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Acadia National Park

geography Maturity 9-11 Next article →

Acadia National Park is a special place on the coast of Maine.

NPS acadia-map
NPS acadia-map

It sits along the mid-section of the Atlantic coast in the United States. The park covers about half of Mount Desert Island. It also includes part of Isle au Haut and the Schoodic Peninsula.

Acadia National Park, Baker Island toward Mount Desert Island
Acadia National Park, Baker Island toward Mount Desert Island

Many smaller islands like Baker Island and the Porcupine Islands are also part of the park. This land is a mix of mountains, forests, and ocean. It is the only national park in the Northeastern United States.

Acadia-NP-TF
Acadia-NP-TF

The landscape has many different shapes and feelings. You can see high granite domes and U-shaped valleys. There are also cobble beaches and large rocks called glacial erratics.

One famous spot is Cadillac Mountain. It is the tallest mountain on the Atlantic Coast of the United States.

Acadia National Park Beach
Acadia National Park Beach

Because it is so high and far east, it is the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise from October 7 through March 6. You might also see deep water called Somes Sound. This area was formed during a glacial period.

People have a very long history with this land. The Wabanaki people have lived here for at least 12,000 years. They call the area the Dawnland.

PenobscotBarkWigwamIn AcadiaPark
PenobscotBarkWigwamIn AcadiaPark

They used birch bark canoes to hunt and fish. They also gathered berries and sweetgrass. In the 1600s, European explorers and fur traders arrived. Some traders fought for control of the area. Later, in the 1800s, many summer visitors began to come to the coast. These visitors included many wealthy families.

Making the park was a big job for many people. George B. Dorr is known as the "Father of Acadia National Park."

The park had a few different names over time. President Woodrow Wilson named it Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916. It was later called Lafayette National Park in 1919. Finally, it became Acadia National Park in 1929.

Acadia National Park, Schoodic Education and Research Center
Acadia National Park, Schoodic Education and Research Center

Today, many people visit the park every year. In 2021, a record 4.07 million people visited.

There are many ways to enjoy the park today. In the spring and autumn, you can drive the Park Loop Road.

You can also hike, bike, or ride horses on the carriage roads. These roads were paid for by John D. Rockefeller Jr. Motor vehicles are not allowed on these paths. In the winter, people go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Acadia National Park, cross-country skier on a carriage road
Acadia National Park, cross-country skier on a carriage road

You can even go fishing or see whales in the ocean. The park has many campgrounds for people to stay overnight.

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🖼️ Images & Media (24)
File:NPS acadia-map.jpg
NPS acadia-map.jpg
File:Acadia National Park Beach.jpg
Acadia National Park Beach.jpg
File:PenobscotBarkWigwamIn AcadiaPark.JPG
PenobscotBarkWigwamIn AcadiaPark.JPG
File:Acadia National Park, Baker Island toward Mount Desert Island.jpg
Acadia National Park, Baker Island toward...
File:Acadia-NP-TF.jpg
Acadia-NP-TF.jpg
File:Green Mountain Railway, Mt. Desert, Me, by B. Bradley 2 (cropped and converted to black and white).jpg
Green Mountain Railway, Mt. Desert, Me,...
File:Acadia National Park, George B Dorr and Charles W Eliot on the shore of Jordan Pond.jpg
Acadia National Park, George B Dorr and...
File:Acadia Carriage Path (cropped).jpg
Acadia Carriage Path (cropped).jpg
File:Acadia National Park, frozen lake and snow covered trees.jpg
Acadia National Park, frozen lake and...
File:Acadia National Park geologic column.png
Acadia National Park geologic column.png
File:Acadia National Park, black intrusive igneous rock at Schoodic Point.jpg
Acadia National Park, black intrusive...
File:A079, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA, balanced rock, 2002.jpg
A079, Acadia National Park, Maine, USA,...

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