Park Loop Road, Maine, United States

5LovesPhotoOps 5:00 PM Jul 3, 2022

Get a park map, stop as often as you can
This is the most crowded section of Acadia National Park, so be sure you also see the western side (aka “quiet side” of Mt. Desert Island, and the Schoodic Peninsula to the east of Mt. Desert Island, both less visited than the Park Loop Road. We started at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to get a park map. Then we stopped at Schooner Head Overlook (can see Egg Rock Lighthouse in distance); Sand Beach (pretty but crowded, not worth fighting for parking unless you want to swim); Thunder Hole (pretty but crowded, not worth fighting for parking unless you arrive at the peak time for the waves); Otter Point (beautiful); Fabbri (pretty); Little Hunters Beach Overlook (pretty view from above, did not stop at the beach itself); Jordan Pond (walked a bit on the pond trail, closing time for restaurant); and the north end of Eagle Lake. The highlight for us was Otter Point. Eagle Lake and the beaver pond near it were very pretty in the late afternoon light. See my separate reviews of these stops for more details on each one. Along the Park Loop Road, we saw a doe and two new fawns crossing the road on their unsteady legs, and a porcupine feeding beside the road (both amazing sights). So keep your eyes out for wildlife.

4William McC 5:00 PM Sep 26, 2022

Rewarding even in foul weather
We happened to drive the park loop road on a foul-weather day with frequent heavy rains, and it was still worthwhile, especially for the views of spontaneous waterfalls cascading down the steep rock faces typical of the Mount Desert Island terrain. The road affords many convenient turnouts with helpful, and colorful, interpretive signs. The ever-changing scenery can be spellbinding in any season. An early start is recommended, as traffic builds over the course of the day, regardless of the weather. Moreover, remember that bad driving is as common in a national park as anywhere else. When in doubt, slow down, or even use pullouts to let tailgaters pass. You are here for the unhurried serenity, not to indulge the manic, thoughtless, or careless.