Mt Desert Land & Garden Preserve

The Mt Desert Land and Garden Preserve encompasses several distinct natural and cultivated areas on Mount Desert Island, offering families a peaceful and beautiful alternative to Acadia National Park's more heavily trafficked trails. The preserve includes the beloved Thuya Garden, a formally designed hillside garden featuring stunning perennial borders, a lily pond, and a sheltered setting that has been described as one of the most beautiful gardens in New England. Getting there involves a pleasant hike up Thuya Lodge Trail or a drive to the upper lot, and once inside the garden gates, visitors are rewarded with a serene, artfully designed space that changes throughout the growing season.

The surrounding woodland trails offer quieter exploration, with mature forest, views of Northeast Harbor, and connections to the broader Acadia network. For families, the preserve offers a gentle pace that suits all ages — toddlers can toddle along flat garden paths while older kids explore the woodland trail network with more independence. The combination of cultivated garden beauty and wild Maine nature in one property makes it a uniquely satisfying destination, and the complete absence of entry fees makes it an effortless addition to any Bar Harbor itinerary.