Biking
Bicycling is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of DownEast Acadia.
The roads and backroads of DownEast Acadia continually attract cyclists—on their own, in tour groups, or as part of a larger ride. BikeMaine is a seven-day, 350-mile group ride that has featured DownEast as part of its route several times. While, the most famous—and some might say first—mountain bike routes are Acadia National Park’s historic carriage roads. These beautiful, “broken-stone” roads wind through 45 miles of some of the most scenic areas of the park.
“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.”
— John F. Kennedy
Biking adventures
There are scores of new biking adventures to be had in the region. The newly developed Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway winds along 211 miles of the coastline, through 24 Bold Coast communities. Eastport offers some enjoyable day trips to beaches and other area attractions. The East Coast Greenway and US Bike Route 1 extend through the entire region—from Florida to Calais. Finally, Machias River Corridor Public Lands offers gorgeous and remote gravel biking with campsites all along the way.
The Mount Desert and Acadia options include miles of paved roads, carriage roads, and old fire roads. The Schoodic Peninsula offers both paved roads and trail riding. Bring your Fat Bike or mountain bike along to explore the Down East Sunrise Trail, a multi-use gravel trail running 87 miles from Ellsworth to Pembroke. Connect from there to the stunning paved Sipayak Trail.
Visitors can bring along their mountain, fat, hybrid, or road bikes or gear up with rentals and accessories at bicycle shops in Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Blue Hill, Winter Harbor. If you are going further DownEast, you’ll need to bring your bike or rent one before heading beyond Ellsworth or Winter Harbor.
Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway
The first Scenic Bikeway in Maine, The Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway, is a 211-mile route on quiet rural roads that extends from the top of the Schoodic Peninsula to Calais. Along the way, the course meanders through diverse natural environments, past sites of historical and cultural interest, and into small towns offering a variety of amenities and services.
The Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway connects with US Bike Route 1, East Coast Greenway, and the Coastal Link Trail in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. Bicyclists can create phenomenal single- or multi-day point-to-point or looped rides throughout the region. Or incorporate the Bikeway into an epic cross-country journey.
Biking on the Schoodic Peninsula
The Schoodic Peninsula has riding options for trail rides and those who prefer too pedal on the road. For all vehicles, there is a six-mile loop road that includes many turnouts for visitors to pull over and wander onto the granite shore. A highlight is Schoodic Point, the peninsula’s rocky, barren tip, and its unimpeded view of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to the loop road, bicyclists are welcome to pedal the 8.3 miles of winding bike paths with spectacular views.
Planning Tools
To help you plan your trip we provide information on drive time and distances to and around the region. Plus info on other commercial transportation options.
Once you arrive in DownEast Acadia, you will want to access local sources of visitor information, state laws, recreation rules, and road conditions.
To help you pack or plan your day, check out the current weather in the region or learn about year-round averages of temperature and precipitation.
