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#4 Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond is one of the park’s most popular inland photo opp locations. Instead of the rugged ocean coastline, the pond, rocks and mountains are your subjects here. The water is calm and crystal clear so you can easily incorporate submerged elements in your  photos. If you are looking to see the water in its most calm state, show up early in the morning. Use the parking lot just on the North side of the restaurant as your starting point.  Then keep your head on a swivel as the photo opportunities present themselves. 

#5 Boulder Beach

The boulders here are interesting subjects due to their texture and size. Walking around on Boulder Beach is almost like being miniaturized and placed in a fish tank without water.  That’s the imagery I conjure up, anyway. 

#6 Somesville Bridge

Somesville Bridge is a very popular destination for photographers. This   iconic structure just screams “Take my picture!” Unfortunately, that also means you will rarely be alone here. It’s a great place to experiment with curved arched lines as the reflection of the bridge over the water is always stunning. Also close by is the 1780 Selectmen’s Building. Be sure to check it out after exploring the bridge. Although the area was settled just before The Revolutionary War, the bridge itself was built in 1981 in honor of the Somes family.

#7 Bass Harbor Head Light

From a photo opp standpoint it’s hard to go wrong with a lighthouse. Everyone loves lighthouses. Bass Harbor Head Light is another iconic park location. The peaceful juxtaposition between the rocks and lighthouse almost makes you forget the reason why lighthouses are built in the first place.

#8 Thunder Hole

The only caveat to this recommendation is that you should arrive during high tide to capture the “thunder” of thunder hole.  If you come to Thunder Hole while the water is calm, it’s just  stairwell and metal railings obstructing  your view of the coast. Not much of a photo opp, in my opinion. Of course, be prepared to share the location with dozens of other photographers during high tide. It is one of Acadia’s prime tourist attractions. Also, be aware of your surrounding and don’t risk your safety to capture an epic photo. Seeing crowds of people around provides a false sense of security. Make no mistake,  Thunder Hole can be a dangerous place. Rogue waves do sweep people out to sea. When that happens, it doesn’t matter how many people were standing near you.

#9 Bear Island Lighthouse

Although not quite as famous as Bass Harbor Head Light, Bear Island Lighthouse watches over Northeast Harbor. The best photo vantage point is from the water so you may need to book a boat tour around the Cranberry Islands to capture the perfect shot.

#10 Otter Cliff

Otter Cliff is another great location if you’re looking for a rugged coastline vantage. The cliff itself is elevated more than 100 feet which allows you to photograph the coastline on a downward angle.  This adds another interesting element to the picture and helps convey the magnitude and majesty of the landscape.

#11 Bubble Rock

I debated whether or not to include Bubble Rock in this post because it’s a bit of a one-trick pony. However, it is a cool geographic phenomenon and it only requires a mild hike to reach by foot. 

There are two AND ONLY TWO allowable photos here:

1. Your companion pretends to hold the rock up.

2. Your companion pretends to push the rock over.

Any attempt to interject creativity by photographing Bubble Rock in a different way will be quashed with brute force by National Park Service agents.

#12 Schoodic Point

This scenic location is not on Mount Desert Island. Schoodic Point provides photo opps of many spectacular vistas of Acadia. However, the primary reason I’m including it on the list is that it gets substantially less traffic than other places on Mount Desert Island. When most people head to  Acadia they instinctively focus on the Bar Harbor area. Take advantage of that to capture the beautiful solitude of the  Schoodic section of the park. 

#13 The Carriage Roads

You can thank the Rockefeller family for helping put in a system of incredibly photogenic stone carriage roads throughout the park  100 years ago.  If I was in charge of the project, I would have  built a bunch of moderately functional crappy dirt paths that would have been  overtaken by brush by the time FDR took  office. Then again, there’s a lot of things I would do with Rockefeller-level wealth.

Anyway, the stone overpasses are spectacular (I’ve used that word alot in this post). If you’re looking for something different than a landscape or coastline, the carriage roads fit the bill. Although they are not natural formations, the people who did the work were true artists. The stonework blends in masterfully which was Rockefeller’s intention.

#14 The Beehive

The Beehive provide another great photo vantage point. However, it is a difficult white knuckle hike. If you are fearful of heights, skip this one. The reason I’m including it is for the hiker’s credibility you earn by conquering this trail. The accompanying photographs are your trophies.

#15 Campus Harbor Trail 

Maine’s lack of light pollution is one of the  reasons why it’s such a popular destination for photographers. Campus Harbor Trail provides a great setting to capture nature under beautiful night skies. If you are looking for stunning pictures of crashing waves under starlight, this is your place. You will want to scout out the trail during the day to know where you’re going. 

#16 Ruins of George Dorr’s Mansion

I wrote an earlier blog post about secret spots within Acadia National Park that includes information about this mansion. Not all of the secret Acadia locations are photo-worthy but this one is. The reason I’m listing it here is that it’s different, kind of eerie, and I really like ruins and abandoned places as subjects. Walking around the footprint of Mr. Dorr’s former estate, you get the feeling that he wouldn’t really mind (at least I do). As someone who devoted a large portion of his life curating the park, it’s only fitting that his residence is now absorbed into the landscape.