Acadia National Park

Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Our final stop on this trip was Acadia National Park in Maine. We had planned to camp for three nights and ride bikes on the carriage roads in the park, but weather and crowds had other plans. The park is unusual in that the area has a patchwork of public and private lands, small towns, non-park public roads, and poor signage spread out over many islands and peninsulas that make driving around a challenge. 

We couldn't find a parking place at the Visitor Center, but we were able to get a park map when we entered our campground on Tuesday evening, so we decided our best bet was to travel the one-way park road and pull out from time-to-time. Easier said than done since the popular sites had cars pulled over for a mile down the road. Nevertheless, we were able to pull out a couple of times. This was the view from the Egg Rock Overlook.

Egg Rock itself is a small isle with a lighthouse. In past times, these islands were a source of food - bird eggs - hence the name.

A closer look at the Egg Rock Lighthouse.

We were able to snag a parking place in the Otter Point parking lot and take a few minutes to walk around Otter Point and Otter Cove.

The shoreline of Otter Cove.

Otter Point.

We had also booked a timed-entry to Cadillac Mountain, but rather than seeing a spectacular 360° panorama, we just saw dense fog.

Back at our campsite, we had a visitor - a red squirrel ("fairydiddle" in West Virginia speak).

After a frustrating day and the prediction of rain and fog for tomorrow, we decided to pack up camp and leave in the morning - a day early - and make one more stop in Maine before heading home.

How can you pass by Freeport, Maine, and not stop at the L.L. Bean Flagship Store? We did, but the store is under renovation - due to re-open on September 18. Currently the main store is in an enormous tent. At least we got to see the Bootmobile.