Next to the entryway to the restrooms, a panel on the side of the building displays a wayside exhibit entitled "Horse & Carriage Routes into Acadia."
The exhibit's title appears over a view of a horse-drawn carriage as it approaches a stone gatehouse.
Introductory text reads: "Take a horse-drawn carriage tour or ride your own horse into Acadia's interior. Enjoy sweeping vistas you will see nowhere else in the park as you weave around mountains and valleys, pass through forests and meadows, and swing by brooks and lakes on the carriage roads. Admire picturesque stone bridges created by John D. Rockefeller Jr. who passionately believed the island's roads should be for horses and carriages, not automobiles. Rockefeller and other family members gave most of the rustic, broken-stone roads to the park to preserve a special way for you to experience Acadia."
A map showing a portion of Mount Desert Island layers over the rustic scene. The map contains symbols indicating carriage roads, roads, drinking water, bus stops, food service, parking, ranger station, visitor center, and seasonal restrooms. An arrow points to a location near Wildwood Stables: "You Are Here."
A note recommends that visitors "carry a carriage road map and follow the numbered signposts at each carriage road intersection."
An inset photograph shows a family standing at a signpost where bicycles are parked. Wearing helmets, they consult a map.
Safety Tips: -Expect fast-moving bikes and walkers with dogs. -Bridge surfaces may vary. -Be prepared to encounter wildlife at any time. -Maintain a speed that is safe for you and others.
Notes urge visitors to Protect the Park: -Stay on the carriage roads — hiking trails are closed to horses and bikers. -If it is necessary to tie your horse to a tree, choose a live tree at least 8 inches in diameter in an area away from sensitive wetlands or streams. -Keep horses away from fragile stream edges.
A quote: "With each turn, the carriage road took me farther from the complex world of human discord, into one of simple, natural harmony." - John D. Rockefeller Jr.
