Acadia National Park Travel Guide 🗺️

This time, we rented an affordable pickup truck—unlocking a new type of vehicle! However, there was no cover for the truck bed, so we had to put our suitcases in the back seat. Luckily, Maine has good public security, and our car wasn’t broken into 🚙. When driving from Portland, you can stop for a break in Augusta, the state capital. The Maine State House is grand and impressive, and admission is free 🆓. That said, there aren’t many other attractions around. For visiting the park, we recommend first heading to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to pick up a map 🗺️. An America the Beautiful National Park Annual Pass includes access to this park, so no extra tickets or parking fees are needed 🎫. The park gets extremely crowded, so be sure to set off early to snag a parking spot 🅿️! The park also offers free shuttle buses—you can get a route map at the visitor center. Autumn Foliage Viewing Trails 🍂 There are plenty of trails to choose from for admiring fall leaves: Jordan Pond Path 🐸: The easiest option, with almost no elevation gain. The autumn foliage along the lake is incredibly vibrant and colorful. It’s recommended to park at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant—you can also try the restaurant’s signature snack, popovers (dine-in only) 🥧. Bubbles Divide Trail ⚠️: The parking lot here is tiny, so it’s almost impossible to find a spot. What’s more, there’s no shuttle bus stop here—don’t make the same mistake as me and wait around for the bus in vain! If you’re not taking the shuttle, you’ll have to combine this trail with the one above. This trail has a slight elevation gain; at the end, there’s a large rock where you can stop and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the lake 🏞️. Cadillac Mountain ⛰️: ⚠️ Reservation required. Tickets for sunrise viewing are extremely hard to get, but daytime tickets are usually available without much trouble. Reservations open approximately 30 days in advance or 3 days in advance. From the mountain top, you can overlook the entire park—lakes, oceans, mountains, and forests are all within sight 🌊. Watching the sunset here in the evening is also absolutely stunning 🌇. Beehive Trail 🧗: More challenging. There are sections where you actually have to “climb” the mountain. From other travel guides, it seems even kids can complete it. I’m afraid of heights, so I took the gentler west section—and still made it to the top! From the summit, you can see the sea and mountains covered in layers of colorful autumn leaves. A short walk further leads to a small lake. This was by far the most scenic trail of my trip 🌟. You can park at the Ocean Path Trailhead, which also gives you access to the two trails below. Gorham Mountain 🪨: Basically a “budget version” of the Beehive Trail. The views you get are quite similar, just less dramatic. Ocean Path 🌊: A flat coastal trail that passes by Thunder Hole. It’s said to roar loudly when the tide is rough—you can ask the staff at the visitor center for the best time to see this spectacle 🌊. At the end of the trail, there’s a small beach called Sand Beach 🏖️. The Otter Cliff Overlook at the other end has average scenery, mainly featuring rocky reefs and steep cliffs 🪨. 💡 Bass Harbor Head Light Station 💡: No autumn foliage here, but there is a lighthouse 🗼. It’s always packed with people—we recommend arriving two hours before sunset. The best viewing spot is on the rocks, so be careful not to slip! #AcadiaNationalPark #AcadiaGuoJiaGongYuan #AroundBoston