Acadia

Acadia National Park
on the rocky Atlantic coast of Maine

This is an old land with 500 million year old rock. Granite and schists that attest to the ages. They show still the scars of thousands of feet of ice and tens of thousands of years that it rode over and ground down those ancient rocks. The bare granite knobs on this island inspired S. Champlain to name the island "Isle des Monts Deserts". Through local efforts, starting in 1901, 5000 acres of land were acquired and donated to the Federal Government and became Sieur de Monts National Monument July 8, 1916. It was designated a National Park on February 26, 1919. Then named Acadia National Park in January of 1929. It was the first National Park east of the Mississippi.

The bald top of Cadillac Mountain - highest point on the Atlantic Coast

Its 47,000 acres is spread out over Mount Desert Island, Isle Au Haut, the Schoodic Peninsula and about six smaller islands in what's called " The down east coast of Maine". That flavor is without a doubt present. But as with many of our parks, venture just a little way off the road and you are alone with the quiet of the forest and the distant sound of surf crashing onto the pink granite of the landscape. There is no backcountry camping. However there are miles of back country trails. Also there are 44 miles of carriage roads that in most cases double as bike paths.

The carriage roads of Acadia criss cross Mount Desert Island

This entire coast line is of an ancient time, not as vast or as obvious as other parks. Still, it can be felt as you watch the waves and surf of the North Atlantic pound against those old rocks. It can be touched as you trace your fingers along the grooves scoured into the rock by those long past glaciers. This is a park that should be researched. There is much to do and to see. And you need to get some background. The park is remote, like many of our National Parks. For more information about the Acadia National Park, start here.

Michael Sherer