Activities For Dogs In Acadia National Park

This may be common sense, but you have to get in the park before you participate, so do that first. If you plan to visit more than once a year, skip the $30 single-visit fee and opt for the $55 annual pass, it's well worth it. Once you get inside, you'll need to stop by the Sieur de Monts Nature Center or the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to pick up the pamphlet and checklist and speak to the rangers about how to complete the program entirely. Give it a good read over, as there is plenty of good information on the B.A.R.K. guidelines as well as directions on where to find further information about the park.

On the Bark Ranger pamphlet, there is a list of three activities you can complete to obtain your collar tag. We recommend all three because that's all the more for you two to do! The three options are: Hike on a park trail, explore on a carriage road and stroll along the water. Each one addresses various features of the park, so you should do your best to enjoy them all. All you need is to ask a park ranger about good spots to go (let them know what you'd like to see for better direction) or just use a smartphone to look at the park's website, which lists all three types of dog-friendly locations. Pick one of each and hit the ground running. For longer visits, spread out the locations so you can not only see more, but get your bearings better. For shorter visits, keep them all close by so you can transition from one to another with ease and efficiency.

Once you've completed your activities, check back with a park ranger to make sure you didn't miss any steps or information, then they'll give you a signature approval and direct you towards locations where you can pick up your tag at the Eastern National Bookstore at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center.

For such a small town, Bar Harbor offers a massive amount of places to eat, let alone shop. There are at least 20 different dog-friendly restaurants with spaces to eat and many of the stores, hotels and services are dog-friendly as well. Do yourselves a favor and pick two restaurants to try (just try not to eat too much at one and be full for the other!) for some true East Coast fare, then walk it off with your pup by your side by checking out some of the local shops, as well as the town's nearby parks. Give your pal some time to explore the scents and sights of the parks.

For those who are looking to get into nature but still enjoy the spoils of civilization, consider checking out the Jordon Pond House. It offers fantastic food, a patio to eat on that's enveloped in natural beauty and even links to several dog-friendly trails that meander around the water for when you two need to walk off your lunch. Keep your dog with you at all times while on these trails and be sure to leave the site as pristine as you found it.

For those who want to start exploring by getting their bearings, a windows-down drive through the park is a great place to start. Make sure your dog is safe and secure and allow them a bit of fresh air with the window down just a bit on their side. While it's only about 27 miles of roads to get around the park, it generally takes most visitors at least a couple hours to truly see the initial sights and get their bearings. For those who prefer some additional guidance, the Island Explorer bus line is both free and dog-friendly and shuttles visitors between various points of interests all over the island. For those who really just want to take in the natural beauty in a quieter and more peaceful way, you can even have your dog join you on a carriage ride pulled by another type of four-legged friend.

While there is certainly a lot to see from the park's main roads, you'll likely be amazed to find out that the small island offers over 100 miles of dog-friendly hiking trails as well as 45 miles of dog-friendly carriage roads, all of which meander through different parts of the park. On top of all that, it even offers a little doggy haven. Just south of the island's eastern half the border of the park stops and the space around Little Long Lake begins. While it may not sound exciting by name, this chunk of land donated by the Rockefeller family happens to be a 1,000 acre park and best of all, it's off-leash! There are tons of trails and more carriage roads to explore and best yet, since Little Long Pond isn't a fresh water source for the nearby cities, your dog can go for a swim!

If it wasn't enough that your dog can ride in a horse carriage, there are at least three different companies that offer dog-friendly cruises. Each one has a bit of its own flavor, so you'll want to do research beforehand or even ask a local, but in all, you'll get a relaxing cruise, possibly even some food or drink and some background information about one of the East Coast's best-kept secrets, all for a pretty marginal cost considering the return.