Avoid Acadia National Park Crowds At This Stunning Yet Lesser-Visited Peninsula

From chilly mountain tops to rugged coastline with dense forests in between, a trip to Acadia National Park is a beautiful journey into the wilds of Maine. However, during the summer months, popular, beginner-friendly hikes with awe-inspiring views like Jordan Pond Path become extremely busy, making what should be a relaxing retreat into nature feel more like fighting crowds. Fortunately, there are areas of Acadia National Park that don't get as packed, even during peak season. If you're looking for an equally gorgeous but more private option within the park, consider visiting the Schoodic Peninsula.

This region has all the postcard-worthy scenery of Acadia National Park that brings summertime crowds to Acadia, but only a tiny fraction of visitors check out the Schoodic Peninsula. This is likely because of its location. Although it's a part of Acadia National Park, it's on the mainland and isolated from the rest of the park. You would have to hike for more than 16 hours after leaving Jordan Pond to reach the Schoodic Peninsula — mostly outside of the park.

Thanks to the lack of visitors, the Schoodic Peninsula is a lot more wild than other parts of Acadia National Park. It comprised of coastal pine forest and wetland. Above its rocky shores you can see bald eagles swooping low to catch fish in their talons, while scuttling horseshoe crabs live beneath the waves. If you come at the end of spring, you might even see these rare crabs laying their eggs by the light of the full moon.

One unique thing that you'll see on the Schoodic Peninsula are the incredible pink granite rocks along the shore, carved flat by the constant breaking of waves over them. Schoodic Point is one of the best places to enjoy this view. Make sure to visit Blueberry Hill, too. It is an incredible place to see the steely gray waves crash against the rocks. From the coast, you'll be able to see many of the most popular sights in Acadia at a distance, including the striking Cadillac Mountain.

One of the best ways to see everything that the Schoodic Peninsula has to offer is to take a car. This quiet area of Acadia has a single, one-way road called the Schoodic Loop Road. During the busiest months, this route may have a little traffic on it, but if you avoid beautiful summer afternoons, you should be able to take your time and enjoy incredible views of the coast. For an even more beautiful experience in the wild, consider pulling over and enjoying the many turnouts. Make sure not to miss an unmarked gravel road that turns off about 2.5 miles from the picnic area where the road starts — this will take you all the way up Schoodic Head. From the top, you'll see unbelievable views of the woods and sea below.

If you prefer to explore the natural world on foot, there are plenty of beautiful hikes in Acadia National Park, and the Schoodic Peninsula is no exception. For a relatively relaxing and simple hike, you can walk through the woods on Alder Trail. This trip takes less than an hour, and in the warm weather is often populated by butterflies. For a more challenging woodsy trek, try making your way up Schoodic Head on foot on East Trail. If you're up for some scrambling, this is the perfect one to try in spring, since it's often lined with wildflowers. If you truly want to immerse yourself in nature, though, consider the relatively short Sundew Trail. You might hear the crashing of waves through the thick pine forest, but if you run into many other people, they'll probably be quiet so as not to frighten off the birds that this region is known for.