Land of Liberty Explorers

The National Park Service started allowing guests to operate Class I electric bicycles on Acadia National Park’s Carriage Roads in September of 2019. Class I eBikes provide expanded options for visitors who wish to ride a bicycle but may be limited because of physical fitness or otherwise. Thanks to eBikes even more park guests can explore the park on two wheels!

What is a Class I eBike?

Class I eBikes use an electric motor and battery to provide assistance when the rider is pedaling up to 20 miles per hour. The electric motor stops providing pedal assistance once 20 MPH is reached. They do not have a throttle, meaning the motor only assists the rider when the rider is pedaling. In comparison, a Class II eBike has a throttle. A Class III eBike has no throttle, but provides pedal assist up to 28 miles per hour. Only Class I eBikes are allowed on the carriage roads. Carriage roads speed limits are 20 MPH, but during our causal ride we averaged between 8 and 12 mph.

Renting Class I eBikes in Acadia

There are several companies around Mount Desert Island that rent Class I eBikes for use in Acadia. We rented our eBikes from Island Time eBike Rentals in Southwest Harbor. One of the advantages of Island Time is that they deliver the eBikes to Acadia, so we could avoid riding in traffic into the park and immediately hit the carriage roads. We met them at the Hulls Cove Visitors Center at 9:00 am. In addition to the eBike, Island Time includes a carriage road map, a cell phone holder, an insulated bike bag attached to the back of the bike, and a lock with each rental. After a short training session on how to use the eBike, we were off.

Around the Mountain Loop

We wanted a route that would maximize our time in the park and allow us to see as many of the park’s features as possible, so we chose the Around the Mountain Loop. From the Hulls Cover Visitors Center, we first pedaled toward Witch Hole Pond. The steepest hill on our journey was about a quarter mile from the visitors center parking lot. It was a good test of how to use the eBike. We were surprised by how quick and easy the pedal assist got us to the top of the hill. Passing Witch Hole Pond, we continued toward Eagle Lake. The Eagle Lake Bridge was the first of J.D. Rockefeller, Jr.’s bridges we encountered on our ride. For more information on carriage road bridges, be sure to check out our post on the carriage roads.

The Around the Mountain Loop begins at Post 10 on the southwest corner of Eagle Lake. From there, the route goes west toward Chasm Bridge. After crossing Chasm Bridge, the carriage road gets steeper as it climbs the side of Sargent Mountain. We were excited to see a porcupine and thankful for the pedal assist as we continued up hill. Be sure to slow down and take in the views of Somes Sound below and Blue Hill Bay in the distance in this section of the loop.

Next, the carriage road descends into one of our favorite parts of Acadia. We always enjoy adding Hemlock Bridge or Waterfall Bridge to our hikes in this part of the park, so pedaling across them was a real treat. These bridges make a nice spot to stop and rest. Both have easy footpaths to walk below and check out the detailed stone masonry work.

The Brown Mountain Gate House is a useful detour for a restroom break before heading back uphill toward Cliffside Bridge. Cliffside Bridge is a favorite, with its castle-like appearance. Next up on the Loop is the Amphitheater Bridge with the largest arch of any of Rockefeller’s bridges.

Riders will cross one more bridge, the West Branch Bridge, before making their way to down Jordan Pond.

Thanks to the pedal assist, the uphill portion of the carriage road that runs to the west of Jordan Pond was one of the most pleasant segments of our ride. The carriage road provides a different view looking down on the pond and the Bubbles as we rode toward Deer Brook and its double arched bridge.

Before we knew it, we were back at post 10 after completing the Around the Mountain Loop. We still had some time before our eBikes were due back at Hulls Cove, so we rode down the windy path toward Aunt Betty Pond. A series of cute wooden bridges zig zag back and forth across Chasm Brook on this fun carriage road. After a quick stop at Aunt Betty Pond, we biked back to Eagle Lake and returned to the Hulls Cove Visitors Center.

eBikes versus Standard Bikes

When we were planning this Acadia trip, we were excited to bike the carriage roads again. When we first considered eBikes, we weren’t sure the extra cost was worth it because we had such a nice ride around Eagle Lake the last time we rented standard bikes (that ride is detailed in our Carriage Road blog post). The cost of eBike rentals is definitely a consideration, as the price to rent an eBike is over twice the price of a standard bike rental.

There are some other drawbacks of renting eBikes as well. Rentals are generally only for one day so the bike company can recharge the batteries. Also, due the weight of the eBikes, rental companies don’t allow them to be transported on a bike rack attached to a car or in the back of a truck bed. Island Time eBikes alleviates that problem by delivering the eBikes to the visitors center.

After riding the eBikes, we determined they are well worth the cost. That isn’t to say we would never rent a standard bike for Acadia again, but we saw so much more of the park than we could have on a standard bike. During our six hour rental, we rode 25 miles while barely breaking a sweat. We also had plenty of energy and were less sore afterward, which meant more enjoyable hiking experiences on other days.

Tips from Beginners for Riding eBikes

Don’t worry about battery life – Island Time told us that only one customer ever used up all the battery life during his rental, and he rode on the highest setting – “Turbo” – the whole day. We still had two bars of battery after our 6 hour ride.
Generally the lowest two pedal assist settings provided enough of a boost during our ride. We used the higher two settings briefly while climbing for a few minutes on several portions of the loop.
Use the step through on the eBike rather than throwing your leg over the back wheel like a traditional bike. It may take some getting used to. The bikes weigh more and can more easily tip while getting on and off.
As with any bike on the carriage roads, yield to horses and hikers.
Only ride where allowed. Many private carriage roads are closed to bikes, but open to hikers. If park guests ignore the landowners’ wishes, the the landowners may close private carriage roads to everyone.
Slow down and/or stop and really enjoy the views.
Wear a helmet and stay safe!