Canoeing in Acadia

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.

Watercraft Regulations & Launch Locations

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.
Aunt Betty Pond
  • 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.
Information on regulations & launch locations provided courtesy of Acadia National Park’s official website
Canoeing in Acadia National Park