ewesel88

Does anyone have experience with road bikes on the carriage roads in Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island? They are described as hard packed gravel which depending on the size may be OK for 25 mm tires.

gsteinb

I just got back and spent ten days riding a road tandem on the carriage roads. Just be careful on the descents and through the turns.

cmschmie

If the carriage roads don't agree with the 25 mm tires, the Park Loop road looks like a great ride. Saw lots of cyclist using it while I was there in July. With schools starting up, should be fewer vacationers therefore less traffic.

Every bike shop on the island rent hybrid-ish bikes if you want to stick to the carriage roads

jayp410

I've only ridden them on cyclocross (32 mm) tires, but on those tires the roads were nice. There is a mix of hardpack and loose gravel in places. I'm not sure if 25 mm tires would work well or not.

In any case the carriage roads are beautiful, and not crowded like the rest of the island, even during peak summer season.

jackster57

I was just there a week ago and the carrige roads were fine in most sections. I certainly wouldn't bring a race bike but 25mm tires will be fine. If not, park loop has great pavement and is a good ride.

zoepup

+1. I rode a mountain bike on the carriage trails and the road bike ont he Park Loop. On another note, try to get reservations to a restaurant called "The Burning Tree". Not far outside Bar Harbour. Usually it is hard to get reservations, but you wont be disappointed

BarryJo

this is bad news about the carriage roads. I was planning on bringing my TCR with 23cm tires to ride the carriage roads with my wife as well as having a bike to do a couple of the island loops by myself.
I'm really not crazy about the thought of packing 3 bikes.

gsteinb

You won't have a problem riding on the carriage roads. As I said, I rode a tandem there (did so for the past six years) and I saw plenty of folks on road bikes. They rode significantly sketchier stuff in the Giro.

BarryJo

I don't mind riding gravel on my road bike, in fact it's kind of fun.
Riding gravel with a host of tourist on bikes and on foot is what scares me. But hopefully it will have thinned out by the time we go up in mid September.

gsteinb

I was there in the height of tourist season. Once you get away from the major entry points you're fine. With 56 miles of carriage roads off the beaten path isn't too hard to get to.

neuronal

Sorry if I'm being dense, but just to clarify-
Are the main roads/main loop all paved?
Are the carriage roads the ones that shoot off the main loop? Are these generally hard packed dirt or is there a lot of loose stuff?
Is the road up to the summit of cadillac mountain paved?

Thanks for any info!

gsteinb

Acadia Road Map

Carriage Road Map

Yes, the road up cadillac is paved.
The carriage roads are packed gravel.

DocM

I just spent a week there, and I rode both the carriage roads and the Park Loop road. First, you're in for a treat-- I loved cycling on MDI. Beautiful. Make sure you ride to the top of Cadillac Mountain. I had no trouble riding on the carriage roads with my 25c tires. The carriage roads are in better shape than the dirt portions of Battenkill, and I raced those roads on 24s, so it didn't feel at all sketchy to me.

Here are my Garmin links:

Park Loop: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/42866008

Carriage Roads: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/43144972

Quiet Side Loop: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/43267159

Enjoy!

go4gr8

As an alternative, just ride the island's roads. It will take you a good portion of the day but at least you'll get great scenery, especially the Seawall area. You will have done about 60 miles by the end of it.

shelbyfv

We rode the carriage roads on 23s a couple of years ago. It was a little tense off and on but well worth the effort.

BarryJo

Are you serious? Comparing Battenkill to MDI Carriage Roads is like comparing Paris Roubaix to the charity century I'll be doing in a couple weeks
But thanks for posting the loops - the Quiet Side Loop looks perfect for an afternoon ride while the wife naps.
For those interested there are a few other rides posted on www.mapmyride.com, search Bar Harbor.

Onan

You MUST go to Jordan's in Bar Harbor for blueberry pancakes!
Best I've ever had
Onan

undisputed83

I'm from Maine, and have been to acadia a couple times, and I wouldn't attempt the carriage roads with those tires. I'm sure it can be done, but it will be far from an enjoyable ride. You would be much better off to bring a different bike if you have one. A mountain bike will suit you much better and you won't at all be limited.

ConradNaff

Can you do it? Yeah, probably, although it won't feel very good, and you won't want to go very fast.

neuronal

Thanks for the tips. Especially the Garmin ride date (nice to know what I'm in for).

RomeRider

You can ride them with 25 cc tires, but I'm not sure you'll like it. I pulled the kids 10 miles around a lake on one of the carriage trails and we had fun, but it's not completely comfortable. As other people said, there are plenty of other places to ride around the island too. The park loop road is really beautiful. I would visit Seawall if you can. During low tide you can carefully hop rocks out to the waters edge and see some of the most beautiful colors and vibrant life in the water. It's a hike out to the end, but it's worth it. You can see sea stars and sea cucumbers, big crabs and more. There is a campground just about across the street. You can't make reservations so you need to get there early to get a site. (at least it used to be that way).

Writing about this is making me want to visit Maine again. It's such a long way from Georgia though.