Located along the Park Loop Road, just to the southeast of the Jordan Pond area, the stables — operated by a private concessionaire on Acadia National Park land — take advantage of the scenic carriage roads whose construction was supervised and financed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. between 1913 and 1940.
Horseback riding is not a service provided by Wildwood Stables, but a horse camp with stall rentals is available for park visitors who prefer to bring their own horses with them. The stables specialize in a variety of one- and two-hour horse-drawn carriage tours, daily from mid-June through early October, using buckboards similar to those that carried Rusticators around the area in the 1800s.
The routes feature a regular climb to the summit of Day Mountain (including a sunset tour), a look at the area’s cobblestone bridges, and a ride to the Jordan Pond House for tea and popovers. Private carriage tours, driven by a coachman, also are available for couples or small groups. Reservations are strongly advised for all carriage rides, and usually are taken up to one week in advance.
Fun Facts: A favorite breed of draft horse at Wildwood Stables has been the Belgians, each one of which weighs almost a ton. A Wildwood Stables horse’s shoes last only about three weeks, due to the amount of walking they do.
