Southwest Harbor

Flying MountainWonderlandShip HarborMountains and ponds

Southwest Harbor sits on the west side of Mount Desert Island, the part the park calls quieter and more secluded (NPS). The town's 2017 harbor plan describes a waterfront built on commercial fishing, mostly lobster, and boat building, sharing the water with boat repair, ferries, and recreational boating (Town of Southwest Harbor, Harbor Management Plan, 2017). From town, it's a short drive to coastal trails, small mountains above Somes Sound, and freshwater ponds.

Highlights

  • Flying Mountain Loop. A 1.5-mile moderate loop from Fernald Point Road with views of Somes Sound. It drops down to Valley Cove, a quiet cove with a rocky beach (NPS).
  • Wonderland Trail. A 1.4-mile round trip on an old fire road out to rocky shore. It's good for tidepooling at low tide. Never turn your back on the water. The lot is small and there's no toilet (NPS).
  • Ship Harbor Trail. A 1.3-mile figure-eight along a narrow cove, good for families and birders. Loons, eiders, herons, guillemots, ospreys, and eagles have been seen here (NPS).
  • Mountains and ponds nearby. Acadia, St. Sauveur, Beech, and Western Mountains are all on the west side, along with Long Pond and Echo Lake. Echo Lake Beach allows swimming (NPS).

When to go

  • May and early June: migrating warblers often land first at Wonderland, one of the southernmost points on the island (NPS).
  • Fall: at low tide, Ship Harbor turns to mudflat and draws shorebirds. In winter, you may see harlequin ducks offshore (same source).
  • Year-round: Wonderland is open all year (NPS). Park-owned Reservoir Road and Mill Field Road near Southwest Harbor are closed Nov 15 through May 14 (NPS). Route 102A (Seawall Road) can close during storms (NPS). Check current road conditions on New England 511, the traveler information service from MaineDOT, before driving Seawall Road (Route 102A).
  • Busy season: the Acadia Mountain parking area on Route 102 is one of the park's lots that routinely fill (NPS).

Getting there

  • By car: Southwest Harbor and the rest of the west side are 20 to 45 minutes from Hulls Cove Visitor Center, depending on traffic and season (NPS). Take ME Route 102 through Somesville. For Wonderland and Ship Harbor, continue south and turn onto Route 102A (NPS).
  • By bus: In 2026, Island Explorer Route 7 ran between Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor, with a stop on Southwest Harbor's Main Street. Summer service ran June 23 to Aug 16, and fall service ran Aug 17 to Oct 12 (Island Explorer Route 7). Check exploreacadia.com for the next season's dates. No public transit reaches the Flying Mountain, Wonderland, or Ship Harbor trailheads (NPS trail pages above).
  • Passes: You need a park pass. The Southwest Harbor & Tremont Chamber of Commerce at 329 Main Street sells them seasonally and takes cash (NPS).
  • Cell service on the west side is unreliable, so download maps before you go (NPS).