Acadia National Park encompasses more than 50,000 acres, the bulk of that on Mount Desert Island, with the remainder on Isle au Haut, Schoodic Peninsula and a host of islands, as well as a variety of conservation easements. Established as Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916, it became Lafayette National Park three years later, and was renamed Acadia in 1929. 

The land that we know as Acadia has a rich and colorful history dating back thousands of years, and its protection and preservation as a park is a conservation story for the ages. Starting with my wild youth way too many years ago in Bangor through today as an MDI resident, I have devoured dozens of books on the place and explored all of its 150 miles of trails and 45 miles of carriage roads, most multiple times. 

The Mount Desert Island Historical Society hosts a series of History Happy Hours throughout the year. Late last winter, a trivia night was held at Peter Trout’s Tavern in Manset and the topic was “So You Think You Know Acadia?” Right up my alley, I thought. This should be a breeze. Turns out not so much. Embarrassingly so. 

The trivia questioners were none other than Gary Stellpflug and Charlie Jacobi, retired Acadia National Park rangers with a combined 70 years of experience with the National Park Service, the bulk of that time in Acadia. In the history round, I scored four out of 16; the geography round, four of 10. These guys were tough, and I was doomed. It was great fun just the same, and I learned so much along with the rest of the burger and beer crowd. 

Here’s just a smidgen of the Acadia trivia from that fine event, courtesy of Gary and Charlie. Enjoy, and then get on up here to the island to explore this most amazing of Maine’s and our nation’s natural treasures. 

Many of Acadia’s familiar natural features have had one or more different names over time. Beautiful and deep Bubble Pond was once called Turtle Lake. Dorr Mountain, named for George Dorr, one of the park’s founders, used to be known as Flying Squadron Mountain. Brown Mountain is now Norumbega Mountain, while Huguenot Head to the west of Champlain Mountain was formerly Pickett Mountain. 

At Wonderland, today’s wide trail follows the route of an old road that ends at a cul-de-sac, which was always a head-scratcher. As it turns out, in the 1920s a fellow named Ike Stanley operated a restaurant there called “Wonderland” and had six cabins along the shore. Stanley also ran restaurants at today’s Seawall Picnic Area and Ike’s Point on Echo Lake, the latter a popular swimming hole today. 

At 1,530 feet, Cadillac Mountain is Acadia’s highest mountain, but which is the sixth tallest peak? That would be 1,063-foot Bernard Mountain on the west side of the island. Between the two are Sargent, Dorr, Pemetic and Penobscot mountains. Interestingly, the Bernard Mountain Trail on the mountain’s south slope was widened by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s to become a downhill ski trail. 

Whose names are on the plaque at the top of the steps leading down to Sand Beach? Louisa and Eleanor Satterlee. Sand Beach and Great Head beyond was the summer estate of Louisa Morgan Satterlee and her husband, Herbert; the property was a gift from Louisa’s father, noted financier and banker J.P. Morgan. Eleanor later donated the land to the park. Remnants of the Satterlee estate, burned in the fire of 1947, can still be seen. 

Acadia is laced with maintained roads, carriage roads and foot trails, so you might wonder where the largest area without such infrastructure might be. Great Heath would be a good guess, albeit incorrect. It’s actually the 1,850-acre swath encompassing McFarland Hill and Youngs Mountain north of the Eagle Lake Road. The unmaintained and eminently walkable old Breakneck Road is a good way to explore this otherwise trail-less stretch. 

Champlain Mountain (1,057 feet) on the eastern margin of MDI is one of the park’s most popular hiking destinations. There used to be another Champlain Mountain within the Acadia National Park boundaries, 10 miles out to sea on Isle au Haut, but a land swap in the 1980s to consolidate park holdings on the island left out this other Champlain. An old local’s trail still leads to the 542-foot summit. 

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is a Triple Crown hiker, freelance writer, and author of three hiking guides. Connect with Carey on Facebook and Instagram and at [email protected].