Audio
Brochure 16: Map > Mount Desert Island
Transcript
MAP: Mount Desert Island
DESCRIBING:
A large color map that includes wayfinding, cognitive, and natural history information.
SYNOPSIS:
This map, entitled “Mount Desert Island,” is an orientation and wayfinding map for the primary district of Acadia National Park located off the mainland of the Downeast Maine region along the North Atlantic coastline.
The map fully encompasses the island and is oriented with north toward the top of the map at a scale of just under one-inch equals one mile, and just over one-half inch equals one kilometer. Open water extends around the peninsula and beyond the boundaries of the map. As many as 32 smaller islands. A large black, all capitalized and italicized label, “Mount Desert Island,” appears near the center of the map.
Mount Desert Island is split into two halves separated by Somes Sound. An irregular, checkerboard of boundary areas show that Acadia is roughly half the area of Mount Desert Island. A large portion of the eastern half of Mount Desert Island and the interior of the western half are within park boundaries. Parkland is shown in light green. Non-Park areas are shown in off-white on several neighboring coves, harbors and islands. The Atlantic Ocean is shown in light blue and several harbors and bays are labeled in dark blue text. Black lines depict primary paved roads. A dark red line indicates the Park Loop Road. Thin, gray, dashed lines depict hiking trails. Dashed-blue lines depict passenger ferry routes. Ferry stops are shown with a black dot and are labeled with a ferry icon. The boundaries of towns are indicated with light brown shading and labeled spelled out with thin capital letters. Summits are indicated with small black dots and spelled out in small, bold, italicized characters with elevations indicated in feet and meters.
The map identifies:
- locations of Acadia National Park’s visitor centers.
- navigational points, including the Park Loop Road, unpaved and paved roads, locked gates, national park boundaries, park headquarters, and town boundaries.
- points of interest, including hiking trails, carriage roads, ponds, lakes, peak heights and location, and lighthouses.
- amenities, including picnic areas, campgrounds, swimming areas, boat launches, rest rooms, parking, bus stops food services, and ferries.and warnings, including low clearance bridges, vehicle reservation requirements, and no swimming areas.
IN-DEPTH DESCRIPTION:
In the upper left corner of the map, across a short span labeled "Mount Desert Narrows," a series of bridges along Route 3 connects the mainland to the northwest tip of Mount Desert Island. Along the way is Thompon Island, which has a small visitor contact station and restrooms along the south side of the road and a large picnic area and restrooms along the north side of the road. Continuing along Route 3 onto Mount Desert Island, there is an immediate fork with a left turn for Route 3 continuing east across the top of the island and a right turn on Route 1 0 2 and 1 9 8 traveling south toward the Somes Sound and the western side of the island.
Mount Desert Island is an irregular, round island with numerous coves, harbors and surrounding smaller islands. There are several high mountain ranges stacked side-by-side across the island from east to west and oriented vertically, north to south. Near the middle of the island, extending north from the Atlantic Ocean, is a long, narrow, and deep body of water labeled "Somes Sound," which effectively divides the island into two halves. State Routes 2 3 3 and 1 9 8, threading across the middle of the island, provide an east to west road corridor between the two halves.
Using the orientation of an analog clock face, the Hulls Cove Visitor is located along Route 3 at about one o’clock near the center in the north, northeast corner of the island. The site is marked with icons for bus stop, ranger station, restrooms, and parking. Bar Island, Sheep Porcupine Island, Burnt Porcupine Island, Long Porcupine Island, Bald Porcupine Island, Ironbound Island, and Jordon Island lie off the northeast coast.
This visitor center location serves the start of the 27-mile Park Loop Road, which is indicated with a heavier line colored dark red. This scenic road travels south, then east to meet and travel south along the North Atlantic coastline. At the far southern extent of the island, the Park Loop Road turns west and then north around mountain ranges before traveling north the full length of the island back to the visitor center.
Popular destinations that are located along the Park Loop Road include.
Sieur de Monts Nature Center and the Wild Gardens of Acadia.
- Sand Beach.
- Thunder Hole.
- Otter Point.
- Fabbri Memorial and Picnic Area
- Wildwood Stables.
- Jordan Pond House, and
- Cadillac Moutain.
In the northeast corner of the island, located about two miles farther east from the visitor center on Route 3 along the coastline, is the town of Bar Harbor. It is oriented at about two o'clock on the analog clock face. There is a ferry stop icon located along the coast. Along side streets near the center of town, a black dot notes the location of the "Village Green," with icons for a bus stop and ranger station.
Continuing about a mile south from Bar Harbor on Route 3 is a park entrance with access to Sieur de Monts Spring and Nature Center, and the Wild Gardens of Acadia. Numerous hiking trails intersect in this area, including those with access to Dorr and Cadillac mountains.
Route 3 continues south between mountain ranges and through the town of Otter Creek, indicated with a yellow dot at about four o'clock on the analog clock face.
A short distance along Route 3 to the west and south is the entrance to Blackwoods Campground and amphitheater, which is indicated by icons for a campground, bus stop and ranger station. There are trails leading from the campground northeast toward Otter Cove and northwest to the park interior.
A bit farther west, Route 3 enters the town of Seal Harbor, which is oriented at about 5 o'clock on the analog clock. A short distance beyond, at the Stanley Brook Entrance, is a road that travels north to connect with the Park Loop Road.
Continuing west on the southern coast on Mount Desert Island, Route 3 meets a junction. Continuing north from here along Route 3 is a gatehouse, bus stop, restrooms, and parking areas for hiking trails and carriage roads. Traveling south from this junction leads to the town Northeast Harbor, where there is a bus stop and a passenger ferry to Great Cranberry Island. Smaller islands off the coast include Greening Island, Bear Island, Sutton Island, and Baker Island. From the northwest corner of Northeast Harbor, Sergeant Drive traces the coastline along Somes Sound to connect back with Route 3 roughly three miles farther north.
Continuing north, Route 3 transitions to Route 1 9 8. Along the way, there is an intersection with Route 2 3 3 that travels east and north past Eagle Lake toward Bar Harbor, roughly 4.5 miles away. Traveling west from that intersection along 1 9 8 leads to the western portion of Mount Desert Island.
At about 10 o'clock on the analog clock face, Route 1 9 8 intersects with Route 1 0 2. Traveling north, 1 0 2 eventually passes through the town of Town Hill and swings northwest to connect with Route 3 and cross Thompson Island to return to the mainland.
Traveling south from that intersection, 102 follows the western coast of Somes Sound through the town of Somesville.
Roughly two miles south is a boat launch on Echo Lake at Ikes Point.
About a half mile farther south along 1 0 2 is Echo Lake Beach, where swimming is allowed. There is a bus stop, restrooms, parking, and hiking trails.
From the parking lot at Echo Lake Beach, Lurvey Spring Road travels southwest to meet the southern edge of Long Pond, where there is a boat launch and hiking trails.
Continuing south along Route 1 0 2 about a half mile is the entrance to Caroll Homestead, which hosts living history activities and Junior Ranger events.
A short distance farther south on 1 0 2 is the town of Southwest Harbor, where there is a bus stop and seasonal ferry to Cranberry Island.
South of Southwest Harbor the road splits with 1 0 2 traveling southwest, and 1 0 2 A traveling southeast. Route 1 0 2 to the southwest connects with the towns of Bass Harbor and Bernard.
Route 1 0 2 A to the southeast winds around the coast about two and a half miles to Seawall and Seawall Campground. Seawall is located directly on the coastline and has a picnic area and restrooms. Seawall Campground is located on the inland side of the road and has a campground, amphitheater, bus stop, and ranger stations. One mile farther west along Route 1 0 2 A is the Wonderland hiking trail. A half mile beyond is Ship Harbor cove with a parking lot, restrooms, and hiking loop. Roughly another mile beyond, 1 0 2 A intersects with a two-lane road south to Bass Harbor Head Light Station, which has a very limited number of parking spaces, restrooms, and a short hiking trail down to the water's edge.
Traveling north on Route 1 0 2 A about one mile leads to the town of Bass Harbor, where there is a vehicle ferry to Swans Island.
Just north of Bass Harbor is the intersection with Route 102. Turning east leads back at Southwest Harbor and turning west leads to Tremont Road and the town of Bernard.
Tremont Road continues northwest along the west coast of Mount Desert Island. The town of West Tremont is about two miles north, and the town of Seal Cove is another two miles farther north.
Continuing north another four miles leads to Pretty Marsh, which has a parking lot, picnic tables, and restrooms.
A short distance beyond is an intersection with Indian Point Road, which travels along the northwest coast of Mount Desert Island to intersect with Routes 1 0 2 and 1 9 8 near the town of Town Hill.
At the town of Pretty Marsh, Tremont Road turns into Pretty Marsh Road, which travels northeast back toward 1 0 2 and the north end of Somes Sound. Along the way, there is a boat launch at the north edge of Long Pond. Just beyond, an intersection with Ripples Road to the south transitions to Beech Hill Road and travels south several miles to Beech Mountain parking area and hiking trails. As Pretty Marsh Road runs continues east, it connects with Route 1 0 2, where it turns north toward Somesville and eventually connects with Route 3 to cross Thompson Island to return to the mainland.
Description
Computer-generated voice recording from an audio described version of the souvenir park brochure for Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine. (2024 edition)
Date Created
03/02/2024
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