auto-free

Acadia National Park is known for its historic carriage roads. They were commissioned by John D. Rockefeller Jr., who preferred to travel on motor-free byways by horse and carriage. Built between 1913 and 1940, the roads feature stone-faced bridges, impressive waterfalls and scenic cliff side views. And then there are the granite stones that were used as guardrails, which are known a “Rockefeller’s teeth”. Today 45 miles of these auto-free roads still traverse the park; and although you can certainly walk or roll along them,there are also two wheelchair-accessible Acadia National Park excursions that everyone can enjoy.

Ride A Trike

First up in the wheelchair-accessible Acadia National Park excursions are the wheelchair-accessible trike rides presented by MDI Wheelers (mdiwheelers.org). These rides are conducted on electric assist trikes piloted by volunteers. The pilots peddle and maneuver the trikes from the back, and the passengers sit in the front in a passenger seat that looks somewhat like a wheelchair.

The rider transfers from their wheelchair to the passenger seat, and is then secured with a safety harness. The rider also wears a helmet. The trikes have a weight limit of 225 pounds, and if a rider cannot transfer independently they must provide their own assistance.

The rides begin at Eagle Lake, and family members and friends are invited to ride along on their own bikes. And just to make sure everything goes off as planned, two volunteer safeties ride along next to the MDI Wheelers trike on standard bicycles. The trike rides are only offered during the summer months, weather permitting, and they are free.

For more information about the rides, visit the MDI Wheelers website. And to schedule a ride, use their contact form on the website or give MDI Wheelers a call at (207) 288-3511.

A Wheelchair-Accessible Acadia National Park Carriage Ride

If you’d prefer a more traditional tour on the carriage roads in Acadia National Park, then schedule an outing with Acadia by Carriage (acadiabycarriage.com). This company offers wheelchair-accessible carriage rides along this historic park roads; and thanks to a generous donor, wheelchair-users and their companions get a discounted rate.

The accessible horse-drawn carriage features ramp access in back, and plenty of room for a wheelchair. There’s also room for an additional two to three passengers on board on the bench seats. And since safety is a top priority, there’s a tie-down to secure the wheelchair. The folks at Acadia by Carriage are huge proponents of inclusion, and they can accommodate both manual wheelchairs and power wheelchairs.

The carriage rides depart from Wildwood Stables, which is located just off Park Loop Road. The Island Explorer Bus, which is wheelchair-accessible, also stops at Wildwood. The wheelchair-accessible carriage rides last between one and two hours. For more information or to book a ride, call Acadia by Carriage at (207) 600-7204 , or drop them an e-mail at info@acadiabycarriage.com.

So make it a point to explore the carriage roads on your next visit to Acadia National Park. They’re more accessible than you think.