The town of Bar Harbor is located on the northeastern shore of Maine's Mount Desert Island, right off Frenchman's Bay. Bar Harbor is a popular tourist destination partly because of its proximity to Acadia National Park. One of the park's main entrances is less than three miles from town, providing a wide range of nearby recreational opportunities for visitors with an active and healthy lifestyle.
Hiking
Acadia National Park has more than 100 miles of hiking trails, including a number of trails that are very close to the town of Bar Harbor. The two trails that are closest to Bar Harbor are the Bar Harbor Shore Path, and the Bar Island trails. Bar Island can be accessed by foot during low tide, but you have to get back before the bar leading to the island becomes submerged by the next tide. You can even hike to the top of Cadillac Mountain by taking the nearby Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail.
Rock Climbing
If you're a rock climber, Acadia also provides you with many opportunities to enjoy this invigorating activity. Quite a few of these climbing spots are close to town, including the easy boulders found at Sand Beach, and the much more difficult Precipice Trail.
Bicycling
Drive three miles north from the center of town and you will see the main entrance to Acadia National Park, and the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. From here you will have access to 45 miles of carriage roads where you can enjoy some cycling. The carriage roads run all the way from Bar Harbor to Northeast Harbor, Seal Harbor and many places in between.
Winter Activities
During the winter months, those same 45 miles of carriage roads become a great place to enjoy some cross country skiing, skijoring or snowshoeing. If the snow is deeper than 4 inches, park volunteers may put down ski tracks for your convenience. You should stay off the tracks if your snowshoeing, and keep your dogs off them if skijoring, a sport where skiers can be pulled by dogs, other animals or snowmobiles.
Horseback Riding
Except for in a few places, you may also ride your horse on most of Acadia National Park's carriage roads. To identify which carriage roads are restricted to horseback riding, please get a copy of the Carriage Road User's Map, either online or at Hulls Cove Visitor Center.
Kayaking
Bar Harbor is right on Frenchman's Bay, making it the perfect place to launch your kayak and explore the many islands that can be seen from town. There are more than a dozen islands within a six-mile paddle of Bar Harbor, many of which are no more than a half-mile from one another. You can hopscotch your way across Frenchman's Bay. You'll find various places to launch your kayak in Bar Harbor, including the sand bar that leads to Bar Island during low tide.
Member Comments