South of Bar Harbor, the Park Loop Road reaches the open Atlantic, and the scenery of Acadia changes from forest and lakes to pink granite cliffs, crashing surf and the smell of salt and spruce. This is the stretch that most people come for, and it is worth taking slowly, stopping often, and leaving the bike for short walks along the rocks.
Sand Beach is the first landmark, a small cove of pale sand between granite headlands, unusual on a coast where most beaches are rock and cobble; the sand is made largely of crushed shells. The water is very cold, usually around twelve to fifteen degrees even in August, so most people paddle and squeal rather than swim. A little further on, Thunder Hole is a narrow chasm in the rocks where waves rush in and trap air, producing a boom like a cannon shot, best heard on a rising tide with a good swell. Beyond, Otter Cliffs rise sheer from the sea, among the highest headlands on the Atlantic coast of the United States.
Inland, the loop climbs to Jordan Pond, a clear glacial lake framed by two rounded mountains called the Bubbles, where a famous teahouse has served popovers with jam on the lawn for more than a century. The road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, at 466 metres the highest point on the island, branches off the loop, and from autumn to early spring it is one of the first places in the United States to see the sunrise. In summer, a vehicle reservation is required to drive to the top, so check before you go.
The riding is slow and scenic rather than sporty. Speed limits are low, the road is one-way for much of the coastal section, and it is busy with cars, buses, cyclists and pedestrians. Fog can roll in fast, and the road can be slippery when wet. The best times are early morning, when the light is soft and the traffic is light, and late afternoon, when the granite glows pink.
Stop at Otter Cliffs, sit on the warm granite and watch the waves break below: it is one of the great coastal views in America.