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This island, discovered and named by Samuel de
Champlain in 1604, was part of L’Acadie, which encompassed the coasts of what
are now Eastern Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The name that has been
given to Acadia National Park is thus appropriate. The main section of the park
occupies almost half the island and overlies parts of all four towns, which are:
Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, and Tremont.
These towns differ from one another in appearance,
character, and function. Each one has a harbor that is distinctive. Fishermen
predominate in Bass Harbor on the west side of the island. Southwest Harbor is
ringed by boat yards where boats of many kinds are built, Northeast Harbor is a
haven for yachts from all over the world, and Bar Harbor, with its deep water,
is a port of call for cruise ships, the home port for sightseeing boats, and the
terminal port for the international ferry to Nova Scotia.
There is much to do within Acadia National Park. The
vigorous visitor can hike the many marked trails, bicycle on the carriage paths,
canoe on Long Pond, or climb mountains. For the less active, the many miles of
paved roads offer many scenic views of lakes and sea. Carriage rides are
reminders of past times. Ferry rides from Northeast Harbor to outlying islands
for a day’s visit, naturalist cruises, or whale watching cruises take one out to
sea. Seafarers may rent day sailers or sea kayaks to explore the ins and outs
of the coast.
The Park Loop road takes one to Sand Beach, Thunder
Hole, the Otter Cliffs, and Ocean Drive. From the Loop a road winds up to the
summit of Cadillac Mountain, from which point extensive views of the coastline
and islands can be had. On a really clear day, Mount Katahdin, one hundred
miles to the north, can be seen. Cadillac is a wonderful place to see the
sunrise or to watch the sunset from the vantage point of Blue Hill Overlook.
There is something for all on Mount Desert Island, from
the bustle of Bar Harbor to the quiet of a forest path.
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