BAR HARBOR, MAINE – Acadia National Park’s historic, island-wide trail system is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In April 2022, Acadia’s trails earned recognition for their national historic significance and ties to the history of Mount Desert Island and the establishment of Acadia National Park.
“Acadia National Park now has the largest system of trails to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places”
The listing recognizes the 109 historic, maintained trails covering 117 miles. Notable features include 18 memorial plaques, 12 viewpoints, and unique engineering. Trails extending outside the park’s boundaries on Mount Desert Island are also included.
“Acadia National Park now has the largest system of trails to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places,” Kevin Schneider, Superintendent of Acadia National Park, said. “This recognition is a testament to not only the historic significance of these trails, but also the incredible dedication of the National Park Service staff, partners and volunteers who continue to preserve them.”
Acadia’s trails originated with the Wabanaki
Acadia’s trail system evolved over centuries of human use, settlement, and recreation on Mount Desert Island. The Wabanaki, who trace their presence in Maine back 12,000 years, blazed the earliest trails. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Village Improvement Associations and the Civilian Conservation Corps built or maintained them.
The National Register listing focuses on the period between 1844 and 1942 as significant in the trail system’s development. In 1944, Artist Thomas Cole first documented views of the island landscape that influenced the trail system’s development. And in 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corps concluded its work in Acadia National Park.
Other National Register listings for Acadia National Park
In addition to its trail system, Acadia has several historic places listed on the National Register. These include:
- the Schoodic Peninsula Historic District,
- Blackwoods and Seawall campgrounds,
- and the historic carriage roads and gatehouses
About the National Register listing
The National Register of Historic Places is the official Federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Park Service administers it.
The National Park Service worked on the National Register nomination for several years before its approval. And Friends of Acadia helped fund the research and writing for the nomination.
Read more about Acadia National Park
