'''Mount Desert Island''' is off the Down East coast of Maine, a state of the United States of America. Always referred to by the locals in Hancock County simply as "The Island."

Regions

  • "The Backside"
  • * Southwest Harbor
  • * Tremont
  • * Bass Harbor
  • Villages

  • Bar Harbor
  • Bass Harbor
  • Hulls Cove
  • Northeast Harbor
  • Otter Creek
  • Seal Harbor in the Town of Mount Desert
  • Seal Cove in the Town of Tremont
  • Somesville
  • Southwest Harbor
  • Town Hill, also known as West Eden
  • Tremont
  • Other destinations

  • Acadia National Park
  • Bar Island, off Bar Harbor
  • Blue Hill
  • Ellsworth
  • Frenchboro, off Southwest Harbor
  • Understand

    Acadia National Park occupies about half the Island and much of the rest is preserved by conservation groups. The Island is very crowded with visitors during the summer months, but one may still find solitude by getting out on the Island's many hiking trails. For the summer visitor each of the several villages has a unique flavor. Bar Harbor is the largest town, and caters to nearly every variety of tourist. Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor are much more reserved. Bass Harbor retains much of the flavor of a fishing village. Spring and fall are excellent times to visit, when all the beautiful spots are nearly deserted.

    Talk

    Get in

    '''BY AIR'''

  • [http://www.bhbairport.com Hancock County - Bar Harbor Airport], located in Trenton, 5 miles outside Ellsworth, about a 15 minute drive to Bar Harbor.
  • '''BY SEA'''

  • [http://www.catferry.com "The Cat"] high speed car ferry, from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth (Canada).
  • '''BY ROAD'''

  • 30 minutes from the city of Ellsworth via Route 3.
  • 60 minutes from Bangor, Maine, depending on traffic, which can be very heavy during the summer months. Take I-395 to Route 1A to reach Ellsworth, where you pick up Route 3.
  • 3.5 hours from Portland, Maine. Take I-95 to exit 182A at Bangor, then I-395 and follow route as above via Ellsworth. Alternatively, take I-95 to Route 3, exit 113, just north of Augusta, and follow the slower but more scenic Route 3 east to Belfast (Maine), and then through to Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.
  • Get around

    The Island's interior is easily accessable by private car, but if you'd rather leave the driving to someone else (a knowledgeable and friendly bus driver), then the [http://www.exploreacadia.com/ Island Explorer Buses] are a great choice. The buses make their routes through all of the villages on the Island, as well as through Acadia National Park, with plenty of scheduled pick-up spots. Expect plenty of traffic in the busy summer months. At other times of the year, much of the Island is nearly deserted.

    See

    Itineraries

    Do

    Hiking

    You can explore the island's 120 miles of hiking trails for a good workout and spectacular views:

  • '''Cadillac Mtn.''' 1,530 ft. ''The summit can be accessed by an auto road if you're going up to see the sunrise/set, but the mountain also has some wonderful hiking trails. On mornings between 7 October and 6 March, those at the summit of Cadillac are the first people in the country to see the sun rise.''
  • '''Sargent Mtn.''' 1,373 ft.
  • '''Dorr Mtn.''' 1,270 ft.
  • '''Pemetic Mtn.''' 1,248 ft.
  • '''Penobscot Mtn.''' 1,194 ft.
  • '''Bernard Mtn.''' 1,071 ft.
  • '''Champlain Mtn.''' 1,058 ft. ''Home to nesting pairs of peregrine falcons, which restricts access to the Precipice Trail at certain points of the year, generally between March 15 and August 15.''
  • '''Gilmore Mtn.''' 1,036 ft.
  • '''Bald Mtn.''' 974 ft.
  • '''Mansell Mtn.''' 949 ft.
  • '''Cedar Swamp''' 942 ft.
  • '''Parkman Mtn.''' 941 ft.
  • '''North Bubble''' 872 ft.
  • '''Norumbega Mtn.''' 852 ft. ''After a steep, challenging hike you are rewarded with spectacular views of the southern islands - Bear, Sutton, and the Cranberries.''
  • '''Beech Mtn.''' 839 ft.
  • '''South Bubble''' 766 ft.
  • '''Hugenot Head''' 731 ft. ''A neat hike keeps you along the edge of this bluff and leads you to a nice lookout over the Tarn and across to Dorr Mountain. Keep hiking down into the valley on the other side to begin the hike up Champlain Mountain.''
  • '''McFarland Mtn.''' 724 ft.
  • '''The Triad''' 698 ft.
  • '''Acadia Mtn.''' 681 ft.
  • '''Young's Mtn.''' 680 ft.
  • '''St. Sauvier''' 679 ft.
  • '''Day Mtn.''' 580 ft.
  • '''Gorham Mtn.''' 525 ft. ''A moderate hiking trail, great view of the coast from the summit, from Sand Beach, down to Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs.''
  • '''The Beehive''' 520 ft. ''A nice short, but steep hike, with metal rungs and ladders; the southern end of the summit gives a perfect view of Sand Beach while the northern end looks out over to Champlain Mtn and Frenchman's Bay.''
  • '''Flying Mtn.''' 284 ft. ''A very short hike leads to a small summit which provides one of the best views of Somes Sound.''
  • Kayaking

    There are many exciting paddling options around the island, for example.
  • '''Eagle Lake''' in Bar Harbor Can get choppy on windy days, but sticking to the shoreline is relaxing, with views of Cadillac Mtn. No swimming though, as the lake is a public water source for the town of Bar Harbor.
  • '''Hamilton's Pond''' in Hulls Cove. Generally quite calm.
  • '''Long Pond''' Kayaks can be launched easily from the landing at "pond's end" off Pretty Marsh Rd. near Somesville.
  • '''Sea kayaking tours''' and boat rental services are offered from numerous establishments in Bar Harbor and allow access to Mount Desert Island and other destinations.
  • Eat

  • '''Lobster pound restaurants''' in Mount Desert or anywhere in Hancock or Washington counties do a great job cooking crustaceans. Just steam them so many minutes per pound and you_fve got a perfect seaside meal. Same goes for the clams (soft belly clams, the true clam, not the quahog pretender).
  • Keep in mind that the prices can be just a tad less expensive at the pounds in Trenton just before you cross the bridge onto MDI. Lunt's in particular is quite reliable. (2003)

    Drink

    Stay safe

  • It is unsafe to venture out onto '''Maine's coastal waters''' without having the necessary equipment and experience. This is true of kayaking, canoeing, sailing or any other kind of boating. The water is cold and hypothermia can set in in a short amount of time. Dense fog often rolls in very quickly as well as the occasional storm. If you are determined to go out on your own to do so without every single passenger wearing a PFD and/or without having a compass and knowing how to use it and/or without understanding how to navigate safely around other boats and water hazards is not only foolish but could result in serious fines from the Coast Guard or a Marine Patrol officer. There are numerous companies on Mount Desert Island and else where that offer guided sea kayak, sailing, and power boat tours.
  • Get out