond
There is a carraige road located between the parking lot and pond that you can take to explore the area if you'd like.
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Cadillac Mountain Road
Take this road to the top of Cadillac Mountain at dawn to be the first to witness the sun rising on the Eastern Coast of the United States. Check out my guide for this in the links within this guide. From here continue north to POI #2 where you will continue to travel north back to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. I've added one more viewpoint just off the Loop Road at the North End of Eagle Lake. From there head back down the Eagle Lake Road to get back on the Loop Road and head back north to Hulls Cove.
Viewpoint
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North End of Eagle Lake
Great views south over Eagle Lake.
Pictures in this guide taken by: JonathanEllinger, HughYeman, mcouperide, dmargaro, Athena, tidianne, gr8outdoors, ahhhfresh, gaurdien, noberholtz, buckwheat_hiker, hyc21, Roscoevm

Jonathan Ellinger
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Acadia Park Loop Road Map


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About the Author

JonathanEllinger
JonathanEllinger
333 guides
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Although I have climbed over 250 mountains from various places around the U.S. and have hiked in Europe...

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