PLANTS AND ANIMALS
KNOWN FOR THEIR NEEDLES AND CONES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, THIS KIND OF TREE INCLUDES SPRUCE, PINE, FIR, CEDAR, AND HEMLOCK
WHAT ARE EVERGREENS OR CONIFERS?
CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN 1913 AND 1940, THESE WIDE GRAVEL PATHS WERE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.
WHAT ARE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES?
THESE 'ROCK PILES' ARRANGED IN A CERTAIN MANNER HELP GUIDE HIKERS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS.
WHAT ARE CAIRNS, OR BATES CAIRNS.
THE ACADIA SUMMIT STEWARDS MAINTAIN THESE CAIRNS, AND ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO REMOVE OTHER ROCKS ADDED TO THEM WHICH CAN MISLEAD HIKERS.
TALK TO THESE PEOPLE AT THE HULLS COVE VISITOR CENTER (OR ADDITIONALLY IN A MONTH OR SO AT THE SIEUR DE MONTS NATURE CENTER) TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR HIKE, BIKE, CANOE OR OTHER ADVENTURE IN ACADIA.
WHO ARE RANGERS, VOLUNTEERS, OR INTERNS?
THERE ARE A LOT OF UNIFORMED PEOPLE IN THE PARK WITH VARYING JOBS! THE VISITOR CENTER ONES, NO MATTER THEIR UNIFORM, ARE EQUIPPED TO HANDLE ALL SORTS OF QUESTIONS AND TRIP PLANNING.
THANKS TO THE VOLCANIC HISTORY DATING BACK ABOUT 420 MILLION YEARS, A MAJOR EXPORT FROM MOUNT DESERT ISLAND'S HISTORIC QUARRIES IS THIS TYPE OF ROCK.
WHAT IS GRANITE?
OUTSIDE OF THE PARK, VISIT THE MAINE GRANITE INDUSTRY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM NEAR SOUTHWEST HARBOR FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE ISLAND QUARRIES AND THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN THEM.
THIS FRUIT LIKES ACIDIC, WELL-DRAINING SOILS THAT CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE PARK. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WHICH CAN BE LEGALLY PICKED BY VISITORS.
WHAT ARE BLUEBERRIES? (VACCINIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM)
VISITORS ARE ALLOWED TO PICK UP TO ONE DRY HALF GALLON (1/16 OF A BUSHEL) PER PERSON PER DAY, FOR PERSONAL CONSUMPTION ONLY. THEY ARE USUALLY RIPE MID-LATE JULY TIL AUGUST.
THE CARRIAGE ROADS ARE USED BY THESE THREE MAIN GROUPS.
WHAT ARE PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, AND HORSES?
ALL USERS ARE ASKED TO STAY TO THE RIGHT; CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS YIELD TO HORSES, AND CYCLISTS ADDITIONALLY YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS.
WHILE OUT AND ABOUT ON THE TRAILS, FRIENDS OF ACADIA'S SUMMIT STEWARDS FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS ON THESE SEVEN PRINCIPLES. BIGFOOT/SASQUATCH HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE NOW :)
WHAT IS LEAVE NO TRACE?
FOR MORE INFO ON THIS SCIENCE-BASED SYSTEM OF NATURAL LANDS PROTECTION, VISIT LNT.ORG
WHAT IS THE ACADIA WEBSITE?
THERE ARE MANY BLOGS AND OTHER WEBSITES WITH ACADIA IN THEIR NAME, BUT OFTEN THESE SITES CONTAIN INCORRECT OR OUTDATED INFORMATION.
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HAVE INHABITED THE LANDS WE NOW CALL MAINE FOR THOUSANDS OF GENERATIONS. TODAY PEOPLE FROM THE FIVE TRIBES, MALISEET, MICMAC, PASSAMAQUODDY, PENOBSCOT AND ABANAKI ARE A PART OF THIS CONFEDERACY.
WHAT IS WABANAKI?
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WABANAKI, VISIT THE ABBE MUSEUM IN BAR HARBOR, JUST OFF THE VILLAGE GREEN ON MOUNT DESERT STREET.
THIS ANIMAL BUILDS DAMS AND LODGES AND ARE SEEN BY MANY WHO VISIT ACADIA'S FRESHWATER LAKES AND PONDS. MOST OFTEN VIEWED AROUND DAWN OR DUSK.
WHAT ARE BEAVERS? (CASTOR CANADENSIS)
THERE ARE SOME ESPECIALLY ACTIVE ONES CURRENTLY ON ONE OF THE WITCH HOLE LOOP PONDS.
(bonus vocab word: CREPUSCULAR - OFTEN USED TO DESCRIBE ANIMALS WHO ARE MORE ACTIVE AT TWILIGHT)
AFTER CARRIAGE ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THE LANDSCAPE GARDENER BEATRIX FARRAND USED MOSTLY THIS TYPE OF VEGETATION TO BEAUTIFY AND COVER OVER ANY OF THE ROAD BUILDING EVIDENCE OR 'SCARS'.
WHAT ARE NATIVE PLANTS AND TREES?
SHE KNEW WHAT WOULD GROW BEST IN VARIOUS SOIL AND LIGHT CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS SOMETIMES SLOW-GROWING ONES, FOR EASIER MAINTENANCE OF OVERLOOKS AND VIEW STOPS.
THIS FAMOUS TRAIL IS OFTEN 'SWARMED' IN SUMMER MONTHS. HIKERS SCALE IRON RUNGS AND NARROW LEDGES TO REACH THE SUMMIT OVERLOOKING SAND BEACH.
WHAT IS THE BEEHIVE TRAIL?
CONTINUE ON PAST THE SUMMIT TO VISIT THE BEAUTIFUL POND CALLED 'THE BOWL'. THIS IS ALSO THE NAME OF THE TRAIL THAT HIKERS START ON TO GET TO THE BEEHIVE TRAIL.
FOR A HIKE ON ACADIA'S TRAILS, THESE ARE THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE ON YOU OR WITH YOU IN YOUR BACKPACK.
WHAT ARE ....? STURDY SHOES, WATER/SNACKS, A TOPO MAP, A FLASHLIGHT, EXTRA CLOTHING LAYERS, HONEST EXPECTATIONS RE: ONE'S ABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS, AND POSSIBLE WEATHER CHANGES
THIS DEPRESSION ERA PROGRAM'S HARD WORK CREATED SOME THE STUNNING AND UNUSUAL TRAILS THAT LEAD HIKERS UP VARIOUS SUMMITS OF ACADIA.
WHAT IS THE CCC? (CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS)
SOMETIMES CALLED ROOSEVELT'S 'TREE ARMY', HE MOBILIZED YOUNG MEN FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY INTO CAMPS WORKING ON EROSION, FIRE FIGHTING, CAMPGROUND CONSTRUCTION, AND MANY OTHER NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION PROJECTS, SUCH AS SOME OF ACADIA'S TRAILS.
NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK'S PLANT SPECIES ARE NON-NATIVE, AND SOME OF THESE SPECIES ARE EXTREMELY ________ AND THREATEN THE INTEGRITY OF OUR NATURAL COMMUNITIES.
WHAT IS INVASIVE?
(SOME CURRENT EXAMPLES: GLOSSY BUCKTHORN, JAPANESE KNOTWEED, PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE AND OTHERS...)
JOHN D ROCKEFELLER JR'S FATHER BUILT THE FAMILY FORTUNE AROUND THIS INDUSTRY. SOMEWHAT IRONIC IN THAT HE WAS INITIALLY NOT A FAN OF CARS BEING ALLOWED ON THE ISLAND.
WHAT IS THE OIL INDUSTRY?
JOHN D ROCKEFELLER SR ESTABLISHED STANDARD OIL COMPANY IN 1870. HE'S OFTEN CITED AS THE WORLD'S FIRST BILLIONAIRE FROM THE PROFITS OF OIL REFINING AND PIPELINE INFRASTRUCTURE.
THESE TYPE OF MAPS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR HIKING IN ACADIA, AS THEY SHOW FULL TRAIL NAMES AND ELEVATION GAIN AND LOSS.
WHAT ARE TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS?
"...BUT I HAVE ALLTRAILS, MAINE TRAIL FINDER, GAIA, etc ON MY PHONE" -- YES, BUT SIGNAL VARIES AND PHONES SOMETIMES FALL OUT OF POCKETS OR DIE...
NOT SURE HOW TO READ A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP? RANGERS AT THE VISITOR CENTER CAN HELP!
IF A VISITOR WANTS TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY AVAILABLE CAMPSITES IN THE PARK THEY HAVE TO GO HERE.
WHAT IS REC.GOV? (OR RECREATION.GOV)
THERE ARE NO RESERVATIONS OR AVAILABILITY CHECKS DONE IN PERSON AT ANY OF THE ACADIA NP CAMPGROUNDS. NEITHER BLACKWOODS NOR SEAWALL CAMPGROUNDS HAS ANY ELECTRIC OR WATER HOOKUPS, GENERATOR USE IS LIMITED TO CERTAIN HOURS.
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK WAS INITIALLY ESTABLISHED WITH A DIFFERENT NAME AND FEDERAL CLASSIFICATION. IN 1916, THE LAND PROTECTED HERE ON MOUNT DESERT ISLAND WAS KNOWN AS SIEUR DE MONTS ________________.
WHAT IS A NATIONAL MONUMENT?
A NATIONAL MONUMENT MAY BE ESTABLISHED BY PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION; WHEREAS A NATIONAL PARK USUALLY REQUIRES FULL CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.
THESE PREDATOR BIRDS, AMONG OTHERS, WERE EXPOSED TO HIGH LEVELS OF PESTICIDES IN THE 1950'S. AFTER YEARS OF CONSERVATION AND REHAB EFFORTS, THEY CAN AGAIN BE SEEN HUNTING IN THE SKIES WITH AMAZING SPEEDS.
WHAT ARE PEREGRINE FALCONS?
(FALCO PEREGRINUS) - FOUND ON ALL CONTINENTS EXCEPT ANTARCTICA - HUNTING AND DIVE SPEEDS BETWEEN 100-200 MPH!
THE NAME OF THE OLDEST BRIDGE IN THE CARRIAGE ROAD NETWORK. LOCATED ABOUT THREE-FOURTHS OF A MILE FROM THE PONDHOUSE.
WHAT IS COBBLESTONE BRIDGE?
THIS IS THE ONLY ONE BUILT IN THIS STYLE, OUT OF LOCALLY SOURCED COBBLESTONES AND DATES FROM 1917. IT IS LOCATED JUST OUTSIDE OF PARK BOUNDARIES IN THE LAND AND GARDEN PRESERVE.
THE JORDAN POND CARRY, A 1-MILE TRAIL THAT CONNECTS JORDAN POND TO EAGLE LAKE, IS SAID TO BE THE OLDEST TRAIL IN WHAT IS NOW ACADIA. WABANAKI PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY CARRIED THESE TO AND FROM THE TWO BODIES OF WATER.
WHAT ARE BIRCH BARK CANOES?
GO SEE A BEAUTIFUL ONE AT THE ABBE MUSEUM IN BAR HARBOR!
FROM MID-APRIL UNTIL LATE SUMMER, THESE THREE POPULAR TRAILS ARE CLOSED TO ALL HIKING AND VISITOR USE IN ORDER TO PROTECT PEREGRINE FALCON NESTING SITES.
WHAT ARE PRECIPICE, JORDAN CLIFFS, AND VALLEY COVE?
FOR MORE INFO ON THE CONNECTORS TO THESE TRAILS AND WHERE THE FULL CLOSURES ARE, VISIT THE NPS.GOV/ACAD WEBSITE OR TALK TO A RANGER.
THE FIRST HEADQUARTERS BUILDING, LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE PARK ITSELF, WAS LOCATED ON MAIN STREET IN THIS TOWN WHICH WAS HISTORICALLY KNOWN AS EDEN.
WHAT IS BAR HARBOR?
FOR MORE INFO ON THE EARLY DAYS OF BAR HARBOR VISIT THE BAR HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM LOCATED IN LA ROCHELLE MANSION ON WEST STREET.