The Towns & Villages of Mount Desert Island

Mount Desert Island is the largest island off the coast of Maine. With an area of 108 square miles, it is the 6th-largest island in the contiguous United States, and it is the second-largest island on the Eastern seaboard, behind Long Island and ahead of Martha’s Vineyard. According to the 2010 census, the island has a year-round population of 10,615, and it is estimated that two and a half million tourists a year visit Acadia National Park.
French explorer Samuel de Champlain’s observation that the summits of the island’s mountains were free of vegetation as seen from the sea led him to call the island L’île des Monts Déserts (Island of Bare Mountains).
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.
Seal Cove in Tremont, Maine

Seal Cove

One of many gems tucked away on the “Quietside” of Mount Desert Island, the village of Seal Cove is located near the more well known Bass Harbor.

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Tremont on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Tremont

Mount Desert Island is divided politically into four towns, of which Tremont, in the island’s southwest corner, is the smallest both in size and population.

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Cranberry Islands on Mount Desert Island, Maine

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.

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Explore Bar Harbor, Maine

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.

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Manset in Southwest Harbor, Maine

Manset

A small community within the larger town of Southwest Harbor, Manset includes a public dock & pier, quaint inns, and the Hinckley Yacht Yard.

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Salsbury Cove in Bar Harbor, Maine

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.

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Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island

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.

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Hall Quarry on Mount Desert Island, Maine

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.

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Town Hill, A Village of Bar Harbor, Maine

Town Hill

Located near the head of the island, Town Hill is a small village that is can be found at the intersection of Route 102 and the Crooked Road.

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Pretty Marsh on Mount Desert Island, Maine

Pretty Marsh

This quiet residential area includes a scenic picnic area, picturesque coves, and small islands.

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