Bass Harbor
The famous Bass Harbor Head Light sits on the southernmost point of the island, marking the entrance to this ruggedly beautiful harbor.
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The Towns & Villages of Mount Desert Island
Another translation is “The Isle of the Lonely Mountains” because the mountain tops appear alone to approaching seafarers before any other land.
We invite you to explore all of the towns and villages of our beautiful island. We promise you’ll find something new and spectacular with every visit; from the bustling streets of Bar Harbor to the quiet corners of Southwest Harbor and Tremont, you’ll soon discover why Mount Desert Island is one of the country’s top destinations.
Mount Desert
Today, the Town of Mount Desert consists in area of the middle third of the island and is the governing body for the distinct villages of Otter Creek, Seal Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Somesville, Hall Quarry, and Pretty Marsh.
Sutton Island
Legend says that a local native chief sold Sutton, one of the five Cranberry Islands, to Ebenezer Sutton in 1755 for two quarts of rum.
Bar Harbor
Located in Hancock County on Mount Desert Island along Maine’s Down East coast, Bar Harbor has been widely known as a tourist destination since the mid-1870s.
Pretty Marsh
This quiet residential area includes a scenic picnic area, picturesque coves, and small islands.
Seal Harbor
Since the early 1900s, this area along the southern shore of the eastern half of Mount Desert Island, part of the Town of Mount Desert, has become home to the island’s most exclusive summer community.
Hulls Cove
A few miles before you reach Bar Harbor, you come upon a small cove of Frenchman Bay named for Captain Samuel Hull, a sea captain from Connecticut who settled here in the 1780s.
Salsbury Cove
A picturesque little village located on the northern shore of Mount Desert Island, Salsbury Cove includes its own tiny post office, a historic church, several vacation cottages and a marine biomedical research facility that offers public educational programs in the summer.
The Cranberry Islands
Five islands — Bear, Sutton, Great and Little Cranberry, and Baker — make up the Cranberry group just south of Mount Desert Island, at the entrance to Somes Sound.
Somesville
The first village to be settled by Europeans on Mount Desert Island, Somesville was formerly called Betwixt the Hills and is now a National Historic District.
Northeast Harbor
Located on the south central part of Mount Desert Island at the entrance to Somes Sound, Northeast Harbor is the most protected harbor on the island.
Southwest Harbor
The youngest of Mount Desert Island’s four towns, Southwest Harbor split off from Tremont in February 1905. It gets its name from its location at the southwest entrance of Somes Sound.
Otter Creek
Located between Seal Harbor and Bar Harbor, just off of the Park Loop Road, the village of Otter Creek includes a restaurant, market and camping store/showers.
Hall Quarry
Hall Quarry overlooks Somes Sound and is located near the popular swimming destination Echo Lake. Numerous Acadia National Park hiking trails, such as Acadia Mountain, St. Sauveur Mountain and Flying Mountain can also be found nearby.