Owls, deer, sea anemones and loons — wild animals are everywhere in Acadia National Park. As a longtime visitor and hiking guide there, I’ve experienced some amazing wildlife encounters over the years, including a few this winter.
Covering more than 49,000 acres of varied coastal habitat, Acadia is an ideal place to view wildlife for many reasons. For one thing, hunting isn’t permitted. Pair that with constant foot traffic on park trails — about 4 million visits annually — and you get wild animals that are fairly used to people. I’ve never seen such bold red squirrels and unbothered white-tailed deer.
One winter, I was hiking down to The Tarn from the Beachcroft Trail when I walked into the midst of five grazing deer. One lifted its head, stared at me, then kept right on nibbling frozen branches. I sat down in the snow and watched the herd for several minutes, admiring their fluffy winter coats before continuing on my way.
Deer are everywhere in the park. In summer, I’ve spotted bucks with velvety antlers. In spring, I’ve seen fawns trailing behind does. I’ve watched deer wander the rocky beach near Seawall Campground and leap over the boardwalk on the Jesup Path.
But that’s not all. Acadia is home to at least 40 species of mammals, according to the park website. While hiking there, I often observe beavers swimming in ponds, gnawing down trees and building lodges. I’ve also come across snowshoe hares, noisy red squirrels, adorable porcupines and playful otters.
Visitors to the park often ask rangers and guides about one animal in particular: Maine’s famous moose. Unfortunately, these iconic creatures are rarely spotted in Acadia.
Why? Mount Desert Island — where the main portion of Acadia is located — doesn’t have the space for a moose population to thrive, according to an article posted on the park website. In addition, transient moose rarely wander onto the island because they either have to walk across the motor causeway or swim. While moose are proficient swimmers, strong ocean currents and mudflats create additional hurdles.
Parkgoers also frequently ask about black bears, another celebrated species in Maine. While Acadia is home to a small population of bears, they’re rarely seen by visitors because they tend to avoid people and dogs. I’ve never seen a bear in Acadia.
If you’re interested in sea creatures, that’s easy. Just visit a beach at low tide and gaze into the tide pools. These pools of salt water, located between the high and low tide marks, contain a variety of crabs, sea stars, barnacles, periwinkles, dog whelks, limpets, anemones, marine worms and other aquatic animals.
Some fantastic tide pools in Acadia can be found along the shoreline accessed by Wonderland Trail, Ship Harbor Nature Trail and the sand bar leading to Bar Island.
While tide pooling, you’ll likely see a variety of seabirds floating just offshore. Keep an eye out for seals as well. Harbor seals and gray seals are the most common. They pop their heads out of the water as they swim and can often be found lounging on rock ledges.
Whale watching boat tours offer another opportunity to spot seabirds, seals and whales. The Bar Harbor Whale Watching Company reports that humpback, minke and fin whales are most commonly seen on their tours, along with Atlantic white-sided dolphins and harbor porpoises. They also occasionally spot ocean sunfish, bluefin tuna, blue sharks and basking sharks.
Seabirds seen on boat tours include northern gannets, shearwaters, storm petrels and fulmars. Puffins — which are highly celebrated in Maine — do not live on Mount Desert Island. However, during the summer you can book a boat tour to one of Maine’s few islands with puffin colonies. The closest is Petit Manan Island, about 35 miles east of MDI.
Birding is an especially popular activity in Acadia. Each spring, the Acadia Birding Festival draws people from around the world to search for the park’s many feathered residents — 338 species, to be exact. Fan favorites frequently spotted include bald eagles, ospreys, great blue herons, common loons and a wide variety of colorful warblers.
State-endangered peregrine falcons nest on some of the park’s cliffs. Certain trails close in the spring and summer to protect them.
I’ve observed many birds while wandering the park — some of which have caught me by surprise. In the Wild Gardens of Acadia, I came across a woodcock this past fall. Sifting through the dirt with its long beak, the plump bird didn’t seem at all concerned about the many people walking past it on the garden path.
While snowshoeing up a mountain this winter, I spotted a majestic snowy owl perched on a boulder in the distance. Originally from the Arctic, snowy owls sometimes migrate to Maine in winter to hunt in open spaces such as blueberry fields and bare mountaintops. In spring, they return north.
Barred owls and great horned owls are frequently seen in the park year-round. In fact, some nest in trees right beside hiking trails. Often people walk right past these camouflaged birds and their young without even noticing.
I’ve also nearly stepped on red-bellied, garter and ring-necked snakes as they bask in the sun on trails. Rest assured, none of Maine’s snake species are poisonous.
I could go on and on, but the point is this: There are many wild animals to see in Acadia National Park. My best advice is to keep your eyes open and your ears tuned to the natural world. Don’t focus on just one type of animal and miss everything else that might cross your path.
I’ve found the best wildlife encounters happen when you immerse yourself in the environment and keep an open mind.