Top O' The Ridge

What really makes Mount Desert Island unique is the amazing number of mountains, lakes, ponds, harbors, and islands packed into and around an island only 10 miles in diameter. Unlike the grand spacious national parks of the west, Acadia's unusual  geological formations rise up out of the ocean, gracing this small island with a plethora of natural attractions, views,  and wonders that reveal themselves at each bend in the road and trail.  Somes Sound, the only fjord on the U.S. east coast, runs up the center of the island giving it an upside down "lobster claw" shape.  Acadia's Park Loop Road is one of the country's most scenic drives with numerous points of interest which make it the undisputed "center piece"  MDI attraction.

Mount Desert Island's mountains, ocean, and lakes support a wide range of recreational opportunities including hiking, mountain climbing, sightseeing, swimming, boating, fishing, water sports, biking, horseback riding, dining, bird watching, and more.  The list of attractions and activities seems a bit like the Eveready Bunny, it just keeps going, and going, and going...

To help you zero in on the best area attractions and activities, we have assembled a set of local information links that we hope you will find useful when searching for interesting area for activities.

Our Favorite Area Links:

Site	Favorite Stuff	More Detail
Local 10 day Weather	10 day forecast	Weather.com's Mount Desert 10 day forecast using the Print version with less clutter. Like it or not, it makes sense to plan around the Island weather.
Acadia Magic	Home and Attractions, Photos pages	The home page has a very comprehensive set of links although depth if the content is not deep.  Bottom line, you can learn a bit about a lot. The number and variety of links  quite comprehensive. The photos are professional and impressive.
About.com Acadia Maps	Acadia PDF and JPG Maps	The PDF map zooms in great and shows the major trails and mountains. The jpg looks great even showing the the fold in paper captured in the photograph.
NPS Acadia 207 288-3338	Virtual Tour eCruise Park Newspaper Ranger activities, and photo shows.	The National Park Service's eCruise provides an interactive way to learn about Acadia.  Be sure to click on the icons to hear bird calls, movies, and see panorama views. Other interesting content includes the ranger led activities and photo albums.  Did you know that an earthquake in 2006 damaged trails and roadways?
Our Acadia	Kids Stuff and  Rainy day Options	A very interesting site with a bit of an eclectic feel to it. The Island facts were quick, to the point,  and quite interesting.
Anemone Cave	Hidden gem	This sea cave is for the more adventurous and is off the first turnout (The Overlook) on the park loop road. Wear good climbing shoes and plan to be there near low tide. This Park treasure has been removed from their literature for years to protect the cave floor sea life from excessive  foot traffic.
Mt. Desert garden Preserve 207 276-3727	Asticou Azalea, Thuya  Gardens and Terraces	There are two gardens both near Northeast harbor. Asticou Terraces provides a way to approach Thuya garden on the mountainside switchback trail with overlooks viewing Northeast Harbor.
Diver Ed Dive-In Theater 800-979-3370	Neat concept	Great for kids and adults alike. Ranger lead tours are more adult focused.  This is a great way to see Acadia ocean sites above and below the waterline.
Wildwood Stables 877 276-3622	Stable services and tours	Make your reservations well ahead of time to enjoy the parks amazing carriage roads toured by horse drawn carriage, going riding, or even board your own horse.
Island Explorer Bus 207 667-5796	Free!	A rare value - a free bus service.  Unfortunately no bus route goes by Northern Neck Road. Closest access is Somesville.
Acadia Baby Outfitters 207 266-3210	Cribs, car seats, strollers, toys etc. for rent	A nice service for people who are traveling light but with young children.
Acadia Repertory Theatre 207 244-7260	Live Theater " just around the bend"	The theater is located in Somesville, just a few minutes down the road.  It is very popular, quality theater that is and reasonably priced. They typically show 4 productions over the summer with a morning performance that caters to kids.
Beech Mountain Trail	Two short hikes with great views that you can to take from Beech Hill Road near Top O' The Ridge	Going east from the Beech Cliff parking area to cliffs that offer a amazing views of Echo lake below. The trail to the northwest side of the Beech Cliff parking area and forks in 0.1 mi. The trail to the north (right) is the longer trail at about a 1 mi. It provides a beautiful view of Long Pond before heading up to the summit. The trail to the left fork climbs more steeply to the summit of Beech Mountain in about .6 miles.  Bring binoc's - Can you spot Top O' The Ridge from the summit?