Suggested Routes
Unsure where to start? Check our suggested routes for ideas. Be mindful of the shading where elevation change is indicated. For a better understanding of what areas are more steep or level, always consult a topographic map.
Thing to Do
NPS Photo/Kent Miller
Winding through the heart of the park, the carriage roads have crushed rock surfaces perfect for miles of bicycling. Forty-five miles of rustic carriage roads, weave around the mountains and valleys of Acadia National Park and under and over 17 historic carriage road bridges. Constructed from 1913 to 1940 and lovingly maintaned by park staff and Friends of Acacia volunteers, these roads provide sweeping vistas and close-up views of the landscape away from car traffic.
Visitors can either bring their own bicycles or rent bicycles from local outfitters. Use a carriage road map for orientation and distances between intersections. Intersection numbers are labeled on the historic wooden directional posts.
Before venturing out, review the expectations for carriage road etiquette:
The carriage roads and bridges are a gift of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. and family who paid for and oversaw the design of their construction. Many of the workers who built the carriage roads were talented local masons who honed their craft over generations and Italian immigrants. Rockefeller’s interest in road building grew naturally from his father’s. John D. Rockefeller Sr., the founder of Standard Oil, had built and landscaped carriage roads on his Ohio and New York estates. From his father the junior Rockefeller learned many techniques that he applied to building his Mount Desert Island carriage roads. His love of road building ensured a state-of-the-art system that separated horse and carriage (and now foot and bicycle traffic) from vehicles traffic.
Rockefeller participated in the construction process. He walked areas staked out for road alignment and observed work in progress. He knew the laborers by name and used experts to design the bridges and engineer the roads. Throughout it all, he paid rapt attention to the most minute details, from the placement of coping stones to the cost of a running foot of road. Following are some elements that unify the carriage road system:
The result of Rockefeller’s vision and attention to detail is an integrated system of carriage roads that blends harmoniously with the landscape.
Unsure where to start? Check our suggested routes for ideas. Be mindful of the shading where elevation change is indicated. For a better understanding of what areas are more steep or level, always consult a topographic map.
Last updated: February 17, 2023