Mount Desert Island tidepooling · Tidepooling in Mount Desert Island
All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels
Tidepooling in Mount Desert Island
Tidepooling in Mount Desert Island
Mount Desert Island's intertidal zone is rich with diversity. The tidepools that form on the granite cliffs are one of the most interesting aspects of the island, and are often overlooked. They are a great way to introduce young children to the aquatic world. People of all ages will have a great time searching for crabs, sea urchins, perriwinkles, limpets, and much more! Be careful of barnacles, they WILL leave nasty gashes. Bandaids and closed-toe shoes are recomended, just incase. NOTE- DON'T FORGET TO CHECK THE TIDES! If you go tidepooling at high-tide, you're going to be quite dissapointed by the lack of critters. Tide-Charts can be purchased in town, or check the newspaper.
Wonderland- A ten-minute hike through the woods leads to a beautiful expanse of rocky shore. At low tide the area is filled with seaweed and small pools. Wonderland is ideal for small children because of the flat landscape.
The Bar- Don't be fooled! The Bar isn't a place to party. It's a sand bar which connects Bar Island to Mount Desert Island, and is only visible at low tide. This is what gives Bar Harbor it's name. It's a completely unique environment, with tons of shells, snails and clam worms. In the deeper pools, one can find crabs, and even rock-gunnels. Be careful not to get stuck on Bar Island! If you are on the island when the tides change, you'll be stuck their until low tide comes again. Plan to only be on The Bar an hour and a half before or after low tide to avoid any unfortunate strandings.
Otter Cliffs- These tidepools are situated amongst the rocky crags of the shoreline, and some can be difficult to reach. This location is not recomended for young children who are not steady on their feet. Otter Cliffs offers an extensive array of biodiversity not seen in many other locations on the island- here you can find nudibranchs, anemones,star fish, sea urchins, crabs, and much more.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Mount Desert Island
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Mount Desert Island - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Mount Desert Island hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<
WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
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.