Car-free Acadia

[David in Maine]

Got to live the dream this weekend. I heard that the park-loop road at Acadia National Park, one of my favorite rides, was closed to cars but open to bikes and pedestrians due to pandemic. This weekend was also the opening of some private camp grounds for Maine residents. My wife and I headed up and enjoyed two days of bliss riding the loop road in both direction. It was awesome to climb and descend Cadillac mountain using the whole road like a Euro-pro (ha!).

David

[AngryScientist]

that's awesome David.

I have very fond memories of riding in that area, i spent some great time there a couple years ago, and the riding is superb - of course it would be better with no cars!

thanks for sharing!

[XXtwindad]

Beautiful!

[Steve in SLO]

That looks unbelievable. What a beautiful road and a gorgeous day.
Reminds me of when Highway 1 near Big Sur gets closed to cars due to mudslides and we have the road to ourselves.

[Toddtwenty2]

That is stunning. I can practically smell the water just through the pictures.

[ERK55]

Unfortunately you would be smelling only the inside of a room since all out of state visitors to Acadia are required to quarantine for 14 days. For that matter I’m not sure where you’d get a room.

According to my “Friends of Acadia” newsletter that is effective through August 31.

[oldpotatoe]

Unfortunately you would be smelling only the inside of a room since all out of state visitors to Acadia are required to quarantine for 14 days. For that matter I’m not sure where you’d get a room.

According to my “Friends of Acadia” newsletter that is effective through August 31.

Not looking to start any sort of argument but how does Maine or Arcadia know there is an 'out of state' visitor..via license plates? Or road blocks, checks??

I see the place is gated but how does the person at the 'gate' know a person has quarantined for 14 days? and is negative?

[David in Maine]

Not looking to start any sort of argument but how does Maine or Arcadia know there is an 'out of state' visitor..via license plates? Or road blocks, checks??

I see the place is gated but how does the person at the 'gate' know a person has quarantined for 14 days? and is negative?

Yes, you bring up issues that have many Mainers concerned going forward. So much depends on voluntary compliance. The campground required us to sign paperwork stating we were Maine residents (and that we wouldn't sue if we got Covid). Reports were that many folks from out of state were coming over the border this weekend. Hopefully they follow the self-quarantine rule! Maine is in a tough place since it's heavily dependent on tourist dollars.

David

[GregL]

Yes, you bring up issues that have many Mainers concerned going forward. So much depends on voluntary compliance. The campground required us to sign paperwork stating we were Maine residents (and that we wouldn't sue if we got Covid). Reports were that many folks from out of state were coming over the border this weekend. Hopefully they follow the self-quarantine rule! Maine is in a tough place since it's heavily dependent on tourist dollars.
My family visits Acadia nearly every year. We especially like the short window of time between Memorial Day and mid-June which typically had good weather, but smaller crowds. We were there at this exact time last year and had a wonderful time. I rode the park loop road one evening and hardly saw a car. Sadly, no trip this year. The motel where we stay refunded our deposit last month and informed us that they could only allow Maine residents to stay. In that respect, local businesses appear to be following the rules.

Glad you were able to enjoy the park in solitude and thank you for sharing the photos!

Greg

[merlinmurph]

Looks very nice without all the cars - and nice Seven!

Interesting about the quarantine. We just booked a site for our travel trailer in Winter Harbor at the the end of July and also visiting Swan's Island, all in that area. Nobody mentioned quarantine...

[David in Maine]

Looks very nice without all the cars - and nice Seven!

Interesting about the quarantine. We just booked a site for our travel trailer in Winter Harbor at the the end of July and also visiting Swan's Island, all in that area. Nobody mentioned quarantine...

The quarantine is part of the phase 2 of gradual re-opening. The state hopes it goes well and there aren't spikes in Covid cases. On July 1st there is hope of easing the quarantine requirement, but we don't have a detailed plan yet (that I have seen anyway).
I love the Seven by the way!

David

[charliedid]

That looks fantastic. What a beautiful place....

A friend just moved to Portland and if this nightmare ends this summer I'd like to drive up and visit. Love that place.

[OtayBW]

Why didn't they allow cats?........Oh, wait....

[NHAero]

Such a gorgeous place! I was up there a fair bit for work about 10 years ago, but never had time to ride. We went up and camped there for four days in 2008, and we rented some Trek road bikes and rode the loop and Cadillac. At one point my wife looks over to me and says, "this bike is really zoom-zoom!" I found out that she'd never ridden a drop bar road bike.

Later that fall, she was away for a few days, and I built up a 45cm Salsa Casseroll for her. It was on the trainer in the dining room when she returned. She walks in, sees the bike, says, "what's this, another bike?" I say, "I don't know, looks like a bike for a really small person." Her eyes get big as she realizes it's for her!

[theboucher]

That is the dream! I grew up in Southern Maine and spend a lot of time in that park. Cadillac without cars is perfection.

[marciero]

dupe

[marciero]

Wow. I missed this news. In fact it looks like the loop road continues to be closed to motor traffic. May have to head up there.
https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

[David in Maine]

Wow. I missed this news. In fact it looks like the loop road continues to be closed to motor traffic. May have to head up there.
https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Definitely worth the trip if you're a Maine resident! Hotels are closed until June 1 so bring your tent.

[Tickdoc]

What a beautiful place! I hope to get to ride in Maine again some day (in the summer;)

How cool that you had the whole place to yourself. Any Wildlife?

So, is this closed to non Maine residents because of Covid or is this a yearly thing?

Yellowstone is another one I always wanted to ride before the cars are unleashed.

[David in Maine]

What a beautiful place! I hope to get to ride in Maine again some day (in the summer;)

How cool that you had the whole place to yourself. Any Wildlife?

So, is this closed to non Maine residents because of Covid or is this a yearly thing?

Yellowstone is another one I always wanted to ride before the cars are unleashed.

The loop road is always closed to cars in the winter and I gather intrepid local bikers ride it. The opening is delayed due to Covid. We saw deer, porcupine, turkey and heard coyotes howling at night. Yellowstone without cars would be amazing. I cycled through it in 1993 on my Trans-am tour. I was biking in the early morning on a foggy, rainy day so there wasn't much traffic other than bison and elk in the road!! Magical memory.

David

[GregL]

The loop road is always closed to cars in the winter and I gather intrepid local bikers ride it. The opening is delayed due to Covid. We saw deer, porcupine, turkey and heard coyotes howling at night. Yellowstone without cars would be amazing. I cycled through it in 1993 on my Trans-am tour. I was biking in the early morning on a foggy, rainy day so there wasn't much traffic other than bison and elk in the road!! Magical memory.

Keep an eye out for beavers in the appropriately named Beaver Dam Pond. They are pretty shy when there's a lot of car traffic, but will show themselves on quieter days. I saw one while riding the loop road last year and captured some video of the industrious rodent.

I also recommend riding the carriage roads if you can visit Acadia when there are fewer human visitors. I saw all the animals you mentioned except the porcupine during last year's early-season visit. The carriage roads are possibly the smoothest gravel roads in existence, so a road bike with fatter (28mm) tires would handle them just fine.

Greg

[David in Maine]

Yes, the carriage roads are wonderful. I have often ridden them in October when not too crowded. This past weekend they were posted closed due to soft conditions.

[jbf]

Yes, Maine has some hard rules. I still don't know how they are enforceing them. We have a lake house in southern Maine on Square Pond. I have not been up there yet this season but I did hear we needed to quarantine for 14 days if we visited (I'm in CT). My grandfather purchased our camp in 1942 for $800. Its not fancy but I spend half the summer up there when I can, but this year is not normal.

[quattro]

[QUOTE=GregL;2726914] The carriage roads are possibly the smoothest gravel roads in existence, so a road bike with fatter (28mm) tires would handle them just fine.

I rode almost every mile of the carriage roads on my Parlee Z1 while visiting last 4th of July week, no problems what so ever on 23mm tires, although you probably could have more fun, ride faster and be more daring on 30mm or larger,but totally doable on 23mm.

[exapkib]

Living the dream! Thanks for sharing those pictures. We're planning to hit Yellowstone during the "bikes but not cars" week next spring. It's a bit of a moving target, but hope springs eternal.