How well do you know Acadia National Park?
Rocky shores, granite peaks and historic carriage roads make Acadia one of New England's treasures. Six questions, from easy to hard, with explanations.
Did you know?
- Somes Sound, which nearly splits Mount Desert Island in two, was carved by glaciers. It has sometimes been called the only fjord on the East Coast, though scientists often describe it as a fjard.
- Jordan Pond House, inside the park, has served afternoon tea and popovers to visitors since the late 1800s. It remains one of Acadia's best-known traditions.
- Acadia's Precipice Trail climbs steep cliffs using iron rungs and ladders. It is closed each spring and summer when peregrine falcons nest on the cliffs.
Where mountains meet the sea
Acadia National Park protects a rugged stretch of the Maine coast where granite mountains rise straight from the Atlantic. Glaciers shaped the landscape, leaving rounded peaks, lakes and a fjord-like inlet called Somes Sound. It was the first national park established east of the Mississippi River and remains a favorite for hiking, cycling and watching the ocean.
A park created by donations
Unlike western parks carved from public land, Acadia was assembled largely from land donated by private citizens, including wealthy summer residents who wanted to protect the area from development. Their efforts, led by conservationists such as George B. Dorr, created the first national park in the eastern United States.
The carriage roads
Acadia's carriage roads wind through forests and around lakes, crossing 17 hand-built stone bridges. Built between 1913 and 1940, they are closed to cars and open to walkers, cyclists and horse-drawn carriages, offering a peaceful way to explore the park.
Tides and tide pools
Acadia's coast has large tides, which expose rocky tide pools twice a day. At low tide, visitors can find crabs, sea stars and snails. Rangers lead programs explaining how these animals survive being underwater and exposed to air each day.
Seasons on the coast
Acadia is busiest in summer and during autumn, when maple and birch trees turn brilliant red and gold. In winter, many roads close, but cross-country skiers and snowshoers use the carriage roads. Fog is common and can transform the coastal views.
Night skies
Acadia is one of the darkest places on the East Coast. The park hosts a night sky festival in late summer, when visitors can see the Milky Way, planets and meteor showers with the help of astronomers and rangers.
Wildlife on land and sea
Acadia's forests shelter white-tailed deer, red foxes and dozens of songbird species, while its coast attracts seals, porpoises and seabirds. Whale-watching trips from nearby harbors often spot humpback, finback and minke whales in summer. Peregrine falcons, once gone from the park, have returned to nest on its cliffs thanks to reintroduction efforts.