A silver morning mist rises from the lake. A canoe slips silently by. A loon cries out, and farther down the lake, hidden in the mist, its mate replies. There is plenty of quiet water paddling to be had on the many lovely lakes and ponds of the interior of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. From the seat of your canoe, enjoy wildlife sightings and views of spruce and pine-studded, pink granite mountains.
Official boat launches are located at the north end of Eagle Lake, the south end of Jordan Pond, the north and south shores of Long Pond, at Ike’s Landing on Echo Lake, and at Seal Cove Pond, but you can slide a canoe into numerous other ponds too.
State regulations require that all motorized watercraft used in the state are registered. Additional U.S. Coast Guard and state requirements include:
If the boat is less than 16 feet long, or is a canoe or kayak of any length, each person on board must have a wearable Type I, II, or III PFD.
If the boat is 16 feet or longer, each person on board must have one wearable PFD (Type I, II, III), plus at least one throwable device (Type IV) on board.
Children 10 years of age and under must wear a Type I, II, or III PFD while on board all watercraft.
Internal combustion engines prohibited. No launch facilities.
Bear Brook Pond (Beaver Dam Pond)
No motors. No launch facilities.
The Bowl
No motors. No launch facilities.
Breakneck Pond, Lower
No motors. No launch facilities.
Breakneck Pond, Upper
No motors. No launch facilities.
Bubble Pond
Internal combustion engines prohibited. Bar Harbor water supply. No pets in water; no swimming, windsurfing, paddleboarding, oarboarding, or SCUBA; and no snowmobiling or boating within 1000 feet of water intake. Vehicles designed for use on public highways are prohibited on the ice.
Duck Pond
No motors. No launch facilities.
Eagle Lake
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. Bar Harbor water supply. No pets in water; no swimming, windsurfing, paddleboarding, oarboarding, or SCUBA; and no snowmobiling or boating within 1000 feet of water intake. Vehicles designed for use on public highways are prohibited on the ice.
Echo Lake
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. Launch facility at Ikes Point.
Fawn Pond
No motors. No launch facilities.
Hadlock Pond, Lower
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. Northeast Harbor water supply. The pond is closed to pets in water, swimming, windsurfing, paddleboarding, oarboarding, and SCUBA.
Hadlock Pond, Upper
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. Northeast Harbor water supply. The pond is closed to pets in water, swimming, windsurfing, paddleboarding, oarboarding, and SCUBA.
Half Moon Pond
No motors. No launch facilities.
Hodgdon Pond
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. No launch facilities.
Jordan Pond
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. Seal Harbor water supply. The pond is closed to pets in water, swimming, windsurfing, paddleboarding, oarboarding, and SCUBA.
Lake Wood
Internal combustion engines prohibited. No launch facilities.
Long Pond (Mount Desert Island)
No horsepower limit. Southwest Harbor water supply. No swimming and no SCUBA within 1000′ of intake. Personal watercraft prohibited.
Long Pond (Isle au Haut)
No restrictions.
Round Pond
Internal combustion engines prohibited. No launch facilities.
Seal Cove Pond
Maximum 10 HP engines for boats. Unimproved boat launch.
Seawall Pond
No motors. No launch facilities.
Sargent Mountain Pond
No motors. No launch facilities.
The Tarn
No motors. No launch facilities.
Witch Hole Pond
Internal combustion engines prohibited. No launch facilities.
