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Acadia National ParkA wooden fence sits in the snow and ice.
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Acadia National Park
Horseback Riding
Three horses at fence

NPS/Liz Weston

Horses at Wildwood Stables

Forty-five miles of rustic carriage roads, the gift of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. and family, weave around the mountains and valleys of Acadia National Park. Most of those roads are still available for horseback travel either on a carriage ride with the park concessioner at Wildwood Stables or on a horse of your own.

When horseback riding on Acadia's carriage roads be sure to have a copy of the Carriage Road User's Map to better identify the trails, routes, and roads where horses are permitted. The use of pack animals (horses, burros, mules, llamas, and alpacas) is permitted on the following trails, routes, and roads:

  • carriage roads, except as noted below
  • Western Mountain Connector Trail, when the Western Mountain Road and Lurvey Spring Road are closed to motor vehicles
  • motor vehicle roads when closed to motor vehicles
  • established crosswalks
  • the following unpaved roads: Hio Fire Road, Man-O'-War Brook Fire Road, Marshall Brook Fire Road, and Valley Cove Fire Road
  • within the developed area of Wildwood Stables

The use of pack animals is prohibited on:

  • the Witch Hole Pond and Paradise Hill loops of the carriage roads
  • the Eagle Lake loop of the carriage road system except between junctions # 7 and # 8 as shown on the park's official Carriage Road User's Map
  • hiking trails, off routes, and on motor roads when open to vehicular traffic 

Tips for a Fun, Safe Ride
As you head out with your horse, be sure to keep in mind the following:

  • Brown Mountain parking lot and Wildwood Stables provide adequate room for horse trailers. Please do not block parking lot access. There is a fee to park at Wildwood Stables. Information about vehicle restrictions (height, length, etc.) in other park areas is also available.
  • Please clean up after your horse in parking lots.
  • If riding during the winter, please do not let your horse walk in cross-country ski tracks. Remember that snowmobiles are permitted in certain areas of the park.

If you have any additional questions about horses in the park, please contact us.

Bronze statue of a Passamaquoddy man  

Did You Know?
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site is a National Park Service site located within three hours of Acadia. Saint Croix commemorates the first French attempt at a permanent settlement in N. America. Explore the mainland site with an interpretive trail featuring bronze statues and waysides.
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Last Updated: June 24, 2009 at 10:21 EST