Mount Desert Island
The largest island off the coast of Maine, Mount Desert Island (MDI) is known for its pink granite shoreline, rugged coastal mountains, mossy forests, and exceptional views. Native Americans, European explorers, fishermen, artists, vacationers, and scientists have gathered here for centuries. The Island has an area of 108 square miles and has been connected to the mainland by a causeway for the past 100 years. With a year-round population of 10,000, it is divided into four townships with several smaller villages. It has four elementary schools and one high school.
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is the gem of the island. The park encompasses over 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes and ponds. There are forty miles of carriage trails for biking, walking, skiing, and running; miles of granite and sand beach with vibrant intertidal communities; and over 115 miles of hiking trails offering spectacular ocean and woodland views from numerous summits. Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the eastern seaboard and the first in the continental United States to be touched by the rising sun.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is a popular tourist destination and the largest and closest of the four towns on Mount Desert Island. Boutiques, galleries, coffeehouses, museums, and excellent restaurants area all within walking distance of the town pier. Whale watching and day sailing cruises, bike and kayak rental, as well as rock climbing guide service, are all available. Evening entertainment can be found in restaurants, pubs, and two movie theatres. Once the tourists go home, The Jackson Laboratory and College of the Atlantic ensure year-round activity and a varied population.
