Customer Reviews

Discover Acadia National Park: A Guide to the Best Hiking, Biking, and Paddling

5 star:		(6)
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3 star:		(2)
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Anyone who is going to Acadia National Park should have a copy of this well-written book. It gives great details of countless trips, whether hiking, biking, kayaking or canoeing- you won't get lost, you'll know exactly what to look for, and you'll enjoy the Monkmans' beautiful descriptions while you're at it. The trips are labeled as to their difficulty, how long they might take, etc. Don't go without it!

I've used this book on a couple of trips to Acadia. It's best feature is the detailed pull-out map in the back which shows all the major hiking trails. This is a great book to study BEFORE your trip. It has very detailed descriptions of hiking and biking trails and paddling and sea kayaking trips. It's great to pick out the activities you want to do, but this detailed nature makes it less useful on the trail though. It's too wordy and too bulky. (Take the map with you though!) It would be better if it had more pictures of the different areas. It's also missing mini-maps of each hiking or biking trail. Instead, you're left to pull out the map and try to follow along based on their descriptions. It would be great if this book were split into two, one for hiking and biking and one for paddling and sea kayaking, each in color with more pictures and terrain maps. Until then, there's still a lot of great info in this edition.

I agree with the previous reviews- this is the only book you'll need to have when going to Acadia National Park, and you'd be missing something great if you didn't have it. Even if you are only a beginner, you'll enjoy reading about the more advanced trips as well as the easy ones because the information is so well presented. The authors are also excellent nature photographers, so the readers are able to see the described trails and scenery as if they were looking through the lense of a camera- everthing is so beautifully presented. The book gives a lot of material that could be cut, dried, and boring, but it is anything but. Do yourself a favor, and buy this book before setting out - you'll enjoy your adventure so much more.

So thorough, helpful, and attractive is this volume that I should think the Monkmans have eliminated the need for any similar Acadia guidebooks for years to come. What elevates this particular effort above others in the genre is the top-notch photography which accompanies the text (which is hardly a surprise given the Monkmans' tireless EcoPhotography work in the northeast) and the handy hiking & biking map ensconced in the back. Admirable, too, is the text's obvious effort to be more than a mere assemblage of practical information and trail descriptions: the recreational advice is complemented by revealing sidebars and park history, reflecting the authors' commitment to the spirit of Acadia and the natural world. I can't imagine, in other words, that there's a better guide to tuck in the pannier or the backpack for your next trip to this great park!

I love this book and refer to it often when I feel the need to take an outdoor adventure in Acadia. While it aptly describes every trail in the park and comes with an impressive 4 color map , what sets this guide apart is its descriptive narrative of park features. It's sidebars and little factoids about the area's history, flora, and fauna give the reader a deeper understanding of the place he or she is hiking, biking, or paddling through. It makes for much more interesting reading than the typical "turn left at the trail junction." Visitors new to the area will also appreciate the book's listings of campgrounds, museums, gardens, whale and puffin watching tours, etc. Tons of great info packed into a reasonable size!

This book does offer lots of informative descriptions of many hiking trails, bike rides, and paddling trips in Acadia. It describes not only selected carriage roads, but also some often-overlooked fire roads and other dirt roads. And the map which comes with it is, like all AMC maps, outstanding; it is even printed on waterproof, tear-proof tyvek. However, I would like to point out quite a few flaws of this book:

1) The book is overly large to carry with you on a hike
2) Confusing verbal descriptions of trail locations can be difficult to locate on the included map. Ideally, each trip should contain a thumbnail map, or at least be coded to the central map.
3) Long verbal descriptions should be condensed into a cue sheet for each trip. Although the park is well marked, presumably the point of buying the book is to follow a route suggested by the author.
4) A little more subjectivity wouldn't hurt. The book has lots of information but could use some more opinion. Again, the point of buying a book is to get a viewpoint from an "expert."
5) The book is by no means "comprehensive". "Comprehensive" means "every trail in the park." This book is selective, not comprehensive.

This book gives you all you need to know about travelling to Acadia. It covers biking, hiking, kayaking, and just about any other "-ing" you might be interested in.

The maps help out anyone not familiar to the area, too.

I think it's a great, well-written book that will aid anyone planning to visit this part of Maine.

Discover Acadia National Park: A Guide To The Best Hiking, Biking, And Paddling by nature photographers and outdoor enthusiasts Jerry and Marcy Monkman is a comprehensive, informative guide to the scenery, wildlife, trails, trip-times as it showcases the resources and sights of the beautiful Acadia National Park of Maine. Difficulty gradings, maps, and straightforward information make Discover Acadia National Park the perfect guide to learn which hiking trails are best for the interests of every reader. A fold-out hiking and biking map is included in this book enthusiastically recommended for anyone planning an outdoors expedition to this splendor-filled preserve. If you are planning an outdoor adventure in the Acadia National Park, beginning planning your trip by browsing through the pages of Jim and Marcy Monkman's Discover Acadia National Park!