Last updated: September 13, 2023
Article
Enjoy the View Like Jeffrey Malone
How do you enjoy the view?
The Enjoy the View Like Us series invites National Park Service employees to share their stories about their favorite park views. The ways to enjoy the view are as unique as parks and their visitors. We hope these stories inspire you to enjoy the view! Learn more about scenic views in national parks.
“You can hear the waves on the rocks, the wind blowing, the seagulls crying, and the sound of the fog bells dinging offshore. You can smell the salt from the ocean and the pine trees that grow right up to the oceans edge. You can feel the smooth round rocks of the beach; then feel the rough sharp rocks of the bluffs on either side of the beach.”
This is how Jeffrey Malone describes his favorite view of the coastline at Little Hunters Beach at Acadia National Park. Jeffrey is a maintenance worker at Colonial National Historic Park (Yorktown Battlefield) and has been to lots of amazing parks and places all around the country. But this is his favorite spot.
Jeffrey has worked for the National Park Service for 20 years. “I've worked at 6 different parks and visited over 175 National Park Service locations. I currently work at Colonial National Historic Park which I visited in high school and have always dreamed of working at to enjoy the history of the park.”
What makes this view so special?
“I have been going to this location for as long as I can remember. It's a rounded ocean stone beach with rock cliffs on either side to climb on. It looks straight out into the Atlantic Ocean. I love the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks. Also, the cool ocean air that is always blowing at this spot any day of the year. I've enjoyed this location by myself, with my family, friends, and now my wife and son.”
Sounds and smells can be an important part of experiencing views. At Little Hunter’s Beach, the sound that Jeffrey enjoys at the view is created by the cobbles on the beach. As waves move in and out with the tide the cobbles and roll over each other creating the most interesting tumbling sound. The famous cobbles found on the beach are a result of glacial activity and powerful waves. Cobbles are a critical part of Acadia’s shoreline habitat, providing shelter for small creatures.
What should visitors know?
This is a quiet spot in a busy park - which makes Little Hunters Beach a hidden gem. Little Hunters Beach is a cobblestone beach located off the Park Loop Road, southeast of Otter Point and Otter Cove. It is secluded from the road and accessible by a stairway down to beach level. Due to strong undertows, swimming is not recommended.
Find out more information about Little Hunters Beach.