Acadia National Park stretches across Mount Desert Island on the Atlantic Coast of Maine. Its renowned landscapes are interspersed with private land and communities, including the tourist mecca of Bar Harbor. As a result, human pressure on the island's ecosystems is much greater than one might expect.
Early this morning, just after dawn, we entered the Park, hoping to beat the crowds. As a result, we enjoyed a a walk along the rocky coast (photo) and a steep climb to an isolated summit without encountering many fellow tourists. We had planned to ascend Cadillac Mountain but learned that that adventure must be scheduled in advance.
As I have discussed in the past, our National Parks are under assault by too many human visitors and I plead guilty as one who has explored most of them. The decision to limit access to popular sites or to the Parks in general is unfortunate but, I believe, appropriate. Protecting sensitive natural ecosystems has become an increasingly difficult challenge.
