Bar Island Land Bridge
Bar Island Trail, Bar Harbor, 04609
For 3 hours at low tide—90 minutes before and after—it’s possible to walk across to Bar Island from the town of Bar Harbor by crossing the Bar Island Land Bridge. Walk or drive a 4WD across the gravel and sand land bridge to go tidepooling, launch a kayak, or hike around the island for views over Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay.
Part of Acadia National Park, the 0.5 mile (0.8 kilometer) Bar Island Land Bridge can easily be explored on your own. Figure out when low tide is and time your visit for 90 minutes on either side of that, when the land bridge is exposed and crossable. Once on the island, explore the tide pools revealed by the receding water, launch a kayak, or take the Bar Harbor Island Trail to different overlooks of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay.
Pay attention to the tides. If you don’t cross back before the tide comes in, you have to wait 9 hours for the land bridge to be exposed again or pay for an expensive water taxi (which you’ll need to call).
An entrance pass for Acadia National Park is required between May 1 and October 31.
Wear closed-toe shoes with good traction. There’s uneven terrain as well as ticks, so stay in the middle of the trail and away from soil and brush to minimize tick encounters.
You can drive over the land bridge, but you cannot park on it.
You can explore the tide pools and the island, but do not collect anything from the island or land bridge.
Dogs are allowed on the trail, but must be kept on a 6-foot (1.8-meter) leash.
The Bar Island Land Bridge connects Bar Harbor with Bar Island and can be accessed from Bridge Street in Bar Harbor. Many visitors park on West Street or elsewhere in downtown Bar Harbor (with paid parking between May 15 and October 31), then walk. You can also take the free Island Explorer Bus to downtown Bar Harbor.
The Bar Island Land Bridge can be visited year-round. It’s accessible within 90 minutes on either side of low tide, which occurs twice a day, at different times. Check the tide chart to plan your visit. Acadia National Park fees are required between May 1 and October 31, while parking in downtown Bar Harbor requires a fee between May 15 and October 31.
The Bar Island Land Bridge forms part of the 1.9 mile (3.1 kilometer) round-trip Bar Island Trail. Once you are on Bar Island, you can follow the trail along an old road as it ascends into the forest, reaching a meadow with wildflowers. There will be a split in the trail: Take a right for a short spur trail to an old home with views of Bar Harbor, or take a left to reach the highest point of the island, with views of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay.
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