Mount Desert Island swimming · Swimming in Mount Desert Island
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Swimming in Mount Desert Island
Swimming in Mount Desert Island
Salt Water-
Sand Beach- The only sandy beach on the island. Relatively calm water, albeit icy. Deffinitely bring some warm clothes and a blanket to wrap up in, if you plan on swimming. Lifeguard on duty. Sand beach can be extremely be extremely busy during the high season- parking is a nightmare. Accessible by The Island Explorer. You will need a park pass to get in, as there is a ranger station which checks passes on the Park Loop Road.
Somes Sound- There are several locations on the Sound that are great for swimming. One of the best is located at the base of the Flying Mountain trail. Why not get warmed up by hiking over the mountain (15 minutes to the top, a nice easy hike with a beautiful view of the sound from the top), then cool off at the cobble beach once you reach the bottom?
Hull's Cove- Hull's Cove is extremely flat, and would be ideal for younger children. Located near several restaurants.
Hadley Point- This mudflat is a great place to wade around and explore. There are tons of crabs and clams (be aware, you need a license to actually collect them for harvest. Even if you have a license, be sure to check that there's no Red Tide in the area. In the summer months the algae can be quite prolific around the island!). WARNING- YOU WILL GET MUDDY!
Hunter's Beach (best for wading)- A short walk alongside a beautiful flowing stream leads you to the beautiful Hunter's Beach. Large and small stones abound- a great place for creating Andy Goldsworthy type natural art. Beach sculptures created by other visitors can often be found on the shore. The surf can be rough.
Fresh Water-
Echo Lake- An artificial sand beach, calm water, relatively warm. Lots of space. Lifeguard on duty. A great place for families with young children. Lots of ducks!
Echo Lake Ledges- Located on the side of Echo Lake across from the Acadia Mountain trailhead, these cliff ledges are great for jumping off of. Not recomended for young children or inexperienced swimmers.
Lake Wood- A lovely little swimming spot, with lots of tadpoles, frogs, turtles and fish. There is a short hike from the parking area, so be sure to bring shoes. Camps sometimes bring their campers here, so it can be packed with children.
Long Pond 'Pond's End'- A roped-in swimming area, great for all ages. The water gets deep enough for older swimmers to be content, but the shallows are extensive enough that youngsters are not in danger if supervised. There is a large floating dock which is fun to jump off of. Sometimes bi-planes will land on the pond, putting on quite a show for the swimmers! Be aware- there can be lots of leeches in the shallows by the rocks. Just keep moving and they won't bother you at all.
Sargent Pond- Located part-way up Sargent Mountain, this is a great spot for hikers to catch a quick dip.
The Bowl- Located on the backside of Beehive Mountain, this is a great place to cool off after a difficult hike. Be warned- The trek up Beehive can be arduous for some. The Backside is managable for older kids (4th grade and up), but will likely take a while to complete. If you choose to climb the Ladders Trail, be aware that you will be edging along cliffsides, climbing up iron rungs, and not leaving much room for error. Deffinitely not a hike for beginners, but a worthwhile one if you're up for the challenge!
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Mount Desert Island
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Mount Desert Island - updated May 2024
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Mount Desert Island Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.