Free Photo Workshops in Acadia National Park (Aug 18-29, 2012)

A free photo workshop is being offered at Acadia National Park from August 18 to August 29, 2012.  This event is sponsored by Canon U.S.A. and the American Park Network under the "Canon's Photography in the Parks" workshop program. The workshops offer free professional photography and videography lessons in a unique, hands-on environment. For more information visit the link below:

http://photographyintheparks.com/

3rd Annual Acadia Night Sky Festival (Maine, Sep 22-26, 2011)

The 3rd Annual Acadia Night Sky Festival will take place in Bar Harbor, Maine on September 22-26, 2011.  This " . . .  is a community celebration to promote the protection and enjoyment of Downeast Acadia's stellar night sky as a valuable natural resource through education, science, and the arts."

Learn more about this event at the following link:
http://www.acadianightskyfestival.com/

Learn more about Acadia at the following link:
http://www.travel-maine.info/parks/acadia_national_park.htm

Acadia Birding Festival - June 2-5, 2011

The Acadia Birding Festival will be held on Mount Desert Island on June 2-5, 2011.  Visit the website for more information.

http://www.acadiabirdingfestival.com/

Hawks and Other Birds Migrating South Through Acadia National Park

BAR HARBOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Thousands of migratory birds are already making their way south for the winter by traveling through Acadia National Park.

Acadia National Park is inviting park visitors and locals to join their hawk watch and track what species and how many birds pass through Cadillac Mountain. The hawk watch season is eight weeks long and lasts through October 12th. Angi King-Johnston says that keeping track of these numbers and research will help scientists get a better understanding of migratory bird populations.

"By counting these birds we can keep track of their populations, that way we can hopefully avoid the disappearance of them like we did in the mid-1900s, the peregrine falcon and bald eagle for example," King-Johnston said.  King-Johnston expects 2,500-3,000 birds to pass through Acadia this fall.

 Article from WCSH6.com NEWS CENTER.  The Bangor Daily News also covered the event in an article entitled Acadia Hawk Watch Begins (August 22, 2010).

Hiking Three Peaks in Acadia National Forest

A man describes his hike in Acadia National Forest with his dog (Kelley).  The day hike spans three different peaks.  His blog post provides a map of the route and many pictures.  If you are interested in hiking in Acadia then you will want to check out his blog post - "Acadia - Three Peaks", Hiking in Maine with Kelley, April 22, 2010.

Acadia National Park to Get Face Lift

"ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine — The $2.6 million coming to the park in the form of road and culvert improvements is expected to be the final stage of a five-year project to improve Acadia’s motor vehicle road system.

Jim Vekasi, head of Acadia’s maintenance division, said Wednesday that 90 percent of the federal stimulus money would go toward repaving secondary roads and improving culverts in Acadia’s Park Loop Road system.

The Park Loop Road, which is the busiest in the park, and other main roads such as the Schoodic Loop Road already have been repaved and their culverts repaired, he said."

Read more in "Acadia agets $2.6 million to fix roads, culverts", Bangor Daily News, April 22, 2010.  Click here to learn more about Acadia National Park.

One Week Travel Vacation Along the Maine Coast

Are you starting to plan your one week vacation to the Maine coast?  Read an online article by one author who did a one week family trip to Acadia and other Maine seacoast spots.  He incorporated a number of activities to keep the children interested to include hiking, biking, mountain climbing and more.  Read "Do-it-yourself adventure tour", Boston.com, April 11, 2010.

"Shutter Island" Filmed in Maine

Parts of the movie "Shutter Island" were filmed in Maine on an island in Acadia National Park.  Read about this movie is "Movie Review: 'Shutter Island'".

Carriage Roads of Acadia

An adventurer has wrote an article about hiking the carriage roads of Acadia National Park (bring skis for the winter).  Read the online article posted by the Daily Times on December 20, 2009.

"The Highwayman: Carriage Roads of Acadia".

Fall Foliage in Acadia National Park (Maine)

Do you want to know more about Acadia National Park in Maine? This online article will provide some info on this favorite vacation spot. Read "Discover Acadia National Park in the Fall".

A Traveler's Checklist for Acadia National Park

If you plan on visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park then a traveler's checklist might be helpful. Fortunately one has already been developed and is available free online at the National Parks Traveler website. See their Acadia Traveler's Checklist for advice on what to see, maps for hiking trails, info on the ranger-led programs, and about the many different sights and activities available.

Biking on Acadia's Carriage Roads (Maine)

If you are a biker (bicycles) who enjoys the outdoors then a perfect spot to bike is on the carriage roads of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. There are forty-five miles of roads in the park. The roads were designed for horse-drawn carriages so they are easily navigable by bikes. The roads are laid out to take advantage of the vistas that Mount Desert Island has to offer. Click here for more information about the carriage roads of Acadia.

Guide to Acadia National Park

There are lots of guide books published for Acadia National Park, but one of the best is available free online from the National Park Service. The online document has the guidebook divided into segments (sections and chapters) that are available in Acrobat Reader (PDF) file format. Most files are under a megabyte so they are easily downloadable. There are chapters on park information, different sections of the park to visit such as Jordan Pond, Sieur de Monts, Isleford Historical Museum, and Acadia's west side. There are several appendices on wildlife, plants, land, history, and trail guides. Click here to access the Guide's Guide to Acadia National Park.

Acadia National Park Visits Up Significantly (Maine)

The number of visitors going to Acadia National Park along the coast of Maine have increased by 3% over last year. The good weather in August made up for a rainy June and July. Read the news article entitled "Acadia Visits Up Over Last Year", Maine Public Broadcasting Network, September 15, 2009. Click here for more information on Acadia National Park.

Acadia Night Sky Festival (Sep 17-21, 2009)

The Acadia Night Sky Festival will take place this coming weekend on Mount Desert Island. Read more on this event in "Acadia Night Sky Festival", Bangor Daily News, September 12, 2009.

To draw attention to and to celebrate the visibility of stars in eastern and northern Maine, officials with the park and on MDI have organized the Acadia Night Sky Festival, which is set to get under way in the park and in Bar Harbor next week. The festival begins Thursday, Sept. 17, and runs through Monday, Sept. 21.

Peter Lord, director of the Island Astronomy Institute on MDI, said Friday that festival organizers expect to be busy during the event, which they plan to do annually. Individual festival programs, some of which cost money and require advance registration, include telescope-aided stargazing events in the park, art shows, panel discussions, planetarium presentations, and owl-related exhibits, to name a few.

Sand Beach - Acadia National Park in Maine

A recent online article in The Boston Globe (August 9, 2009) entitled "10 ways to cool off" writes about Sand Beach at Acadia National Park in Maine. The beach has swimming available although adults may find it a bit cool. Kids love it and don't seem to mind the cold water as much. The ocean temperature doesn't get above 55 degrees but the scenery on Mount Desert Island and along the beach is wonderful.

Schoodic Point and Acadia National Park in Maine

Schoodic Point is locates along the coast of Maine just east of Mount Desert Island. It is also home to part of Acadia National Park - a much quieter and less traveled section. Read a long article by DownEast.com about a family living in this area of Maine. See "Schoodic: The Secret Side of Acadia". Click here to learn more about Acadia National Park.

Pictures of Rock Climbing in Acadia National Park

A blogger who travels a lot has posted pictures of rock climbing at Acadia National Park. Check out the dramatic views. Click here for more info about Acadia National Park in Maine.

Acadia Birding Festival - June 11-14, 2009

The Acadia Birding Festival will take place June 11-14, 2009 on Mount Desert Island in the towns of Southwest Harbor and Bar Harbor.

"Acadia's birding community invites you and your family to celebrate the ecological wonders of the birds of the Gulf of Maine at our 11th Acadia Birding Festival. Explore Mount Desert Island and its birds through numerous events and venues. Greet our warblers on early morning birding walks, visit with puffins and pelagic birds at sea, and observe Peregrine Falcons at an active breeding site in Acadia National Park. Our combination of lectures, walks, and adventures will connect you to Downeast Maine’s many bird species, diverse habitats and local birding experts."

To learn more call (207) 288-8128 or click on http://www.acadiabirdingfestival.com/. Click here to learn more about lodging and dining near Acadia National Park.

Pocket Guide to Biking on Mount Desert Island

The image at left is of a pocket guide to Biking on Mount Desert Island. The guide is filled with info on hikes, bike rides, and the carriage road system in Acadia National Park located on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine. Trips include family trips to very demanding solo rides. Also included are tips on planning and preparing for a trip, weather information and safety tips. Directions and maps are included. To order click on the link below:

A Pocket Guide to Biking on Mount Desert Island.

Click here to learn more about biking tours and trips in Maine.