Ok, so you have hiked some trails, explored some beaches, and now you want to check out those famous carriage roads!
Acadia National Park is probably best known for its carriage roads and they are my FAVORITE thing to explore. A good map with the signpost #s is going to be helpful here to map out your best route. There are three ways to explore the carriage roads: walking, biking, and by horseback/carriage ride… and we have done all 3!
One thing to note about the carriage roads are that there are two systems on the Island: the carriage roads in the Park and private carriage roads that abut the Park. You can access BOTH but bikes are only allowed on the roads in the Park.
Bathroom spots are few and far between on the carriage roads. You will have restroom facilities at Jordan Pond House, Eagle Lake, and a port-a-potty situation at the Brown Mountain Gate House. I recommend carrying the Oxo Potty 2-in-1 and the refill bags.
Walking:
The first time I walked the carriage roads was when I had a back injury in 2017 that prevented me from doing most things on our vacation that year and then took up walking the roads again once my daughter was born. And while biking is by far the most popular way to explore the roads, I actually find walking them to be quite serene; you get to notice things, hear things, that you just wouldn’t as you move along the trails via a bike.
If I had to pick which system, the Park or the private roads, to walk on, I think the private carriage roads are the best kept secret of the Island! There are times where we see less than 10 people or more horses than people! This map has both Park and private carriage roads on it. I recommend two spots to start your walk on the private roads. If using the map I recommended, you can find some parking in J-11 section of the map and from there, you can do a variety of distances ranging from 1.1-4.5 miles. You can also access the private carriage roads from Jordan Pond House and do a loop around Redfield Hill; which is actually my FAVORITE loop on the carriage roads.
If walking on the trails in the park, between signposts #15 and #23, the carriage trail winds itself near Jordan Stream and there is a great little spot with a large smooth rock and a pool of freshwater. It’s a great spot for kids to take a dip!
Biking:
If choosing to bike, all of the Park carriage roads are great and provide stunning views. Just a reminder that some of the grades of the hills are pretty tough on bikes, especially those with little legs. If biking with little ones, I love parking at the Eagle Lake parking lot and doing the Witch Hole Pond loop (sign posts #6 to #4 to #5 to #3 to #2 to #4 to #6). There are still hills but not as intense as some other routes. There are also good stops along the way for snacks and Duck Brook Bridge offers some great exploring along the Duck Brook.
If staying in Bar Harbor, a bicycle express leaves from center of town and goes directly to Eagle Lake. This express bus also leaves more frequently than others Island Explorer busses and can take tag-along bikes. Other bus routes can accompany up to 6 bikes on each bus. Note: kids bikes, e-bikes, and fat bites cannot be accommodated on the busses.
The Park is in the process of making a much larger parking lot at Eagle Lake but for now, there is a small one with lots of parking on the shoulder of route 233. Best times to snag a good spot are early in the morning or later afternoon.
If doing a solo/adult bike, I love the Around the Mountain Road going clockwise (if doing counter-clockwise, I salute you!)
Carriage Ride:
Acadia National Park also offers carriage rides through Wildwood Stables. Reservations in advance are a MUST and I would consider this a definite splurge item for us. A 1-hour carriage ride for 3 people was $180. So, like I said, definitely a splurge item. Wildwood Stables typically offers 1-hour and 2-hour carriage rides with a variety of routes and if you are less than a party of 8, you are typically sharing your carriage ride with another party.
Acadia National Park does not own horses. They award a contract to a farm/business that operates Wildwood Stables. At the time of this blog post, a new business was just awarded the contract and the website just went LIVE. This new business is offering online booking options, which is something NEW (and something I’m very excited about) so I cannot share my experience with online booking but I will after we visit this summer.
The carriage ride is full of information about the Park and the carriage roads and we always manage to learn new information on these trips. Additionally, my daughter LOVES watching the horses so we always try to snag a front seat.
Interestingly, at least with the previous operators, dogs were allowed on the rides. There are also bathroom facilities at Wildwood Stables and the Island Explorer does make a stop here.
If looking for a more comprehensive guide to the carriage roads, I recommend The Pocket Guide by Diana Abrell. If history is your jam, Mr. Rockefeller’s Roads by Ann Rockefeller Roberts is a good one.
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