The best cycling routes around Bar Harbor

The Tri Lakes Loop offers a moderate touring bicycle ride through Acadia National Park, covering 20.5 miles (33.0 km) with 1282 feet (391 metres) of elevation gain. You can expect to spend around 2 hours and 56 minutes exploring this route. As you cycle, you will pass Eagle Lake, Jordan Pond, and Bubble Pond, enjoying views across the water. The path winds through cool forests and over charming stone bridges, providing glimpses of the iconic Bubbles mountains across Jordan Pond.

This route largely follows Acadia's historic Carriage Roads, which are free of motor traffic, making for a peaceful cycling experience. You won't need any special permits for this journey. Parking is usually available at various entry points within Acadia National Park, so you can choose a convenient starting spot. Plan your visit to enjoy the car-free paths and the natural beauty of the park.

The historic Carriage Roads themselves are a key feature of this loop, offering a unique way to explore the park without vehicle interference. These dedicated paths were designed to blend with the landscape, providing a smooth and scenic ride. This makes the Tri Lakes Loop a notable option for experiencing Acadia's natural and historical charm on two wheels.

The Cadillac Mountain & Otter Cliffs loop offers a spectacular touring cycling experience, blending Acadia National Park's dramatic coastline with a significant mountain climb. You'll wind through fragrant pine forests, past iconic spots like Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs, before tackling the challenging ascent to Cadillac Mountain's summit. This difficult 32.1-mile (51.6 km) route, with its 2859 feet (872 metres) of elevation gain, typically takes around 3 hours and 39 minutes, making it a rewarding ride for fit cyclists.

To make the most of your ride, plan to start early in the morning, especially if you want to avoid the heavy vehicle traffic that can congest the Park Loop Road between 10 am and 4 pm. Be aware that some sections of the road are narrow with no shoulder, and you'll be sharing the road with cars. Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on the crushed rock Carriage Roads, but other e-bike types are not permitted.

What truly sets this loop apart is the unique combination of coastal beauty and mountain grandeur, culminating in the panoramic views from Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the U.S. Atlantic coast. During certain times of the year, you can even be among the first in the U.S. to see the sunrise from its summit. The route also passes by other notable features like Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake, offering a comprehensive tour of Acadia's diverse landscapes.

Embark on a challenging touring cycling adventure to the Cadillac Mountain summit, a difficult route that spans 13.0 miles (20.9 km) with a significant elevation gain of 1604 feet (489 metres). As you pedal up the paved Cadillac Summit Road, you'll encounter several scenic pull-offs offering expansive views of the surrounding landscape. The journey, which typically takes around 1 hour and 32 minutes, culminates in breathtaking panoramic vistas from the summit, including a clear sight of Eagle Lake. This ride is particularly rewarding for experienced cyclists seeking a strenuous climb with an incredible payoff.

When planning your visit, remember that while vehicle reservations are often required to drive to the summit during peak season, you as a cyclist do not need one. This offers a more direct and potentially less crowded way to experience the mountain, especially if you choose an early morning start. Be mindful that the winding road is shared with vehicle traffic, so always exercise caution and stay alert. Consider starting your ride before dawn to witness one of the United States' first sunrises from the summit, a truly unique experience.

Cadillac Mountain holds a special distinction as one of the first places in the United States to greet the sunrise, making an early morning ascent particularly memorable. The route takes you through Acadia National Park, offering a unique perspective of its rugged beauty and diverse ecosystems. Reaching the summit provides not just a physical accomplishment but also an opportunity to soak in the vastness of the coastal landscape, a defining feature of this iconic national park.