Acadia National Park
Highlights
Established: Since it opened in 1916, Acadia National Park has boasted a number of firsts. It was the first national park east of the Mississippi. Perhaps more significantly, it was the first national park whose land was donated entirely by private citizens.
Land Area: Acadia encompasses more than 47,000 acres, the vast majority of it on Mount Desert Island (pronounced like "dessert").
Highest Elevation: The summit of Cadillac Mountain at 1,530 feet.
Number of Plant and Animal Species: About 165 species of native plants, about 60 species of land and marine mammals, and more than 150 breeding species of birds call the park "home."
Popular Activities: Naturalist-guided walks and talks, biking, fishing, carriage rides, boat cruises, hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing and ice fishing.
Biking: There are paved roads and 45 miles of picturesque carriage roads on which to ride bikes in the park.
Hiking: More than 120 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads vein the park.
Camping: There are more than 500 campsites in the park.
Lodging: You can find a variety of accommodations and a total of 4,500 rooms surrounding the park on Mount Desert Island.
Acadia In Depth
News from the Parks
12-year-old Seeks to Accomplish Lofty Parks Goal by the Age of 14
October 14, 2008 - 9:47am
More than 100,000 miles, two motorcars, 48 states and 270 national parks later, 12-year-old Chandler Johnson still hasn’t met her goal — a goal to visit every National Park by the time she is 14. “I enjoy going to the parks because I learn about the historical, cultural and environmental relevance they each have,” said Chandler. There are currently 391 National Park areas designated by the National Park Service. For the last six and a half years, Chandler has traveled around the country with her parents, Carmen and Jay Johnson, and participated in the Junior Ranger program.
October 14, 2008 - 9:47am
More than 100,000 miles, two motorcars, 48 states and 270 national parks later, 12-year-old Chandler Johnson still hasn’t met her goal — a goal to visit every National Park by the time she is 14. “I enjoy going to the parks because I learn about the historical, cultural and environmental relevance they each have,” said Chandler. There are currently 391 National Park areas designated by the National Park Service. For the last six and a half years, Chandler has traveled around the country with her parents, Carmen and Jay Johnson, and participated in the Junior Ranger program.
Climate warms, creatures head for the hills
October 14, 2008 - 9:44am
From California to Costa Rica, rising temperatures could be driving species to higher elevations Chipmunks, mice and other small mammals pretty much moved up in the world as Yosemite National Park’s climate warmed during the last century. As temperatures rose, these species tended to edge upward to higher and cooler ground, says Craig Moritz, director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, Calif. The possibility that climate change is pushing around sensitive species has been worrying biologists, so Moritz and his colleagues found a way to test the idea over an unusually long time. They resurrected the museum’s trove of field notes and revisted sites of a mammal survey that started in 1914.
October 14, 2008 - 9:44am
From California to Costa Rica, rising temperatures could be driving species to higher elevations Chipmunks, mice and other small mammals pretty much moved up in the world as Yosemite National Park’s climate warmed during the last century. As temperatures rose, these species tended to edge upward to higher and cooler ground, says Craig Moritz, director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, Calif. The possibility that climate change is pushing around sensitive species has been worrying biologists, so Moritz and his colleagues found a way to test the idea over an unusually long time. They resurrected the museum’s trove of field notes and revisted sites of a mammal survey that started in 1914.
Lassen Peak: a living laboratory of volcanic activity
October 13, 2008 - 3:54pm
The southernmost mountain in the Cascades was established as a national park in 1916. Today, Lassen is one of the best-kept secrets in the federal system. Its 10,457-foot namesake mountain dominates the western section of the park, while to the east, cinder cones rise above a lava plateau and small lakes dot the pine forests.
October 13, 2008 - 3:54pm
The southernmost mountain in the Cascades was established as a national park in 1916. Today, Lassen is one of the best-kept secrets in the federal system. Its 10,457-foot namesake mountain dominates the western section of the park, while to the east, cinder cones rise above a lava plateau and small lakes dot the pine forests.
Local Tourism Will Get Boost from Historic Site
October 9, 2008 - 3:47pm
The Auburn-Opelika area is expected to get a boost in tourism from the opening of a completely redesigned Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service just down I-85 from Auburn in the nearby city of Tuskegee.
October 9, 2008 - 3:47pm
The Auburn-Opelika area is expected to get a boost in tourism from the opening of a completely redesigned Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service just down I-85 from Auburn in the nearby city of Tuskegee.
Visitors Flock to Sandburg Home for Poetry, Goats and Hiking Trails
October 9, 2008 - 3:37pm
When the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was established 40 years ago, the mission was to preserve legacy and literary works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg. His modest home was kept intact with all the furnishings, magazines and newspapers in place when Sandburg died in 1967. National Park Service staff designed interpretive tours of the home, and public programs were given at the dairy goat farm that Sandburg's wife, Lilian, operated.
October 9, 2008 - 3:37pm
When the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was established 40 years ago, the mission was to preserve legacy and literary works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg. His modest home was kept intact with all the furnishings, magazines and newspapers in place when Sandburg died in 1967. National Park Service staff designed interpretive tours of the home, and public programs were given at the dairy goat farm that Sandburg's wife, Lilian, operated.
