Mount Desert Island is the largest American island in New England and the second largest on the East Coast (after Long Island). The island is located just off the coast of Maine and is home to many summer colonies and is a favored holiday destination. The island offers many of the best hiking trails that Acadia National Park has on offer.
The island has been shaped by the Ice Age when the Laurentide Ice Sheet that covered much of northern North America also covered this island. Today the mountains show the markings of having been carved and shaped by the ice.
The Island of French and British Colonial History
The name is from French (so it is pronounced more like “Dessert” as in a piece of pie). The French explorer Samuel de Champlain saw its treeless mountain summits and so called it “Ile de Monts Deserts.” That means "the island of bare mountains."
- Size: Around 108 Sq Miles
For much of its early colonial history, it was a part of the French province of Acadia. But it soon became a contested territory between the British and French until the British took over all the French possessions of New France and Acadia in the French and Indian Wars.
- Highest Point: Cadillac Mountain At 1,532 Feet
- Tallest: Cadillac Mountain is The Tallest Atlantic Coast Mountain
Climb up to the peak of Cadillac Mountain and one will see the first rays of sunshine strike the continental United States.
The Heart of Acadia National Park
Most of the island is part of the vaunted Acadia National Park - one of the most popular national parks for hiking in the United States. It is a land famous for its eye-watering oceanfront cliffs and many hiking paths. Acadia National Park preserves around half of Mount Desert Island as well as part of the Isle au Haut, the tip of Schoodic Penisula, and some parts of smaller outlying islands.
Acadia was first established in 1916 as the Sieur de Monts National Monument and became the first American National Park east of the Mississippi in 1916 as the Lafayette National Park. The name was later changed in 1929 to Acadia National Park. Much of the land for the national park was donated by Rockefeller.
The part is home to some of the highest mountains on the Atlantic Coast and the great biodiversity and heritage of the region. The island (and the park) are noted for its U-shaped valleys, glacial erratics, granite domes, and cobble beaches.
- See: Rockefeller's Historic Carriage Road System
On Mount Desert Island one will see the historic carriage road system. This was built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. between 1919 and 1931. He was opposed to cars being introduced to the island and so built a network of carriage roads that are closed to motorized traffic. Much of this network is now inside Acadia National Park.
A Summer Colony Destination
The island also has several small and charming towns that were one of the exclusive summer playgrounds of the wealthy elite from New York and Boston - like Rockefeller. One of the more charming towns is Bar Harbor with others being Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and Bass Harbor. One could say that Mount Desert Island is about as charming as the New England seaside gets.
- Charming Coastal Villages: Bar Harbor, Bass Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and Tremont
The year-round population of the island is just over 10,000 but is visited by millions of tourists annually.
How To Get There And Where To Stay
One can drive to the island - it's about a five-hour drive out of Boston (so it's pushing it for a long weekend). There is also the option of flying with Cape Air which offers daily flights to Logan Airport in an eight-seater Cessna. The locals on Mount Desert Island often say "if it was easy to come here, everybody would."
- Best By To the Island: By Car (5 Hours From Boston)
When looking for accommodation on the island, have a look at the many B&Bs and Airbnb listed. Try to find a place that's near the waterfront on the island.
One of the best options is a historical waterfront hotel called Balance Rock Inn in Bar Harbor. Balance Rock Inn boasts breathtaking views of the Porcupine Islands, a private sauna, music on certain nights, and more. For a quieter option in Northeast Harbor have a look at Asticou Inn (it was a favorite of Ariana Rockefeller).