What is so special about Acadia National Park? Interesting facts you may not know.
Eve ChenThere are in the U.S.听but听only one in the Northeast.
听was the听first permanent national park east of the Mississippi River. actually preceded it听but听did not keep its national park status and became a in 1895.
With dramatic seaside cliffs and , it's one of the most popular national parks today. Acadia听attracts听so many visitors that each summer, timed-entry reservations are required for 听
The land itself has drawn听people for thousands of years.听
Here are a few things you may not听know about听Acadia National Park, the first national park 望月直播 TODAY is spotlighting in a yearlong series, which will end with Zion.
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Where is Acadia National Park?
Acadia is located along the coast of Maine, near Bar Harbor.听The nearest major airport is Maine's Bangor International Airport.
When did Acadia become a national park?
Acadia officially became a national park on听Jan. 19, 1929.
Initially established听as听听in 1916 under听President Woodrow Wilson, it was later renamed听Lafayette National Park by Congress before being dubbed听Acadia National Park, according to its website.
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What Native tribe lived in Acadia National Park?
Acadia is the historic homeland听of the听, who are comprised of the听Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes.
"Generations ago, Wabanaki people traveled here over land and in seaworthy birchbark canoes," the听park explains on . "Confronted with attempts to displace and erase them by European colonizers starting in the 1500s, Wabanaki people resisted and remained resilient."听
Visitors can learn about the Wabanaki through Acadia's program over the summer.
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How big is Acadia National Park?
Acadia encompasses more than听47,000 acres.听
Roughly 35,000 acres are owned by the National Park Service. The rest is privately owned, but managed by the National Park Service under conservation easements, according to the park.
How many miles of carriage roads are in Acadia?
There are 45 miles of across Acadia National Park.
According to its听website,听philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., who听, had them听built so he could travel听by horse and carriage, without cars.
The carriage roads are still shared by horse-drawn carriages, cyclists and pedestrians today, but not cars.
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How popular is Acadia National Park?
Acadia was the fifth most-visited national park in the country last year with over 3.9 million visitors. That was more than Yosemite, Yellowstone, Joshua Tree and Grand Teton.
Only听Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Zion and Rocky Mountain saw more visitors in 2022.
What is so special about Acadia National Park?
The park is home to a wide variety of听birds including loons, herons, eagles and peregrine falcons.
Acadia actually helped restore听the 听population in the eastern U.S. through breeding and conservation efforts that helped remove听the bird from the federal endangered species list, according to the park.
During the spring, some trails may be closed if peregrine falcons are spotted mating or nesting behavior is spotted in the area.
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