The Park Loop Road and Hulls Cove Visitor Center in Acadia National Park are scheduled to open on April 15. Road crews are out this week clearing the remaining ice and snow, so be cautious if riding bicycles on the road.
The visitor center will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. In addition to informational services, the visitor center features an audiovisual orientation program every half-hour. Educational material, including books and maps, may be purchased at the Eastern National sales area. For those who cannot walk the 52 steps to the visitor center, there is an accessible entrance. When entering from Route 3, this entrance is reached by going straight at the four way stop instead of turning right into the visitor center parking lot.
At this time, all hiking trails are open with the exception of two where peregrine falcons are nesting. They are the Precipice trail, including the East Face, and the Valley Cove Trail, north of the Flying Mountain Trail. Caution is advised on the open trails, as there may still be ice and snow on some. The entire carriage road system is closed because of soft conditions.
For more information on specific road openings and conditions of trails and carriage roads, call 288-3338 and press “0", Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or go to the park website at www.nps.gov/acad.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
