Acadia group helps people maintain connections to park — without visiting
Photo / Laurie Schreiber
Friends of Acadia is encouraging potential visitors to consider pursuing outdoor recreation close to home.
Nonprofit volunteer group Friends of Acadia has established a web page designed to help people maintain a connection with Acadia National Park during the pandemic.
Various links provide photos, videos, virtual hikes, children’s activities and visitor advisories about the country's seventh most visited national park.
“The items on this page and the linked content are intended to help people maintain a connection with Acadia National Park,” the page says.
Last year, Acadia hosted 3.4 million visitors, ranking it No. 7 among national parks. In 2018, 3,537,575 visits to Acadia generated $387.7 million in spending.
But with restrictions on visitation, Friends of Acadia encourages people to pursue outdoor recreation and exercise close to home and to follow physical distancing guidelines.
“First and foremost, staying within 30 minutes of home helps minimize the possibility that asymptomatic carriers of the COVID-19 virus might inadvertently spread it to other areas,” the page says. “Park staffs and local emergency medical personnel may not be able to respond as quickly as usual. Call-outs for an accident or injury risks diverting them, and scarce resources, from the coronavirus fight.”
Click here to access the links.
The page asks people to consider the following questions:
- Does my trip put vulnerable gateway communities at risk and/or will it strain limited local resources?
- Will I encounter surfaces that could transfer the virus to me or from me?
- Is there a likelihood I will encounter members of vulnerable populations such as those with compromised immune systems, over age 60, or pregnant?
- Does the route I’m contemplating include sections where it will be difficult to safely maintain physical distancing of at least six feet?
“If you answered “yes” to any of the above, please consider other options,” the page says.
As of March 25, Acadia was offering no services outside those that support resource protection. Suspended services and operations included closure of the Park Loop Road and all restrooms, carriage roads, campgrounds, visitor centers and visitor services; and a prohibition on overnight parking.
On April 17, Acadia announced additional modifications to operations:
Park campgrounds, normally set to open at varying times next month, have delayed opening to June 15. Campers with advance reservations will be contacted and refunds will be issued.
Hulls Cove Visitor Center, normally set to open May 1, delayed opening to June 1. Sieur de Monts Visitor Center, normally set to open on the first Saturday in May, delayed opening to June 15.
“Should the pandemic emergency continue, the park will re‐evaluate these dates and potentially delay them further,” according to a news release.
In addition, the operation of Acadia National Park concession services and operations may be delayed.
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