Park Loop Road - Coastal Section
Acadia National Park

The Park Loop Road is one of the most well known attractions in Acadia National Park. Because there is so much to see on the Park Loop Road I have broken my description of the Loop into two sections - this section focuses on the portion that runs close to the shore of Frenchman Bay, the other section (select Inland Section from the 'Things To See' list) focuses on inland portions of the Park Loop Road.

When you head out to explore the Park Loop Road be sure to bring your camera & plenty of film, binoculars, folding chairs, sunglasses, hats, warm clothing, snacks and water to drink. Once on the Park Loop Road (it is a one way road for most of it) it is not easy to get things to eat or drink and it would take a lot of time to go get something you forgot and then come back.

You may think warm clothing sounds crazy but even during July and August the temperature along the coast and on the rocks can be as much as 10 degrees lower than just a few miles inland - and if the wind is blowing then it can be quite chilly - I suggest you use a layered approach to dressing for your travels in Acadia. You will be taking layers off and putting them on frequently depending on where you are and the time of day.

While the Park Loop road is well worth seeing any time of the day my favorite time is at dawn. It is at this time of day that you are most likely to see deer, beaver and other animals. And, it is normally only photographers that you will see on the coastal section at this time of day. The sunrise is fantastic along this section of the Loop and the colors of rocks are vibrant and very warm. So, my strong recommendation is that you arrive early and stay until around 9 AM and then leave and get breakfast. Even when it is raining or overcast the dawn and early morning hours are the best times to take photos.

The Park Loop Road is the only place in the Park where you will have to pay an entrance fee.  It is not expensive and you can get a single day, multi-day or one year access ticket.  Tip: If you arrive around dawn then you can enter without paying the fee.
 

Here is one of the first spots on the coastal section of the Park Loop Road (PLR) that you will want to stop at.  Here you can see Bar Harbor, Bar Island and the sand bar (if the tide is low) that Bar Harbor is named for.

You can also see the Porcupine Islands that stretch out across Frenchman Bay beyond Bar Island. And, you may see a cruise ship if one happens to be in town - they typically show up in August. Here you can see the Queen Elizabeth II moored behind Bar Island. Don't use all of your film here! There is a lot more to enjoy and photograph.

You will also want to stop at Sand Beach - you don't want to miss this very interesting and popular scenic location. 

While in the parking lot look to the West and see if you can see people climbing the Beehive trail - there are people that you can see right now (the trail is visible at the top left of the mountain - a white stretch - even tho you cannot see them here, there are people visible to you when standing in the parking lot - see close-up below). The Beehive is a steep climb and is rated 'difficult' in most hiking guide books. It runs up the East Face of 520 foot-high Champlain Mountain. The trail head is a short walk from the Sand Beach parking lot - back out to the other side of the Park Loop Road and a few hundred feet north of the parking lot entrance.

If you want an exhilarating, fun and beautiful hiking experience you will long remember then I highly recommend the Beehive Trail.  I suggest you be in reasonably good physical condition and be properly dressed with hiking shoes and bring water. You can go up the back side of the mountain which is much easier and is not as steep. Do not take small children or dogs up the Beehive trail that faces Sand Beach.

Do not take this trail lightly, it is a challenging trail but the views are spectacular and the hiking is exciting. I suggest you get one of the many guide books to study the trails before trying many of the trails in the Park, including the Beehive Trail. I happen to like 'A Walk in the Park' by Tom St.Germain (www.bhmaine.com). Well worth the investment if you plan on hiking anything other than the Ocean Drive Trail - more on that below.

Like most of the Maine's mid-coast and north coast there are very few sandy ocean beaches on Mount Desert Island.  Sand Beach is an anomaly that is not really a sandy beach. The 'sand' is made up of crushed seashells and small stones and as such is fairly coarse -  but it is still easy on your feet and great for sunbathing.

Swimming is for the hardy as the water temperature seldom rises above 55 degrees F. However, many visitors do brave the cold water and frolic in the surf that at times can be several feet high. Not me!

In this photo you can see the rocky outcropping in the distance where you can enjoy another of my favorite hiking trails - the Great Head Trail.  This trail is a good family hiking opportunity and is great for kids and dogs. It is popular with families with small children that they carry. The views back toward the island are spectacular and the trail that passes along the Frenchman Bay is great for relaxing with a picnic. You can spend several hours on this trail and enjoy a wide variety of scenic vistas. It can be accessed from Sand Beach or from Schooner Head Road out of Bar Harbor. This is a great morning or afternoon hiking experience for the entire family - the only 'difficult' section is a very short climb over rocks near sand beach - it is really not difficult to negotiate.

Probably the most used hiking trail in the Park is the Ocean Drive Trail. This trail goes from Sand Beach to Otter Point some 2 miles south. It passes Monument Cove (see photo below) and the trail head for the Gorham Mountain trail near Thunder Hole.

This view of Sand Beach and Newport Cove is from the rocks just a few feet off of the Ocean Drive trail. As you walk along the trail You will see many small paths that will take you onto the rocks - use extreme caution as the rocks can be slippery and there are several areas where you will encounter poison ivy. There is not much poison ivy on Mount Desert Island but there is some. Do not let children explore these paths unattended!

This view is from the same location as the above Sand Beach view, except that it is looking south along the coast and it is at sunrise. As you can see, the warm light of the morning sun changes the color of the rocks and makes photography at this time of day very exciting. You will likely see several people walking around with tripod and camera this time of day. In my opinion I believe dawn to around 10:00 am is the best time to be on the Park Loop Road - most people are just arriving at 9 a.m.!

This is a view from the Ocean Drive Trail (which is just beyond the rocks you see at the bottom of the photo). The trail follows the PLR which can also be seen in this photo.

This trail will take you all the way to the rocky cliffs you see in the distance with many beautiful vistas like you see here.

This is a beautiful and easy trail great for a family outing - you could spend the entire day here - be sure to bring plenty of water and food if you will spend more than a couple hours here. Even at the height of the summer season you can always find a quiet and relatively private spot to pull up a piece of the rocks and sit for hours listening to and watching the ocean roll in. Watch as the tide comes in or goes out (we get 10 foot tides here) and the landscape changes with virtually every wave that rolls in. Watch the waves continually crash onto the rocks.

If you decide to drive the Loop the views are just as spectacular and you can park anywhere in the right lane - just be careful not to park on curves even thought it is legal to do that.

Drive slow and stop often, you will likely want to stop at the Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, Otter Point and many places along the way. Do stop and spend time sitting, listening and watching. Seagulls fly by and sun themselves on the rocks close by - there are several species and are interesting to see as they search for food along the shore. (Please do not feed the gulls! They can become a real pain-in-the-neck if you do). You may see hawks and bald eagles along this stretch of the Loop Road. If the tide is out you may want to explore the many tide pools that are left behind as the tide goes out. A great activity for children and adults alike - starfish, sea cucumbers, seaweed, small crabs, snails, sea urchins and many other types of plants and animals can be found by the discerning eye.

Here is a view of one of the many coves you will come upon as you drive or walk along the PLR. Take time to stop and enjoy the view for awhile - soak up the images so you will be able to relive your visit for many years to come. You will very likely be back.

This unusual rock formation is responsible for the name of this cove - Monument Cove.  If you are walking the Ocean Drive Path you are sure to see it. However, if driving the PLR you are likely to miss it as you will need to look behind you to see it.

This formation is found in many guide books and on most calendars with Acadia National Park photos.

My son took this a few years ago but it was not easy - it required some dangerous rock climbing to do it so you may not be able to get this vantage point - don't try unless you are athletic and are very, very careful!

Thunder Hole is about half way between Sand Beach and Otter Cliffs. Thunder Hole is named that because under certain conditions the ocean water rushes into this narrow granite channel traps large amounts of air which escapes with a loud thunder like sound. It is unlikely you will be lucky enough to hear Thunder Hole do its thing. The tide level, wind speed and direction as well as the height of the waves crashing onto the shore all play a part in creating the right conditions to create the thunder. Actually winter storms provide the best conditions but it is fin to see and you may even hear small booming sounds when you are there.

There are many places along this coastal section where smaller versions of Thunder Hole will create the thundering sound as the waves crash onto the rocks.

The trail head for Gorham Mountain trail, another of my favorite trails, is located just beyond the Thunder Hole parking lot. There is a parking lot at the trail head.

I like this trail because it offers beautiful vistas of the Park Loop Road, Sand Beach and Thunder Hole, similar to Beehive without the hiking difficulty of Beehive (Beehive is much more exciting). This trail is rated as 'moderate difficulty'. This is a fun family trail - again, I suggest you research the guide books if you want to take small children or your dog.  I have hiked it with my 11 year old son and his 12 year old friend - it was a fantastic experience for us all. Take your time and use common sense and you can safely hike this trail. Plan to stop often along the way and to spend an hour or more at the top. Look for eagles and hawks as they patrol the shoreline in search of food. Also be prepared to say 'Wow' often.

A Word Of Warning: As you can see above, the ocean can create spectacular sights. But, a word of warning is in order here. Everywhere along the coast of Maine you must take precautions as you approach the ocean's edge, especially when walking on the rocks. The ocean may seem to be very calm and placid and the surf may appear quite small and non-threatening. However, NEVER, I repeat NEVER turn your back on the ocean when on the rocks close (within approximately 100 feet) to the waters edge. It is possible to be surprised by a wave that is significantly larger than the waves that have been rolling in for several minutes or even half an hour or longer. These waves can sweep up and over rocks that are several feet above the water and can charge up the beach much farther than the "normal" waves. You can be knocked down and if you are too close to the edge you can be swept into the water. The water is very cold and very dangerous because of the rocks. I do not want to scare you away from the ocean edge but I do want you to be informed and prepared. And, I do want you to be especially careful with children who love to get as close to the water as they can. Save that for the low flat beaches like Sand Beach.

CAUTION: Like all areas on the coast of Maine, use caution when exploring the shoreline. Rocks, even those above the waterline, can be slippery or unstable and move when you step on them. Be especially careful of wet or seaweed covered rocks as they are very slippery - do not jump onto them and if you do walk on them use extreme care.