06 Jul Walking on the Land Bridge to Bar Island in Bar Harbor

We LOVED the town of Bar Harbor when we visited Acadia National Park. It was our go-to place for coffee and breakfast in the mornings. Trust me, you will need something to re-energize yourself if you wake up to see the sunrise. Additionally, we went all out for one meal and ordered a bunch of seafood dishes, including a lobster roll. There are also a bunch of shops within the town that carry Acadia merchandise. Why not buy a memento for yourself or a gift for a loved one? Lastly, we walked along the land bridge to Bar Island.

When you read “walked along the land bridge to Bar Island”, some of you might be picturing a sturdy, long bridge over the water. Well, that is not exactly the case. The land bridge is a path of pebbles, sand, and rocks (emphasis on the “land” part of land bridge) that appears only in the hours surrounding low tide as the water recedes. The bridge leads from the town of Bar Harbor across the water to Bar Island.

It was quite a unique experience when we walked along the land bridge, for it was completely underwater just an hour beforehand. That being said, be sure to time your visit appropriately. The land bridge is accessible around one and a half hours before low tide to one and a half hours after. Do not get stuck on the bridge or even on Bar Island – make it back across to Bar Harbor before the bridge is gone!

Contents:

1) Location

2) Walking Across the Land Bridge to Bar Island

3) What Happens If You Get Stuck on Bar Island?

4) Things to Do on the Land Bridge and Bar Island

5) The Town of Bar Harbor

6) Acadia National Park Entrance Information

1) Location

Where is the land bridge to Bar Harbor located?

You can find the Bar Harbor land bridge on the western side of Mt. Desert Island in northeastern Maine. It is located right beside the town of Bar Harbor (pronounced by some as “Bah Hahbah”). More specifically, the bridge begins at the northern end of Bridge Street.

The land bridge leads to Bar Island, which is a secluded island with a hiking trail that offers views of Bar Harbor in the distance.

Parking Near the Land Bridge to Bar Island

You can find parking along the streets of Bar Harbor. We did not have any issues finding a spot when we visited on a weekend in June. However, parking becomes more difficult on weekends in July and August when the area is busier. To enjoy the warmer weather you also have to put up with a more difficult parking situation. You might have to drive around looking for a spot or choose to park further away on a side street.

Street parking in Bar Harbor costs a couple of dollars per hour, and you can pay through the ParkMobile app or the meter.

On the other hand, you can ditch the car and utilize the park shuttle.

Airport Near the Land Bridge to Bar Island

The closest airport is the Bangor International Airport at one hour and 20 minutes northwest.

There are no public transportation options available from the airport to the Bar Island land bridge. Your best option is thus to rent a car from the airport. On the other hand, it is only a five hour bike ride!

Lodging Near the Land Bridge to Bar Island

First, book a site at a campground for a rustic experience. Blackwoods Campgrounds is the closest campground to Bar Harbor, though Seawall Campground is the next best option.

We stayed at Blackwoods Campground for three nights when we visited Acadia National Park. We did “car camping” since we did not have a tent or any other camping equipment at the time. The campground had nice lots and facilities, so no complaints there. Additionally, there is a building with hot showers just down the road. The showers accept quarters as payment, and there is an ATM and change machine on site.

Second, stay at a hotel in Bar Harbor if you want to prioritize comfort and being close to all of the good food options. Book a room at the Saltair Inn Waterfront B&B or the Hampton Inn Bar Harbor for a luxurious experience. On the other hand, book a room at the Island Place or the Bell Isle Motel if you need to stick to a budget.

View from land bridge to Bar Island

2) Walking Across the Land Bridge to Bar Island

To reach Bar Island, you will need to walk across the land bridge that leads from the town of Bar Harbor. The land bridge emerges shortly before low tide as the water recedes from the area, and then it remains visible until shortly after low tide when the water once again submerges it.

Due to the fact the land bridge is the ocean floor, it is generally made up of sand, pebbles, and rocks.

If you visit during the timeframe the land bridge is visible, you will see a path all the way to Bar Island. On the other hand, you will see only water if you visit outside of that timeframe.

Length of Land Bridge to Bar Island

The land bridge is 0.5 miles (~0.8 kilometers) long one-way. It is fairly flat and considered to be an easy walk.

I recommend you plan for about 15 minutes to walk across. You can make it across in less time if you walk fast, but you will most likely want to stop to appreciate the views or search for shells.

When Does the Land Bridge to Bar Island Appear? 

Unfortunately I cannot write down the exact times that the land bridge will appear. Instead, you will have to do a tiny bit of research. It is pretty easy, though, so do not worry. You do not have to be an oceanographer or anything like that.

First, open up the tide chart for Bar Harbor. Second, find the times for low tide on the day you plan to walk across the land bridge. There should be two different times for low tide, one in the AM and one in the PM. Third, calculate one and a half hours before low tide to one and a half hours after low tide in both the AM and PM. Those are then the time frames in which you can walk across the land bridge.

For example, let us pretend that low tide is at 7:00pm. This means that the land bridge is accessible from around 5:30pm to 8:30pm. The water recedes enough during that time frame that the sand is no longer underwater and you can then walk along it.

However, please note that this is not an exact science. I cannot promise that the land bridge will still be completely out of the water at 8:30pm exactly if you are trying to head back across from Bar Island at that time. It is best to give yourself some wiggle room, for you do not want the bridge to disappear before you make it back across.

Land bridge emerging as low tide approaches

3) What Happens If You Get Stuck on Bar Island? 

Ah yes, it is possible to get stuck on Bar Island. This can happen if you do not pay attention to the time, and the water once again starts to cover the land bridge as low tide is no more. Look at the picture below, and you will see how the only thing at the end of the road is water – the land bridge completely disappears outside of low tide.

If you do get stuck on Bar Island due to the fact the land bridge is underwater, you have two options.

Wait Until Next Low Tide

First, you can wait approximately nine hours until the next low tide when the land bridge once again appears. However, please keep in mind there is not much to do on Bar Island other than walk around the trails. Additionally, you probably do not want to spend the night on the island if you chose to walk across during low tide in the PM.

Hire a Water Taxi

Second, you can call a water taxi to come rescue you. I want to note a few things about the taxi, however. It can take anywhere from about 15 minutes to two hours for the water taxi to come get you. Additionally, you will have to pay anywhere from $100 to $200 (or more) for the taxi. You do not have to wait as long for a rescue with this option, but you will be paying a nice chunk of change for the convenience.

Call Windjammer Cruises for a water taxi at 207-288-2984. If they do not answer, call Acadia dispatch at 207-288-8791. However, Acadia will generally not offer assistance unless there is an emergency situation.

My best advice? Do not get stuck on Bar Island! Make sure you walk back across the land bridge within the one and a half hour timeframe before and after low tide. Bring a watch, set an alarm, do whatever you need to do to make it back in time.

Sign for land bridge to Bar Island during high tide

4) Things to Do on the Land Bridge and Bar Island

Plan to walk across the land bridge just as it emerges from the ocean an hour and a half before low tide if you truly want to maximize your time. You can then inspect all of the wildlife on the land bridge and hike along the Bar Island Trail.

Nevertheless, still plan to visit the land bridge even if you only have 20 minutes or so left before it disappears. It is quite a unique experience to walk across it.

For a bonus, dogs are allowed on the land bridge as well as on the island! On the other hand, there are no bathrooms.

Land Bridge to Bar Island

Due to the fact that the land bridge is the ocean floor made up of rocks, pebbles, and sand, there are plenty of opportunities for searching for wildlife and shells. You might have heard of “tidepooling” before, and that is essentially what this is. Tidepooling is the activity of exploring ecosystems during low tide when they are visible and accessible.

You will find all kinds of interesting things on the land bridge, for example snails, crabs, sea stars, shells, and more. However, please remain respectful to the wildlife and the ecosystem as you explore. You are entering their home, after all!

The land bridge is 0.5 miles (~0.8 kilometers) long, so there is plenty of space to explore.

Additionally, you can use the land bridge as a launching point for your kayak. It is then easy to kayak to or around Bar Island.

Bar Island

A few families used to live on Bar Island many years ago before it became part of Acadia National Park. When walking around the island, you might spot a few ruins of older buildings once occupied by these families.

Additionally, there is a one mile (~1.6 kilometer) out and back trail on the island known as the Bar Island Trail. Technically the Bar Island Trail also includes the land bridge and is thus a total of two miles (~3.2 kilometers) round trip. It is an easy trail with around 215 feet (~65 meters) in elevation gain. An average hiker can complete the two mile (~3.2 kilometer) trail across the land bridge + the island within one hour.

On the island, the trail leads through the forest as well as a meadow of wildflowers before reaching the top of a hill. Upon reaching the end of the trail at the top of the hill, you can enjoy views of the surrounding water and nearby town of Bar Harbor. To continue your search for the best overlooks in the area, check out Otter Cliff Overlook along Park Loop Road in Acadia.

Be aware there is one fork in the path. Bear left to continue along the trail. Bear right to take a side trail to the ruins of an old house and then return to the main trail from the way you came.

Sign for land bridge to Bar Island during low tide

5) The Town of Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor…the saving grace of our first day in Acadia National Park. While we did not see sunrise on Cadillac Mountain nor a view from the top of the Beehive Trail due to cloudy conditions, we did get to walk around the town of Bar Harbor and enjoy a delicious lobster roll. We went all out and also ordered a side of clam chowder and lobster bisque.

That being said, you should not miss out on the opportunity to walk around the main street of Bar Harbor. It is a cute, little town full of shops and restaurants. If you enjoy seafood, then you absolutely must try a lobster roll at one of the many restaurants offering them. You cannot get fresher lobster than what they serve here. My personal recommendation is Peekytoe Provisions.

There are also a few coffee as well as ice cream shops. The coffee will definitely come in handy if you wake up for sunrise and need to re-energize yourself to make it through the day. We went to Choco-Latte two days in a row because it was just that good.

Additionally, I recommend you peruse a few of the shops, even if it is just for window shopping. The shops carry Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park merchandise, so there are definitely a few unique items worth examining. You can buy a gift for friends or family, even if no birthday or holiday is approaching.

Furthermore, keep in mind that the land bridge to Bar Island begins within the town of Bar Harbor. You are already in the area, why not take advantage of your time there?

6) Acadia National Park Entrance Information 

Acadia National Park is often an underrated national park due to the fact it is not in the most convenient location. Yes, you have to drive or fly all the way over to Maine to visit the park. Nevertheless, you get to experience stunning coastal views, daring hiking trails, and an inlet along the coast that produces sounds of thunder. Making the trip to Acadia is well worth it in my opinion.

Oh, and did I mention that Acadia is the only national park in the northeastern United States? Those of you living in states such as Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, etc. have no excuse to not plan a weekend or even just a one-day trip to Acadia.

The park is split into three sections: (1) Mt. Desert Island (2) Schoodic Peninsula (3) Isle Au Haut. However, the majority of the park’s attractions are found on Mt. Desert Island. It is the largest section of the park and is also in the most convenient location.

The town of Bar Harbor, which includes the land bridge to Bar Island, is located on Mt. Desert Island.

Opening Hours of the Park

Acadia National Park is open 24/7 to visitors. However, we did not research the opening hours before our visit. We were thus starting to sweat as we approached the park entrance by Blackwoods Campground at 10pm at night. We let out a big sigh of relief when we noticed that we could still enter the park even though the entrance station was closed (aka nobody was there).

Entrance Fee for the Park

There is an entrance fee of $35 per private vehicle for Acadia National Park. Check the Acadia nps.gov page for more information on daily as well as annual pass types. Additionally, you will need a separate vehicle reservation to drive up Cadillac Summit Road during the months of May through October.

Please note that you do not pass through an entrance station to access the Bar Harbor or the land bridge to Bar Island. However, these locations are still within the boundaries of Acadia.

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