A black mountain bike leaning against a stone near a lake, with rolling hills and trees in the background on a cloudy day. Acadia Carriage Roads mountain bike trail.
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Level: Easiest
Length: 45 mi (72.4 km)
Surface: Fire Road
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +997/ -1,078 ft
Total: 64 riders
 

Mountain Biking Acadia Carriage Roads

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#17 of 121 mountain bike trails in Maine
#2,472 in the world

OK, I gave this an aerobic difficulty of 8 because I hadn't done any biking in the two or three weeks before attempting this, so maybe someone in a little more shape would find this to be a six or seven. Not very technical as these are all car-free carriage roads built by John Rockefeller, Jr, but depending on the trails you take, you may have to face some 700-1000+ ft climbs on gravel roads. The views, especially in the fall with the color changes, are SPECTACULAR once you reach the peaks of the climbs. Coming down is a LOT more fun, though be careful in the gravel - very easy to slide out of control. Trails are also used by hikers and equestrians, so please follow IMBA trail rules. Overall, I rate this network a 10. Great to ride, great views, great history, great photo ops. Great place for a rigid, or even for singlespeeders after some pain. Also, great chances for some hiking - bikes are not allowed on any of the hiking trails, and there is no single track riding available on the Island (Acadia National Park). Also, some of the carriage roads are private, and are marked as such - please respect the markings and do not trespass.

All of the trail intersections are very clearly marked, though I would highly suggest purchasing a local map/guide book of the trails, which offer information such as points of interest, trail length, difficulty, etc. These also enable you to find your way back to your car, and you can create your own 'loops'. Again, there is some serious climbing to be done.

Roadies can also climb Cadillac Mountain in the park - the road up is open from one hour before sunrise until midnight, and due to the tourist traffic on the narrow roads, park rangers suggest that you attempt this in the earlier hours. Cadillac Mountain is 1532 feet high, and is the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coastline. Please note that not all of the park roads are open to cyclists.

First added by searsandrewj on Oct 13, 2003. Last updated Apr 30, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
  • Drinking water: unknown
  • Lift service: unknown
  • Night riding: unknown
  • Pump track: unknown
  • Restrooms: unknown
  • Fat bike grooming: unknown
  • E-bikes allowed: unknown
  • Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Getting there
There are several points of entry into the network of trails, depending on which trails you are interested in riding. The carriage roads in Acadia National Park are located on Mt. Desert Island, off the coast of Maine. There are several points of entry off of Rt. 233, all marked with brown signs. Rt. 233 will also take you directly into Bar Harbor, ME. To get to 233, you can take Rt 3 East from I-95N, and then 3 to 3/198. Once you have passed through Ellsworth, continue on 3/198 towards Trenton and Bar Harbor. Or, refer to Rand MacNalley like we did. In the off season, lodging from bed and breakfasts, to waterfront cabins, to KOA campgrounds can be found anywhere.


Acadia Carriage Roads Trail map

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Mountain Bike Trails Near Bar Harbor, Maine

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Beginner | 3 mi

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