With the federal government shutdown affecting services at Acadia National Park, many visitors and Mainers are looking for scenic trails, quiet lakes and coastal views elsewhere. Crowds usually swarm Mount Desert Island, but closed visitor centers and unstaffed facilities make this a perfect time to explore less-crowded alternatives that are just as scenic.
In easternmost Maine, Cobscook Shores in Lubec offers 20 privately funded parklands along Cobscook Bay with more than 15 miles of undeveloped shoreline. Visitors can enjoy quiet coves, salt marshes, birdwatching, picnicking and paddling, with 14 handcrafted picnic pavilions and trailheads. The park system is open through October, dawn to dusk.
Nearby, Quoddy Head State Park encompasses 541 acres at the easternmost point in the U.S. The park features five miles of trails, including the Coastal Trail, which provides sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and the red-and-white striped West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Visitors can also explore bogs, boreal forests and rugged cliffs.
The region’s Bold Coast offers additional coastal escapes. Lands managed by the Downeast Coastal Conservancy and Maine Coast Heritage Trust preserves feature dramatic cliffs, secluded coves and quiet trails for hiking, beachcombing and birdwatching. Great Wass Island Preserve in Beals adds granite ledges, ocean vistas and wild blueberry barrens.
Near Ellsworth, the Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust manages 5,200 acres of trails through forests, ledges and open ridges for hiking, wildlife viewing and camping. Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land offers hiking, fishing, paddling and opportunities to spot eagles, loons and other wildlife, with primitive campsites available.
The Blue Hill Peninsula combines coastal views, small-town charm and accessible trails. Blue Hill Mountain rises 934 feet and offers panoramic views of Blue Hill Bay, while Holbrook Island Sanctuary features woodlands, open fields and shoreline trails.
Midcoast Maine also provides alternatives. Camden Hills State Park offers sweeping views of Penobscot Bay from Mount Battie and Mount Megunticook, with an auto road for easier access. Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport features rolling meadows, a historic sod-roofed hut and paths through forests, fields and wetlands.
Acadia is Maine’s and New England’s only national park, but there are many other places to discover that offer fewer people, more charm and natural beauty. Whether it’s a coastal preserve, a quiet mountain, a lake near Ellsworth with campsites or a small harbor town, there is no shortage of spots to explore without closed visitor centers, limited services or crowded trails.
All of these destinations provide a sustainable way to enjoy Maine’s beauty without the over-tourism and congestion increasingly common on Mount Desert Island.
