Explore This Park

• Plan Your Visit
  • Things To Do

Things To Do

Ranger Programs

For greater flexibility and staffing efficiency, ranger program schedules at Acadia are finalized only about 10 days in advance. You can make plans to attend ranger programs during your visit by exploring the descriptions spelled out below, and then browsing and searching for instances that specific programs are scheduled on the Calendar page.

 

Ranger Tours

Fees apply, please see descriptions

Carriage Road Bike Tour

2.5 hours, 6 mile moderate ride. Enjoy the car-free carriage roads at a comfortable pace while discovering the diverse beauty of Acadia. Twenty-one speed bike, transport to the park, and gear provided for the full day. Fee and reservations: $54 per person, including the bike, helmet and tour. Coastal Kayaking Tours/Acadia Bike, 48 Cottage St., Bar Harbor, or call 800-526-8615

Frenchman Bay Cruise

2 hours, Bar Harbor Inn Pier. Climb aboard a schooner and hoist sails in search of wildlife and history. $42 adults, $39 seniors (65+), $32 ages 6–11, $7 ages 2–5, infants free. Group rates (15+) are available. [phone] www.downeastwindjammer.com

Islesford Historic and Scenic Cruise

2 hours 45 minutes, Municipal Pier, Northeast Harbor. Explore the connections between people and the sea with a visit to the Islesford Historical Museum on Little Cranberry Island. $31 adults, $29 seniors (65+), $18 ages 5–11, $7 ages under 5. [phone] www.cruiseacadia.com

 

Program Descriptions

Mount Desert Island District

Autumn Ramble

From 1.5 to 2 hours, Sieur de Monts Springs. Join a ranger for an easy walk exploring phenology and how life in Acadia anticipates winter.

Carroll Homestead Open House

Carroll Homestead. Stop by to visit an 1800s farm home, hear family stories, and play pioneer games. Imagine what life was like for the generations who lived here.

Dusk Walk

2 hours, 1.4 mile (2.25 km) easy to moderate hike, Wonderland Parking Area, Ages 8+. Question everything you know about darkness on this walk into the twilight.

Evening Programs

1 hour, Blackwoods Campground Amphitheater, or Seawall Campround Amphitheater. Check campground bulletin boards or visitor centers for a complete list of program topics. Parking area near the amphitheater accommodates non-campers.

Fire Tower Open House

Beech Mountain Summit. Enjoy the views from Beech Mountain Fire Tower. Hike from parking lot at the southern end of Beech Hill Road, 0.4 mile one way.

Hawk Watch

Cadillac North Ridge, 200 yards from the summit. Weather and wind permitting, look for and learn about migrating raptors. Additional programs may be added when conditions are favorable for migration; follow us on facebook to find out when we'll be watching for migratory birds.

Headland Hike

3 hours, 2 mile (3.2 km) moderate rocky hike, Sand Beach Parking Area. Learn how to read the geologic and cultural story in Acadia's dramatic landscape.

Missing Mansion

1.5 to 2 hours, Compass Harbor parking area, 1 mile (1.6 mile) south of Bar Harbor on Rt. 3. (Look for orange cones.) Explore the site of George Dorr’s former mansion on this easy walk. Look for clues and learn about the man who helped create our national park.

Mr Rockefeller’s Bridges

2.5 hours, Parkman Mountain parking area. Follow tree-lined carriage roads to explore the stories behind John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s gift to Acadia on this easy 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk

Ocean Path Walk

3 hours, 2 mile (3.2 km) moderate hike, first unmarked parking area past Gorham Mountain Parking. Become more familiar with this incredibly beautiful and diverse coastal area, probing more deeply into the forces and processes that make it what it is today.

Reservation Programs

From 1.5 to 3 hours, Location TBD, reservations required: Call 207-288-8832. Learn about unique aspects of this island park. Length and difficulty varies, call for details.

• Acadia's Birds • Find, identify, and discuss some of Acadia’s most fascinating birds on this easy walk. Bring binoculars..
• Dragonfly Discovery • Be a citizen scientist helping to study mercury pollution by collecting juvenile dragonflies. You’ll wade into a lake, get muddy, and discover some amazing aquatic creatures.
• Island Walk • Discover stories of history and nature along Acadia's rocky coastline on this easy to moderate two-mile (3.2-km) walk.
• Mountain Hike • Ascend a rocky trail to one of Acadia’s summits on a guided hike exploring the geology and plant life along the way.

• Photo Walk • Bring your camera and learn valuable tips and techniques to capture Acadia’s beauty.

• Sunset Hike • Hike a challenging trail to a special overlook for sunset as you uncover changes to Acadia’s landscape. Bring water, layers, sturdy shoes, and flashlight.

Seabirds at Seawall

Seawall Picnic Area. Stop by to look for and learn about Acadia’s sea ducks and coastal birds.

Stars Over Sand Beach

1 hour, Sand Beach. Sit back and learn about Acadia’s night sky. Dress warmly, bring something to lie on, and please minimize flashlight use to preserve night vision.
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Program Descriptions

Schoodic Peninsula District

Evening Campground Program
1 hour, Schoodic Wood Campground Amphitheater Topics vary.

Marine Touch Tank

1 hour, Dorr Hall at Schoodic Education and Research Center Drop by between 1 and 2 pm to meet some marine creatures and learn about adaptations to constantly changing conditions between the tides.

Schoodic Sleuths
1 hour, Schoodic Woods Campground Amphitheater Get the inside scoop on habitats, ecology and history during this nature walk with children's activities. Wear close-toed shoes for rocky and wet areas. Ages 12 and under.

Sundew Phenology Hike
1.5 to 2 hours, Eliot Hall parking area Join a ranger on this moderate, uneven trail to monitor local plants using Nature’s Notebook. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water and snacks.

 

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