Top 5 Stops on the Acadia National Park Scenic Drive
This summer, my family took a trip up to Maine to visit Acadia National Park. Famous for its beautiful coastline and forest, Acadia is the almost the furthest east you can go in the United States. It’s also one of the few national parks located on an island! Yep, most of Acadia is spread across Mt. Desert Island, which has several small towns and harbors, including the popular tourist town of Bar Harbor.
I’ve decided that island life suits me well :) The water is a bit too cold for swimming (for me anyway—I’m a southern girl), but my first visit to the coast of Maine was a wonderful experience.
The Acadia National Park Scenic Drive, aka Park Loop
Acadia National Park includes more than 48,000 acres in all, but the main park area that includes the most popular hikes and viewpoints is accessed along a 27-mile loop road. While still a two-lane road, the loop is one-way for the majority of the scenic drive to cut down on traffic and to allow parking in the right lane at the most popular stops.
There are only a few access points to the scenic drive from the non-park roads, so be careful! If you accidentally drive past your trailhead, the one-way loop prevents U-turns. In other words, you’ll have a long drive before you come back around to your intended stop.
Top Places to Stop Along the Scenic Drive
As both an island and a mountainous area, Acadia National Park offers a diverse range of activities. You can visit the beach or hike to a breathtaking summit view, depending on what mood you’re in!
Below, I’ve listed my five favorite stops along the Acadia scenic drive. The destinations are listed in clockwise order if you are starting at the loop entrance just south of Bar Harbor.
#1 - Precipice Loop
With steep cliffs (hence the name precipice) and amazing views, the Precipice Loop is one of the top hikes in Acadia National Park. But it’s far from easy! At just over two miles, this loop is not very long…but it is very steep with over 1,000 feet in elevation change. Part of the trail is strung along narrow rock ledges, with iron bars fixed to the rock walls so you have a railing to grab for support. Other parts of the trail require climbing iron rung ladders. This loop trail will definitely give you an adrenaline rush, but you’ll find the thrilling climb is worth the spectacular views of the coastline.
#2 - Beehive Loop
I promise this isn’t just a list of hikes, but the Beehive Loop is my next favorite stop along the Acadia scenic drive. Like the Precipice Loop, the Beehive Loop requires a lot of climbing up rocks and edging around rock ledges. But it’s shorter (only 1.5 miles) with much less elevation change. In addition to an overall view of the coastline, you get an aerial view of Sand Beach - the most popular beach in Acadia.
Sand Beach, as seen from the Beehive Loop Trail
Because Sand Beach is right across the Acadia loop drive from the Beehive trailhead, you can finish your hike with a walk down to the beach. The water is bit too cold for jumping in, but you can still dip your toes in and cool off. The beach is also a great place to picnic after a hike.
#3 - Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is an indentation in Acadia’s rocky coastline where the waves come surging through a narrow chute, smacking into the rocks and spraying visitors with water. It’s a magnificent display of how powerful the sea is. The only problem is, you have to time your visit right! Thunder Hole is only impressive when it’s nearing high tide. At low tide, the water barely floods into the chute, creating a very underwhelming sight.
Fortunately, even if you can’t catch Thunder Hole near high tide, this is one of the prettiest stretches of Acadia’s coastline. Thunder Hole is near the halfway point of the Ocean Path, which stretches from Sand Beach to Otter Point. You can walk along the beautiful Ocean Path, or climb down to the water and enjoy a nice perch on one of the rocks. Just don’t get stranded when the tide comes in!
#4 - Jordan Pond House
Stopping at the Jordan Pond House for afternoon tea and popovers is an Acadia tradition. It’s also a lovely way to break up a long day of hiking and exploring beaches. For those who don’t want to head back to Bar Harbor for something to eat, the Jordan Pond House also includes a full restaurant with iconic Maine lobster dishes.
Even if you’re not in the mood for tea, the Jordan Pond House serves as the trailhead for the Jordan Pond Path, from which you can hike up to the Bubbles or to Eagle Lake. Many of the other trails and carriage paths that criss-cross Acadia National Park also meet at the Jordan Pond House. From the house parking lot, you can hike up to Penobscot Mountain, Pemetic Mountain, or Cadillac Mountain. Or you could hike down to the harbor and end up on the coast!
#5 - The Bubbles
Last on my list is the Bubbles, which include North Bubble, South Bubble, and Bubble Rock. These landmarks are rocky outcroppings that provide beautiful views of the Acadia interior, including Jordan Pond. Yes, getting to the Bubbles requires doing another short hike, but the trail is not nearly as dangerous or difficult as the Precipice and Beehive trails.
The trailhead for the Bubbles is right off the park loop scenic drive, but you can also hike to the Bubbles from the Jordan Pond House or the Bubble Pond parking area. It just depends on how long you want to extend your hike! Hands down, the best way to see Acadia is to hit the coast along the park scenic drive and hike to a few viewpoints in the island interior, but there are a lot of trail options to choose from.
