These Acadia National Park Trails Are Temporarily Closed — What to Know If You're Visiting Soon
04.03.2024 - 18:03
/ travelandleisure.com
/ National Park
Maine’s Acadia National Park has temporarily closed several trails so peregrine falcons can nest in peace in the area.
The closures, which went into effect on March 1, temporarily block off the Jordan Cliffs Trail, the Precipice Trail, and the Valley Cove Trail to “protect the peregrine falcons from inadvertent human disturbance or harassment during the nesting period,” according to the National Park Service. The annual closures will be in effect until officials determine if the nesting attempts were successful.
“Research has shown that nesting peregrine falcons are particularly vulnerable to human activities, which can disturb the adults and make them less attentive to the eggs or chicks,” the NPS wrote in a statement. “Human activities near a nesting area can lead to temporary or permanent abandonment of the nest by the adults leaving chicks susceptible to hypothermia, starvation, and predation.”
The NPS added: “Signs at trail heads and trail junctions around the closed areas indicate where public entry is prohibited.”
Peregrine falcons tend to nest from mid-April through May, according to the NPS, with one falcon incubating the eggs “while the other hunts or perches nearby.” By early June, it’s possible to see baby falcons peeking out, appearing like “tiny white snowballs.”
Last year, Acadia National Park said three breeding pairs of peregrine falcons set up their nests on the park’s cliffs near the Valley Cove Trail, the Jordan Cliffs Trail, and the Precipice Trail. In total, four chicks survived to fledge.
April to May is considered the shoulder season for Acadia National Park, but there is no “bad” time to visit to see the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, watch the waves crash against the rocky shoreline, and hang out at Sand Beach.
Acadia isn’t the only park to close trails to accommodate animals. Last year, Great Smoky Mountains National Park closed a park road due to bear activity and Yellowstone National Park asked visitors to avoid certain areas so biologists could begin a grizzly bear research survey.