Acadia National Park Activity and Calendar Guide
Welcome to the Acadia National Park Activity and Calendar Guide.
Below you will find information about visitor centers, ranger led programs, activities for children, and special events that occur on certain dates or throughout the year.
Below you will find information about visitor centers, ranger led programs, activities for children, and special events that occur on certain dates or throughout the year.
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Acadia National Park Activity and Calendar Information
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Visitor Centers
| Opened | Closed | Hours | Location | Available Facilities |
| May - Oct | Nov - Apr | May - Jun ~ 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Jul - Aug ~ 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Sep - Oct ~ 8:00 am - 4:30 pm or 5:30 pm |
Off Route 3 in Hulls Cove | A free 15 minute audiovisual program is shown every half hour at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center - available in English, French, German, audio description, and captioned. A cassette tape tour of Acadia and the surrounding area is available for purchase or rent (CDs also available). A tape player can also be rented. Ask for a schedule of ranger-led activities (mid-June - mid-October) that includes talks, walks, hikes, boat cruises, and evening programs. The visitor center information staff can assist you in planning your visit. Children can participate in the Junior Ranger program during the summer. Free literature and sales items are available and give details about motor vehicle, bicycle, and hiking routes, as well as the cultural and natural history of the area. |
| Opened | Closed | Hours | Location | Available Facilities |
| All year | New Years Day Thanksgiving(3rd Thu in Nov) Dec 24 & 25 |
8:00 am - 4:30 pm | Three miles west of Bar Harbor on Highway 233 | Park orientation information, free literature, and sales items available. Details about motor vehicle, bicycle, and hiking routes, as well as cultural and natural history of the area. |
| Opened | Closed | Hours | Location | Available Facilities |
| 31 May - 30 Sep | Oct - May | 9:00 am - 3:00 or 5:00 pm | Three miles south of Bar Harbor on Rt. 3 | Ranger-led walks and talks are scheduled periodically during the season. Exhibits reflect Acadia's natural resources, history and park research. Park information, free literature, and sales items are also available. Restrooms and drinking fountains are available |
| Opened | Closed | Hours | Location | Available Facilities |
| Mid Jun - Sep | Oct - Mid Jun | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm | On Little Cranberry Island. Can be reached by mailboat or tour boats from Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor. | Ranger-led walks and talks are scheduled periodically throughout the season. Exhibits tell the story of the Cranberry Isles and its people through ship models, navigation aids, dolls and toys, photographs, tools. Park information, free literature, and sales items available. Restrooms and drinking fountain are available. |
| Opened | Closed | Hours | Location | Available Facilities |
| 15 May - 15 Oct | Closed from mid Oct to mid May | 10:00 am - 4:40 pm | On the causeway at the head of Mount Desert Island on Rt 3 | Phone: 207-288-3411. Displays of park information and area Chamber of Commerce information.Restrooms, drinking fountain and picnic area available nearby. |
Special Events and Programs
Acadia National Park is open year round but the majority of park visitors come in the summer and early fall. During other months, limited service is available inside the park, and all services are available outside the park in local communities. You can visit without the crowds in the off season months. The peak visitor season is in July through September.
Fall Foliage and Spring Blossoms
It is exciting to experience Acadia's transformations during the fall and spring. You can observe the change of foliage from summer green to splashes of orange, red and yellow, or the flow of spring freshets as ice melts on mountainsides, or the passage of birds as they migrate through Acadia's skies.
In Autumn, changes in daylight and cooler temperatures halt photosynthesis in leaves (the process that uses chlorophyll to nourish trees and turn leaves green). The lack of chlorophyll unveils the underlying red, yellow, and orange pigments that make fall so vibrant. The foliage changes throughout September and October. The height of color usually occurs within the first couple of weeks in October.
As winter slowly subsides, modest signs of spring begin to appear. You can see the swelling of tree buds. red maple buds are blunt with a reddish tinge. The pale brown buds of the beech resemble slender cigars. Birch and aspen trees display long pendants known as catkins.
As daylight increases, more plants emerge. The trailing arbutus, blooming as early as mid April, can be found in coniferous or mixed woods exhibiting tiny clusters of pink and white 5 petaled flowers. On the sunny cliff ledges, the stalked early saxifrage can be found. In open areas, wild strawberries and petite four petaled blue flowers called bluets poke through the ground. In cool shaded woods, white star flowers and purple violets surface. Trees present their short lived flowers, with the shadebush exhibiting one of the most beautiful spectacles of white flowers.
Birding Guide
Each September through November, thousands of hawks and falcons migrate through Acadia. Some of the species to be seen include the American kestrel, broad-winged hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and golden eagle. Cadillac and Beech Mountains provide good vantage points for watching hawks.
In the early spring, a variety of overwintering ducks can be found in waters surrounding the island. You can see scoters, oldsquaws, and goldeneyes. The largest rafts of seaducks, common eiders, can be seen floating off shore from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs. Loons in winter plumage may be seen at Ship Harbor and Otter Cove.
Songbirds break the long winter silence when they arrive in the spring. Twenty-one species of wood warblers nest in the park. Black-throated green warblers, yellow warblers, Nashville warblers, and magnolia warblers are just a few of the species you might see or hear at Sieur de Monts Spring, Ship Harbor Trail, or Fabbri Picnic Area.
The peregrine falcon, once common in the northeast, was almost extinct by the early 1960s because of the widespread use of DDT. A reintroduction program begun in the mid 1980s has brought the peregrine falcon back to soar through Acadia's sky. Since 1991, a pair of breeding peregrines has successfully raised chicks on the Precipice cliffs of Champlain Mountain. The Precipice Trail parking area offers prime viewing in the spring and summer, especially in the mornings. The Precipice Trail is closed when the falcons are nesting on the cliff so they are not disturbed during this important time.
Winter activities include ice fishing, winter hiking, snowshoeing, crosscountry skiing and snowmobiling.
Ranger Activities
Ranger / Naturalist programs cover the glacial actions that molded Acadia. Some specific topics covered or activities are: birds, cruises, evening slide programs, geology, hikes, highlighting the shoreline, human history, plant life, talks and ranger led walks.
Join a National Park Service ranger to explore Acadia's natural and cultural history. On cruises you may see porpoises, seals, eagles and nesting colonies of sea birds. Follow a ranger on a mountain hike and learn about the forces that once shaped this landscape - and continue to do so. Explore an offshore island and reflect on the lonely life of a lighthouse keeper's family. These are just some of the ways to discover the diversity of the scenic, natural and historic wonders that comprise Acadia National Park.
| Program | Description | Length | Difficulty |
| Animals of Acadia | Deer? Snake? Turtle? Beaver? What you might, and might not, see when looking for animals in Acadia National Park | 1.5 hours | Easy |
| Boat Cruises | Cruise amid the islands off the coast of Mount Desert Island and learn about the flora, fauna, geology, and human history of the region. Passengers disembark on Little Cranberry Island on one cruise. Make reservations through boat companies. | 2-5 hours, 3 different cruises, fees vary | Easy |
| Discover Acadia | An introduction to Acadia's natural and cultural history atop Cadillac Mountain, the highest summit in Acadia National Park | 1 hour, .5 miles | Easy |
| Evening Programs | Meet at Blackwoods or Seawall Campground for an evening program on a variety of Acadia topics from wildlife to plants, ocean to summit. Maybe even an old fashioned ranger sing-along! (mid-May to mid-October) | Easy | |
| Life Between the Tides | Explore the realm of nature from the forest to the rocky shore | 2.5 hours, 1.3 miles | Moderate |
| Mountain Mysteries | A great family hike! Hike one of Acadia's mountains and discover its secrets. For children ages 5-12. Must be accompanied by at least one adult. Reservations late June through August. | 2 hours, 1 mile | Moderate |
| Mr. Rockefeller's Bridges | Learn the history of Acadia's unique carriage roads and stone bridges on this walk | 2.5 hours, 2 miles | Moderate |
| Peregrine Falcon Watch | Since 1991 peregrine falcons have successfully nested on Champlain Mountain. Share the excitement of watching these masters of the skies during courtship, nesting, and fledging of young. (daily mid-May to mid-August, talk) | Easy |
A schedule of ranger activities can be obtained when you enter the park. Activities are subject to change.
Junior Ranger Program
As in other National Parks, Acadia has a Junior Ranger Program for youth, in which they have specific ranger led activities. The Junior Ranger Program really helps the youth get the most out of their visit to a National Park and to become involved as an official Junior Ranger and earn their badge.
Acadia's habitats range from rocky shorelines to forests to inland ponds and all are rich with plants, animals, and stories of human history. Special children's programs led by park rangers are provided to guide children's explorations of Acadia National Park. These programs include exploring coastal forest and rocky shore along the island's edge, hiking one of Acadia's mountains and discovering its secrets, and listening to some of the countless nature stories as told by a ranger.
Many of these programs require reservations during the summer. Check at the visitor center for availability. Parents need to accompany their children on these programs and are responsible for the safety and behavior of their children. Educational programs are also available for teachers and students during the school year. Contact the Environmental Education Coordinator for more information.
Are you eager to explore Acadia National Park and learn all you can? Will you have a few days in the park? If so, then Acadia's Junior Ranger program is for you!
Age-appropriate activity booklets and ranger-led programs guide children through an exploration of the diverse habitats found in Acadia National Park. When the children have completed their assigned tasks, their certificates are signed and they are presented a Junior Ranger badge.
What is a Junior Ranger?
A junior ranger is someone who, after attending ranger programs and completing activities in a workbook, promises to take care of Acadia National Park. It is a great way to learn and have fun in the park! When you are a junior ranger, you will be able to teach others about how best to take care of nature.
How do you become a Junior Ranger?
When you arrive in Acadia National Park, stop by the Visitor Center, Nature Center, or one of the park campgrounds to purchase your junior ranger booklet. There is a booklet for ages 8 and older and another for ages 7 and younger. You will then be ready to begin your junior ranger training! Complete activities in the booklet and attend ranger programs, then take the completed booklet back to the Visitor Center, Nature Center, or park campgrounds. A park employee will check your answers, sign your booklet and give you an official Acadia National Park Junior Ranger badge. You can take it home and show all your friends!!
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