Acadia National Park is located in Hancock County, Maine, and covers nearly 50,000 acres along the Atlantic coast. Hancock offers more than coastal views: you can explore historical collections, walk nature trails, or discover paddling waters. Which of these experiences interests you most can give your stay its own direction.
Coastal route and practical information
The Schoodic National Scenic Byway follows a coastal route across the Schoodic Peninsula in eastern Maine and provides access to working harbors and rocky stretches of coastline. Lobster fishing and clamming remain traditions along the Schoodic Scenic Byway. This connects the landscape with a regional culture that is about more than just views of the water.
For travel planning: Direct flights from Boston's Logan Airport land at Hancock County Airport, which is 10 miles from Acadia National Park. At Bass Harbor Head Light Station, a 0.25-mile access road leads to a small parking lot with 27 spaces and restrooms. From there, a short boardwalk leads to shoreline viewpoints. The station also has a maritime history: its construction was authorized in 1858 to guide ships entering Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay.
Museums and personal discoveries
At the Telephone Museum in Ellsworth, you can learn to work as a switchboard operator through a hands-on historical experience. The museum also houses an extensive collection on the history of telecommunications, including switchboards, telephone exchanges, telephones, tools, wiring diagrams, and photographs. The hands-on experience and broad collection offer different ways to explore the history of technology.
At Birdsacre, nature trails and wildlife viewing sit alongside the history of a home. The property has six miles of interconnected nature trails. Visitors can see native owls, hawks, and vultures that cannot be released into the wild. Cordelia J. Stanwood's Victorian home is now a museum and houses her glass-plate photographs. Photography enthusiasts can encounter a specific historical collection here; the trails and birds that cannot be released into the wild provide a different focus.
The Abbe Museum has a permanent collection of more than 50,000 objects representing 10,000 years of Indigenous life in Maine. The original Abbe Museum in Acadia National Park is a seasonal facility. Its exhibitions, educational programs, and research share the cultures, history, and archaeology of Maine's Indigenous peoples. Woodlawn offers opportunities for recreation and education on a preserved historic estate. Among its distinctive features is Maine's only publicly accessible, nationally recognized croquet court.
Paddling waters, trails, and islands
The Donnell Pond Public Lands encompass more than 14,000 acres of remote, forested land. Paddlers can explore the area from boat launches on Tunk Lake, Spring River Lake, Long Pond, and Donnell Pond. Schoodic Beach on Donnell Pond has designated areas for swimming, picnicking, and camping; a 0.5-mile footpath leads from the parking lot to the beach.
For a hike to the summit of Schoodic Mountain, the trail runs about a mile from the Schoodic parking area. The 500-acre Schoodic Bog lies at the foot of the southern slope. Its trails connect to the trail system in the state-owned Donnell Pond Unit; blue FBC trail markers lead to the Down East Sunrise Trail. A section of this trail borders the Donnell Pond Public Lands Unit for more than two and a half miles. The Down East Sunrise Trail is intended for snowmobilers, ATV riders, pedestrians, cyclists, cross-country skiers, and horseback riders; seasonal conditions may vary. Its western end is at Washington Junction in Hancock.
On Marshall Island, the Ed Woodsum Preserve encompasses the entire 985-acre island. Its 9.2 miles of hiking trails allow visitors to explore a large part of the island. There is a landing dock on the northeast side near Ringtown Island; several beaches provide access for small boats. Marshall Island is in Hancock County, south of Swans Island. The island trails, dock, and beaches appeal to different interests: hiking on the island as well as landing by small boat.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Bar Harbor, Castine, East Holden, Orland, Southwest Harbor, Dedham, Ellsworth, Bucksport, Gouldsboro, Mount Desert, Swans Island, Surry, Brooklin.
For the overview of the broader destination: Maine.
