It's been an unusually quiet summer so far at Acadia National Park/Jim Glavine file

Editor's note: The following dispatch is from Jim Glavine, a Bar Harbor resident and tour guide at Acadia National Park.

As the country and indeed the entire world continue to struggle with the Covid-19 pandemic, many are yearning to be outside, to be out of lockdown and to absorb some of the beauty and serenity of nature. Here in Bar Harbor, Maine, summer has been slow to start. The crowds typically seen roaming the streets, frequenting local businesses, and walking the famous 1881 Shore Path have been nearly non-existent until the past 10 days or so.

Cruise ship passengers also often add large numbers to the downtown crowds during the daytime, but to date none of the nearly 200 ships originally scheduled for the 2020 season has arrived. With the Maine state ban on cruise ships until mid-September, and all nearby Canadian waters closed until November 1st, frankly few if any of the ships are expected before 2021. Even in neighboring Northeast Harbor a few miles from Bar Harbor the marina was devoid of vessels in mid-June, when it should have been bustling with activity.

Northeast Harbor has been noticeably quiet this summer/Jim Glavine

Maine relaxed requirements for out-of-state visitors in late June and the numbers have slowly ticked up, but by all local accounts the crowds have been thin compared to previous years. Most businesses are open, though with some restrictions on indoor dining, numbers of customers allowed inside at one time and, of course, requesting, or in many cases requiring, that visitors wear masks.

Acadia National Park was a bit slow to open, owing in part to difficulties in hiring seasonal employees and the usual backlog of spring cleanup and maintenance tasks. But thanks to a dedicated and hard working staff, which has done an excellent job adapting their operations to new protocols, the park is now open to the public and being enjoyed to the fullest by locals and visitors alike.

Acadia Superintendent Kevin Schneider said visitation to date has been substantially lower than normal, even during  the recent Independence Day weekend. He also notes that it appears that the park is seeing fewer visitors from outside the local area, but more from local communities, especially during April and May.

Those observations are echoed in current statistics provided by John Kelly, Acadia's chief management assistant, who said year-to-date visitation numbers are down by about 30 percent compared to last year. This tracks with Maine Department of Transportation counts of vehicles entering Mount Desert Island, which are down about 27 percent. These figures do not include the recent holiday weekend, when there were notably more people in town and in the park, but Schneider noted that the park was still "much less busy than normal" for the period.

It was a stark difference from a year ago, when July 5, 2019, marked the busiest day in Acadia's history, with more than 35,000 people crowding into the park. That was a 33 percent increase over the average busiest day for the last eight years. 

My observations showed a short backup of cars at the Schooner Head Entrance for the first time this season at mid-day on Saturday, but even that did not persist for long.

There was a short backup at the Schooner Head Entrance/Jim Glavine

Despite a bit of typical Maine coastal fog and a little much-needed rain over the holiday weekend, folks still enjoyed the beauty of Acadia and all appeared extremely happy to be able to finally get outside and take in some long-awaited recreational time surrounded by the wonders of the natural world.

Christie Anastasia, the park spokesperson, indicated that due to Covid-19 concerns ranger-led programs have not yet commenced, though education programs for local schools were conducted while school was still in session. No word yet on when or if ranger programs will be offered this season. Visitor advisories remain in effect for all in attendance, including while walking, hiking, bicycling, strolling on Sand Beach or transiting parking areas.

Kelly also noted that the planned “dry run” of the park’s reservation system slated to go into full effect in 2021 is still on track. This test run will take place October 1-18, he said. The Cadillac Mountain Road and Ocean Drive portion of the Park Loop Road are slated to be part of the reservation system test. The test is scheduled during a period when visitation typically slows, allowing park officials to learn and to adjust the system during the coming winter prior to full implementation next year.

Additionally, as frequent visitors to Bar Harbor and Acadia may know, the Island Explorer bus system typically runs from late June through Columbus Day weekend, carrying visitors not only into and around the park, but throughout the island. Sadly, another result of the current pandemic is that Downeast Transportation, which operates the Explorer, decided not to offer the service any time during the current season. This is of course a major setback, as the Explorer carries thousands of visitors every year, not only providing an amazing service, but also helping to mitigate automobile traffic in the park and elsewhere. We all hope that they will return to service next year, as the Island Explorer buses carried a staggering 643,870 passengers last year, all for free.

The usually busy 1881 Shore Path has been quiet this summer/Jim Glavine

Friends of Acadia for the first time is marking its annual meeting a virtual affair via Zoom and Facebook Live on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Furthermore, as might be expected, the nonprofit organization's 31st Annual Benefit Auction and Dinner, typically held on the lawns of the famed Asticou Inn in Northeast harbor, will also be, for the first time, a fully re-envisioned virtual event. According to Benefit Committee co-chairs Laura and Vassar Pierce, the event will take place on an online platform the evening of August 8. For more information, contact Shawn Keeley at [email protected] or call 802-233-6863.

Despite the challenges facing us today, all of the many dedicated members of the Acadia National Park family remain hopeful that the park will continue to prosper, to provide the public with opportunities to always enjoy the beauty of our crown jewel of the Northeast as its generous founders intended back in 1916 when it was known as Sieur de Monts National Monument.

One might wonder, what does the future hold for Acadia with the current circumstances persisting throughout the country? According to Superintendent Schneider, the future is bright here in Acadia and throughout the National Park System. The optimism stems from the recent passage by the U.S. Senate of the Great American Outdoors Act, which now only awaits approval by the House.

This long-awaited legislation carries $6.5 billion for backlogged maintenance needs across the park system, as well as full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has historically provided funding for a variety of federal lands projects. While it remains to be seen how the National Park Service will divide the funding if and when it becomes available, Acadia has more than $65 million in maintenance needs according to Fiscal 2018 figures (latest available). The bulk, $24.5 million, can be traced to paved road needs in the park, with another $9.5 million linked to buildings, and $9.3 million to trails.

Come visit us then, enjoy a hike or a climb, a walk or bike ride. Take in the views, smell the balsam fir, feel the cool ocean mist and bring your family and friends but remember… Leave No Trace, take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, maintain social distancing…and please wear a mask!