The park has 14 great and 10 smaller ponds that are perfect for hiking around, kayaking and canoeing and even swimming. As a photographer, I love shooting landscape shots with these lakes. Here are my Top 9 Ponds you must see while in Acadia National Park:
- Aunt Betty Pond
While Aunt Betty Pond is more of a wetland than pond, it provides a tremendous opportunity for birding. You will find a number of migrating and breeding birds in the wetland “pond” area and its surrounding forest. It’s a great place to search for Swamp Sparrow and Tree Swallow. Additionally, it is one of the few areas of Acadia National Park where breeding Northern Waterthrush have been found - Bubble Pond
This pond is just northeast of Jordan Pond next to the two way section of the Park Loop Road on Mount Desert Island. It is a gorgeous little pond, nestled between rounded mountains. There is a carriage road complete with a stone bridge located next to the parking area. You will find a number of spots where you can easily sit and relax along the edge of the pond. If you get there early in the morning on a calm day you may get the picture-perfect reflection of Pemetic Mountain on the lake in the beautiful early morning sunlight. You can also see Bubble Lake from the summit of Cadillac Mountain (one of the 10 Must Do Things in Acadia National Park). Bonus: hike up to the north end of the pond to find Bubble Brook! - Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake is the largest “pond” in the park at 437 acres in size! Both Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond provide water to the surrounding towns, so there is no swimming or wading allowed, but there are a bunch of other things you can do. The lake is encircled by the old carriage roads so you can bike, hike and horseback ride around the entire lake. There is also a boat launch for canoeing and kayaking on the lake! The lake is well-known for its salmon and trout (a fishing license is required). The easiest access to Eagle Lake is via the parking area at the north end of the lake on Route 233, which has trailhead parking and restrooms. - Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond is often the most remembered experience for visitors to Acadia National Park. It is pristinely clear (it is a water source for towns in the area so there is no swimming or wading), and is often referred to as the “clearest” pond in Maine. I haven’t seen all the ponds and lakes in Maine so I can neither confirm nor deny this claim but I can say that the way the lake reflects the surrounding peaks makes me not care that much anyway. From the southern end of the pond you get unrestricted views of the twin “Bubbles” mountains. That southern end of the pond is actually a glacial moraine and home to the Jordan Pond House – the only restaurant in the park. Talk about dining with a view!! - Lower Hadlock Pond
The trail to Lower Hadlock Pond is fairly moderate and well-graded, and will also take you to Upper Hadlock Pond. Lower Hadlock Pond is a quiet place in the park known for good fishing. It is a hidden gem, found just off Route 198 with the trail wrapping around its shoreline. From the road it follows a small stream coming from the upper pond. You cross a cedar marsh before meeting giant slabs of granite and then down to the pond. At the other end of the pond you can find an old dam made of stone and earth that is quite impressive. - Upper Hadlock Pond
Just north of the Asticou Azalea Garden, this 35 acre pond has a hiking trail along the southern and eastern shoreline. Upper Hadlock Pond and Lower Hadlock Pond are both reservoirs functioning as catch basins for all the streams flowing down from peaks to the southwest of Sargent Mountain. The pond can be accessed from The Brown Mountain Gatehouse parking area where you will find a gate structure. It’s a good hike, but you are a little close to the road – so there may be road noise. BONUS: There is also a stone carriage road bridge to the northeast at Hadlock Falls. - Witch Hole Pond
Witch Hole Pond is located in the Hulls Cove section of Acadia National Park. You can access the pond by hiking along the carriage road from the Visitor Center. On this route you will come upon the first carriage road intersection in Acadia National Park. Each carriage road intersection in the park is numbered. This intersection is number one. The carriage roads in this area of the park were some of the last to be built but the numbering of the intersections begin here because it is closest to the Visitor Center. - Round Pond
The western shoreline of Round Pond is in Acadia National Park, while the eastern shoreline is privately owned. It is a highly controversial pond for the park as the private property owners along its shores have been in an ongoing battle with the NPS since the 1980s. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great place to visit while in the area. The pond is stocked with fish for all my fishermen and women out there. It is also on Pretty Marsh Road which is one of the ways to access the “quieter” side of Mount Desert Island. - Lake Wood
This pond is one of Acadia National Parks biggest secrets that is hiding in plain sight. Lake Wood is a secluded pond with a small beach area, just a short drive away from Hulls Cove Visitor Center. It is a large body of warm water perfectly suited for swimming (Note: there are no lifeguards and access road does not open until June 1). From Hulls Cove drive along the road until you see a small park sign on the left at a narrow dirt road leading up a hill and into the woods. The road will take you all the way to the parking lot at the edge of the lake. If you want to swim in Lake Wood like a local don’t go into the water by the parking lot. Head up along one of the narrow paths along each side of the lake and pick out your favorite (private) spot along the lake to enjoy the warm water.