Acadia’s Hidden Carriage Road Gems
I hate to say this but I have always tackled Acadia National Park in the Spring. If you were to visit in mid-October, you would find these carriage roads filled with the backdrop of Maine’s fall colors. The carriage roads generally don’t open until April so the roads have a chance to dry out and firm up after the winter season.
Acadia’s hidden gems, in plain sight
When I say Acadia, I bet most everyone thinks Cadillac Mountain, Schoodic Peninsula, or Jordan Pond! But there is so much more to Acadia National Park and I have only touched on a few park locations myself!
Nothing that I found is all THAT hidden, it just takes perseverance, to locate them. All of them require that you get out of the car but you don’t need to fear, many are only a short walk. A few may even be just outside the car window.
If you are going to stay in this area, check out my Thrifty lodging page (this is an affiliate link). As I was writing this I was seeing that the cost to stay out on Mount Desert Island (Acadia) was from $144 to $269 per night depending on amenities. Your results can vary depending on dates, etc… I’m looking at 16-20 October for what I think would be perfect dates.
Carriage Road Gems Built by John D Rockefeller in Acadia
The Carriage Roads were built by Rockefeller between 1913 and 1940. The guides say it was because he foresaw the coming boom of automobiles and wanted to create pathways in Acadia that preserved the beauty and tranquil paths. So over 25 years, he acquired the land to build these carriage roads. Today you can walk them, bike them, or take a horse-drawn carriage ride. (No cars allowed)
So here is one of those times that you will have to get out of the car and walk. Lisa and I started at the NPS Ranger Station to get the lay of the land and free maps.
We started at Parkman Trailhead (This is the closest place to park and is off Route 198) and walked in. I found the signage to be underwhelming so please have a map and also a GPS (yes your phone should do nicely). The trail is wide and well-maintained, as you would expect in a National Park. It’s an easy mile walk in and the rise in elevation is low to moderate. I’m not a hiker so unless you are really out of shape, you should do ok. The carriage road is crushed gravel and very easy to navigate.
Dusty, the NPS Ranger, gave me lots of hints to get started. With all the rain we had been getting in New England, I figured I would research waterfalls in Acadia. Two books that are handy are Mr. Rockefellers Carriage Roads and Carriage Roads of Acadia NP. The one Carriage Road bridge that caught my attention, was the bridge over Hadlock Brook known as the Waterfall Bridge.
Even with all the rain, this 40′ drop was not a rushing cascade but it was very nice.
Overall I would need quite a while to do all of the carriage roads and stone bridges that Mr. Rockefeller built but for this day I conquered one and there are a bunch more for me to work on. Visit the National Park visitor center and get the lowdown on the best way to tackle these stone bridges.
If you are going to visit in autumn, I would try to get here around 15-17 October. If we haven’t had too many autumn storms and it’s not too dry you should find a very colorful walk along the carriage road in Acadia National Park.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
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Acadia National Park is an amazing jewel – I too love the Carriage Roads – I have walked some of them, and taken a horse ride as well. The bridges are fascinating – I’d love to go there some time in the fall to capture the colors w/ the bridges &c. It is a photographers paradise – wonderful seaside scenes, an amazing lighthouse, harbor life, lakes & ponds & streams, “mountains”, a handful of nice flower gardens, …
I know what you mean, one trip is not enough, Acadia can take years to really come to know…
Acadia National Park is an amazing jewel – I too love the Carriage Roads – I have walked some of them, and taken a horse ride as well. The bridges are fascinating – I’d love to go there some time in the fall to capture the colors w/ the bridges &c. It is a photographers paradise – wonderful seaside scenes, an amazing lighthouse, harbor life, lakes & ponds & streams, “mountains”, a handful of nice flower gardens, …
I know what you mean, one trip is not enough, Acadia can take years to really come to know…
As great as all the scenic panoramic views are on the park loop road, it’s kind of fun to then be underneath the tree canopy. A few years ago, we got lost on the carriage road (took a wrong turn from the parking lot) and then took the hiking trail up the creek to that same waterfall bridge. Really enjoyable and relaxing as everything felt so much more calming compared to the park loop road. Wish we had more than a half day to explore the carriage roads, but had to get to Camden that same day…
Everybody gets caught up in our schedules and we run out of time. This is why it can take years to really explore a NP like Acadia. You get there and one day is nice and the next is rained out. (Yes it does happen)
Also I have a fair amount of flexibility in my job. I get 4 days off each week in October. But in general I drive up to Acadia (4 hours) get checked in and do lunch and explore, dinner and sleep
Next day we explore as much as we can and then the 3rd day we are exploring in the morning and then driving home… the 4th day? I’m writing about what we found for all of you… that is the routine each week in Oct… this is exhausting but I usually get a few decent things to tell you about…
As great as all the scenic panoramic views are on the park loop road, it’s kind of fun to then be underneath the tree canopy. A few years ago, we got lost on the carriage road (took a wrong turn from the parking lot) and then took the hiking trail up the creek to that same waterfall bridge. Really enjoyable and relaxing as everything felt so much more calming compared to the park loop road. Wish we had more than a half day to explore the carriage roads, but had to get to Camden that same day…
Everybody gets caught up in our schedules and we run out of time. This is why it can take years to really explore a NP like Acadia. You get there and one day is nice and the next is rained out. (Yes it does happen)
Also I have a fair amount of flexibility in my job. I get 4 days off each week in October. But in general I drive up to Acadia (4 hours) get checked in and do lunch and explore, dinner and sleep
Next day we explore as much as we can and then the 3rd day we are exploring in the morning and then driving home… the 4th day? I’m writing about what we found for all of you… that is the routine each week in Oct… this is exhausting but I usually get a few decent things to tell you about…