新澳门开奖结果

Acadia National Park sign. Photo by WhisperToMe –

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about the Acadia National Park

Maine鈥檚 Acadia National Park was the first national park east of the Mississippi River, and while it might not be as renowned as some of its Western brethren, it鈥檚 every bit as spectacular.

Acadia National Park is a frequently visited, 47,000-acre park located along the mid-section of the Maine coast. Its natural beauty has made it one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the U.S. with 3.5 million people visiting each year.

The park is uniquely diverse, consisting of granite mountains, rocky coastlines, lakes, ponds, and numerous species of plants and wildlife. It also borders charming coastal villages such as Northeast Harbor, Bass Harbor, and Somesville.

Within the park, 35,332 acres are owned by the National Park Service and the remaining 12,416 acres are privately owned lands that are under conservation easements managed by the National Park Service.

Every part of Acadia has its unique characteristics and qualities. Discover some of the park’s most fascinating facts and features.

1. The Park was named after a region of Greece

Sign for Acadia National Park by Eagle Lake Road, Bar Harbor, Maine. Photo by JRLibby –

The park was first established under the name Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. In 1919, it was changed to Lafayette National Park when it became the first national park east of the Mississippi. In 1929, it was officially named Acadia National Park after 鈥淎rcadia鈥�, a region of Greece that the park resembles. The Park was named after a Region of Greece.

2. Acadia was founded by private citizens

Acadia National Park Eagle Lake Bridge. Photo by Creative Commons –

Acadia’s private citizens predicted the biodiverse coastland would be over-developed and therefore acted to quickly protect it. They wanted to ensure that their beloved natural landscapes and views were preserved for the future.

 Donations of money, land, resources, and time from people like John D. Rockefeller Jr., George B. Dorr, and Charles W. Elliott are the reason that the park exists today.

3. The Park is home to more than 1,000 plant species

Acadia National Park Carriage Bridges sign. Photo by Creative Commons –

A thousand different plant species thrive in the diverse ecosystems that make up the park, including coastal, mountain, wetland, and forest ecosystems.

 Species commonly found in deciduous and coniferous woods within the park include ash, aspen, spruce, beech, pine, maple, white-cedar, and birch trees. Wild strawberry, blueberry shrubs, and mayflower inhabit roadsides and meadows within the park.

 Bogs, freshwater marshes, and ponds are home to cranberry, huckleberry, snowberry, cat-tail, water-lily, and winterberry. Juniper rose, and raspberry shrubs are commonly found on mountain tops and dry, rocky places within Acadia.

4. Acadia鈥檚 weather can change rapidly

Rockfall on the park loop road of Acadia National Park, Maine, United States – Photo Unattributed – 

It can go from hot and sunny to cold and wet in a matter of minutes. The best time to visit is in July and August as temperatures reach highs of 76 degrees F and conditions are generally less wet.

However, the park is at its busiest during this time. September through early October is a less crowded time.

If you are feeling adventurous and ready to face freezing temperatures, winter in the park is uniquely beautiful.

5. It Contains 158 Miles of Hiking Trails

The Beehive. Photo by Jeff Gunn from Atlanta, USA –

The park consists of 158 miles of hiking trails that range from easy walks along coastal paths to challenging mountain hikes. Beginners enjoy easy hikes such as Ocean Path, Thunder Hole to Sand Beach, and the Cadillac Summit Loop Trail.

Moderate hikes include the Jordan Pond Full Loop Trail and the Ocean Path and Gorham Mountain Loop Trail. More experienced hikers take on the Beehive Loop Trail, Cadillac North Ridge Trail, Precipice, Orange, and Black, and Champlain North Ridge Trail Loop.

6. Conservation Easements Protect Over 25% of Park Land

Sand Beach. Photo by Jeff Gunn from Atlanta, USA –

Acadia National Park is one of the few national parks that is made up of land that was donated by landowners to the federal government. Within the Acadian archipelago, permission was granted to the National Park Service to be able to hold conservation easements on private property.

Today, landowners in the area still place easements on their land to ensure that it is not developed. Conservation easements are currently held on 184 properties by the National Park Service at Acadia National Park.

7. The Park’s Lands Are Home to the Wabanaki

Great Head Trail/Sand Beach. Photo by Jeff Gunn from Atlanta, USA –

The Wabanaki鈥攎ade up of four tribes, the Maliseet, the Micmac, the Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot鈥攈ave inhabited the lands that made up Acadia National Park for 12,000 years.

 They traditionally hunted, fished, gathered berries, and harvested clams on these lands. Today the tribes of the Wabanaki each have a reservation and government headquarters located within their territory in Maine.

8. Acadia Has Three Campgrounds and Five Lean-To Shelters

Wooden Bridge in Acadia National Park. Photo by Vintageinsect –

Within the park, there are two campgrounds on Mount Desert Island, one campground on the Schoodic Peninsula, and five lean-to shelters on Isle au Haut. Backcountry camping and overnight parking are not permitted in Acadia.

9. The Park’s Curatorial Program Has Collected 1.4 Million Objects

A waterfall along a stream in Acadia National Park, Maine, United States. Photo unattributed –

The Curatorial Program at Acadia National Park was created to preserve the natural and cultural history of the park. This includes the preservation of historical artifacts, natural history specimens, and archival documents both physically and intellectually. Currently, 1.4 million objects dating back to 1596 are in the collection from both Acadia National Park and Saint Croix Island International Historic Site.  

10. 10,000 Acres of Acadia Caught Fire

Photo of Stephen Mather plaque at Acadia National Park, ME, taken with a Canon camera. Photo by Creative Commons –

In 1947, a fire started in the park due to months of drought. It engulfed 10,000 acres of the park, destroying natural habitats, local homes, and businesses.  Although the trees and plants grew back, the fire changed the composition of the park. Birch and aspen trees grew in place of where spruce and fir trees previously were.

The National Park Service states that spruce and fir will gradually make their way back into the park鈥檚 ecology.