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Such a cute (active) lighthouse. There is a family living in it. It's located within Acadian National Park so you are required to have a pass to the park (which if you already went trough Acadian like we did that day then you're fine). You can easily park and get out to see it. You can also view it from the rocks/scenic view.
Light it Out Built in 1858, the Bass Harbor Lighthouse is one of three lighthouses managed by Acadia National Park. The Good: *Beautiful lighthouse that's known for it's spectacular sunsets. *Free to visit *Docents on-site to answer questions *Listed in the Register of Historic Places *Restroom The Meh: *Really not much to see as it's just a short walk to the door of the lighthouse or a short jaunt across some rocky cliffs to get to the more famous angle of the Lighthouse. The Ugly: *Extremely small parking lot that holds maybe 30 cars. Which should seem like plenty but this is an **extremely** busy lighthouse. So you'll need a bit of luck getting a spot. But, fortunately, as stated above, there's really not much to see here so people are constantly leaving. Conclusion: Swell lighthouse that's definitely worth a visit.
Bass Harbor Lighthouse is a nice stop if you have the time. Venturing away from Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park, this lighthouse is about a 30 minute drive away. While you can't go into the lighthouse, the views from here are beautiful. You can take a short little hike down to see the water and get a view of the lighthouse from below. It's not paved and you'll be walking across rocks, but it's definitely worth it. It was not busy while we were visiting, so we had no problem finding parking. But the lot is small, so I'd imagine it can be difficult to find spots during busier seasons. Also a popular destination for sunset. So plan ahead. Bass Harbor Lighthouse is good for a 20-30 minute visit, so if you have the time for at least a 1 hour round-trip drive for it, it's worth the stop.
It was a worthwhile detour to see during off-season (January)... and due to a recent storm, it was off-off-season. Many roads to Acadia were blocked off, and even some of the paths around the lighthouse were inaccessible. We ran into David, a park ranger or warden or path checker and fixer-upper sort of guy, who was extremely friendly and we talked about all topics related to storms and parks. It's clear he loves what he does and we feel lucky to have cross paths with him. The lighthouse itself is not as 'impressive' as say, Portland Head Light, but is charming and quaint in it's own way. It seems to be right on someone's private property, so I don't envy those homeowners at all during the tourist season. There's a path directly to the lighthouse and a side path through a small wooded area for an alternate view and moderately treacherous rocky jaunt along the mighty angry sea. A worthy stop if you're going to Bar Harbor.
Excellent light, good parking, nice setting, and a wooden stairway that leads to a stone stair that gets noticeably less "curated" as it continues down to a heavily bouldered shore near the water line. a person could very easily get very hurt looking for that perfect picture... so maybe it's better to just stay topside and take the relatively easy stroll down the ramp for a look at the grounds and buy a piece of framed art from a local purveyor. not as exciting as a helicopter rescue but cheaper and you'll get a better picture too. so anyways... the bass harbor light station is a basic mid-19th century conic tower set fifty some odd feet above high water with a lovely finial above and living quarters out back. the original lens was a 5th order Frensel, turn of the century replacement is a fourth-order; occulting red light (on for 4 seconds and eclipsed for one) used to was oil, then a different oil, electric since 1949, automated since 1974. property of the national park service since 2018 but the coast guard still maintains the blinking thing :-)
This photogenic spot is very popular with photographers. A gorgeous view of a lighthouse perched along the rocky coastline. this is Maine, which you see everywhere, this iconic lighthouse. After parking your car, you walk down a short path to get up close to the lighthouse and panoramic ocean views. - that is where the lighthouse is- and that's it.. it stops there and I was wondering where people take those iconic photos? so I went back into the parking - and there is a small walkway going in the left direction (near the restroom) that takes you down (mind it, it's rocky)... photographers were already there with their setup where normal people won't go. it's a bit dangerous. From Bar Harbor, it takes over 30 minutes to drive here. Along the way, you will pass Echo Lake Parking: This is another trendy place to visit in Acadia and the parking lot is tiny.
very easy hike to get in a good spot to take pictures. if it's a little foggy it should be fine but anymore and it'll be hard to see from the cliff side.
Beautiful coastal area where this lighthouse is located. As previously noted, we looked for the short path that leads to stairs at the backside of the lighthouse. This is what is needed to get to the more popular rear view sight of the lighthouse. It leads right from the small parking lot. The area below the staircase offers a great view of the harbor area but you would need to scramble over rocks and boulders to get a more expansive view, which we did not do. We got a few pictures then walked over to the front path that leads down to the front side of the lighthouse and I was a bit surprised at how small it was. The lighthouse itself is not opened to the public. Anyway, the trip to the harbor area was okay. The weather was great and the drive from Acadia NP was scenic with no major traffic.
A great stop if you're willing to drive about 30 min from Acadia National Park and 45 min from Ellsworth. The lighthouse is gorgeous and love the small .4 mile trek that leads to it. Tip: come here early in the morning, and avoid sunset. The parking lot has only about 20 parking spaces and you have to wait for people to leave to get a spot. Take the trail to the right of the restrooms to get the best view of the lighthouse. You'll go down a wooden staircase and then will have to carefully step through slick boulders and rocks to see the view of the lighthouse!
We came early before anyone else. There is parking and bathrooms. 0830 hrs. You need your park pass to enter. Honor system. You can view this from two sides. One is ADA. THE Other is A bit of Bouldering. Both great. There is no lighthouse keeper any more. The US Coastguard has responsibility since the summer of 2021. Really Nice.
This is may be the only lighthouse near Bar Harbor that you can see on the island. It's physical presence on the island helps a lot. It's a short stop but the small parking lot is a bit of a challenge. We were lucky enough to get a spot, and on our way out passed a line of cars waiting to get in. There are two trails - we took the easier, paved one on the right side of the parking lot. There's an informational board on the way down with the history and names of the keepers, and the view is beautiful overlooking the water. We were not able to go into the lighthouse, and there is no gift shop at this location.
Before we get into it, I need to point out that there is an unassuming trail head at the top of the parking lot. GO THERE! A short walk, a few stairs, and you will be at the most amazing spot down at the waterside to get the wonderful picture of the lighthouse. We nearly missed it and that would have been a terrible shame. Some of Maine's lighthouses are closer to civilization than others. The Bass Harbor Head Light is one of the further away ones - more than 20 miles from US-1 and through a part of Maine that is likely completely blocked by seasonal traffic. You can absolutely get here by road and the lighthouse is absolutely beautiful. Maybe you don't want to come when it's cold like we did... This was our third lighthouse of the day and the walk down the stairs to the rockshore made me felt like we really earned it. The history of Bass Harbor Head Light dates to 1855, when it was determined that there was sufficient reason for a lighthouse at the mouth of Bass Harbor. In 1876, construction was completed on a fog bell and tower, since removed. The tower is 33 feet high and the lens has a range of 13 nautical miles. There is limited parking here and there's not much you can do to reserve a spot. Good luck. [Review 14877 overall, 379 of 2021, number 60 in Maine.]
This lighthouse is in the town of Bass Harbor, the other part if Acadia National Park. You can walk closed to the lighthouse but to get a good picture of it you need to go out to the rocks to see it. There is a little trail on the left side of the parking lot and stairs to go down to the overlook. We did went out to the rocks a bit more but only to get a glimpse of the lighthouse. I would recommend going there a bit earlier in the day as we went around 4pm and picture caught a glare. Anyhow, it was a good trip to the lighthouse. If you won't go, you won't know.
Great views particularly at sunset...but the small parking lot, which accommodates about 20 vehicles, can get full. During our visit, about 40 minutes before sunset mid-week in late August, we, along with about 4 other cars, patiently waited along Lighthouse Road while cars left in order to take their spots. It must have been good timing as about 5 cars left within about 10 minutes. The path from the west of the parking lot, takes you down directly to the lighthouse. The path to the east of the parking lot is very popular as you can take some stairs down to the rocky area which gives you some great views of the lighthouse set to the backdrop of the rising or setting sun. Note that the west path is fairly easy to navigate, but the east path has stairs. You then have to climb onto (some uneven) rocks in order to get a clear view of the lighthouse. This may be difficult for mobility-impaired individuals or those with strollers. Note that during our visit here we did NOT have to show any park pass to enter and park in this area. read more
19 hours ago
Such a cute (active) lighthouse. There is a family living in it. It's located within Acadian National Park so you are required to have a pass to the park (which if you already went trough Acadian like we did that day then you're fine). You can easily park and get out to see it. You can also view it from the rocks/scenic view. read more
Light it Out Built in 1858, the Bass Harbor Lighthouse is one of three lighthouses managed by Acadia National Park. The Good: *Beautiful lighthouse that's known for it's spectacular sunsets. *Free to visit *Docents on-site to answer questions *Listed in the Register of Historic Places *Restroom The Meh: *Really not much to see as it's just a short walk to the door of the lighthouse or a short jaunt across some rocky cliffs to get to the more famous angle of the Lighthouse. The Ugly: *Extremely small parking lot that holds maybe 30 cars. Which should seem like plenty but this is an **extremely** busy lighthouse. So you'll need a bit of luck getting a spot. But, fortunately, as stated above, there's really not much to see here so people are constantly leaving. Conclusion: Swell lighthouse that's definitely worth a visit. read more
Bass Harbor Lighthouse is a nice stop if you have the time. Venturing away from Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park, this lighthouse is about a 30 minute drive away. While you can't go into the lighthouse, the views from here are beautiful. You can take a short little hike down to see the water and get a view of the lighthouse from below. It's not paved and you'll be walking across rocks, but it's definitely worth it. It was not busy while we were visiting, so we had no problem finding parking. But the lot is small, so I'd imagine it can be difficult to find spots during busier seasons. Also a popular destination for sunset. So plan ahead. Bass Harbor Lighthouse is good for a 20-30 minute visit, so if you have the time for at least a 1 hour round-trip drive for it, it's worth the stop. read more
It was a worthwhile detour to see during off-season (January)... and due to a recent storm, it was off-off-season. Many roads to Acadia were blocked off, and even some of the paths around the lighthouse were inaccessible. We ran into David, a park ranger or warden or path checker and fixer-upper sort of guy, who was extremely friendly and we talked about all topics related to storms and parks. It's clear he loves what he does and we feel lucky to have cross paths with him. The lighthouse itself is not as 'impressive' as say, Portland Head Light, but is charming and quaint in it's own way. It seems to be right on someone's private property, so I don't envy those homeowners at all during the tourist season. There's a path directly to the lighthouse and a side path through a small wooded area for an alternate view and moderately treacherous rocky jaunt along the mighty angry sea. A worthy stop if you're going to Bar Harbor. read more
1 year ago
Excellent light, good parking, nice setting, and a wooden stairway that leads to a stone stair that gets noticeably less "curated" as it continues down to a heavily bouldered shore near the water line. a person could very easily get very hurt looking for that perfect picture... so maybe it's better to just stay topside and take the relatively easy stroll down the ramp for a look at the grounds and buy a piece of framed art from a local purveyor. not as exciting as a helicopter rescue but cheaper and you'll get a better picture too. so anyways... the bass harbor light station is a basic mid-19th century conic tower set fifty some odd feet above high water with a lovely finial above and living quarters out back. the original lens was a 5th order Frensel, turn of the century replacement is a fourth-order; occulting red light (on for 4 seconds and eclipsed for one) used to was oil, then a different oil, electric since 1949, automated since 1974. property of the national park service since 2018 but the coast guard still maintains the blinking thing :-) read more
This photogenic spot is very popular with photographers. A gorgeous view of a lighthouse perched along the rocky coastline. this is Maine, which you see everywhere, this iconic lighthouse. After parking your car, you walk down a short path to get up close to the lighthouse and panoramic ocean views. - that is where the lighthouse is- and that's it.. it stops there and I was wondering where people take those iconic photos? so I went back into the parking - and there is a small walkway going in the left direction (near the restroom) that takes you down (mind it, it's rocky)... photographers were already there with their setup where normal people won't go. it's a bit dangerous. From Bar Harbor, it takes over 30 minutes to drive here. Along the way, you will pass Echo Lake Parking: This is another trendy place to visit in Acadia and the parking lot is tiny. read more
Beautiful coastal area where this lighthouse is located. As previously noted, we looked for the short path that leads to stairs at the backside of the lighthouse. This is what is needed to get to the more popular rear view sight of the lighthouse. It leads right from the small parking lot. The area below the staircase offers a great view of the harbor area but you would need to scramble over rocks and boulders to get a more expansive view, which we did not do. We got a few pictures then walked over to the front path that leads down to the front side of the lighthouse and I was a bit surprised at how small it was. The lighthouse itself is not opened to the public. Anyway, the trip to the harbor area was okay. The weather was great and the drive from Acadia NP was scenic with no major traffic. read more
5 years ago
A great stop if you're willing to drive about 30 min from Acadia National Park and 45 min from Ellsworth. The lighthouse is gorgeous and love the small .4 mile trek that leads to it. Tip: come here early in the morning, and avoid sunset. The parking lot has only about 20 parking spaces and you have to wait for people to leave to get a spot. Take the trail to the right of the restrooms to get the best view of the lighthouse. You'll go down a wooden staircase and then will have to carefully step through slick boulders and rocks to see the view of the lighthouse! read more
5 years ago
We came early before anyone else. There is parking and bathrooms. 0830 hrs. You need your park pass to enter. Honor system. You can view this from two sides. One is ADA. THE Other is A bit of Bouldering. Both great. There is no lighthouse keeper any more. The US Coastguard has responsibility since the summer of 2021. Really Nice. read more
This is may be the only lighthouse near Bar Harbor that you can see on the island. It's physical presence on the island helps a lot. It's a short stop but the small parking lot is a bit of a challenge. We were lucky enough to get a spot, and on our way out passed a line of cars waiting to get in. There are two trails - we took the easier, paved one on the right side of the parking lot. There's an informational board on the way down with the history and names of the keepers, and the view is beautiful overlooking the water. We were not able to go into the lighthouse, and there is no gift shop at this location. read more
Before we get into it, I need to point out that there is an unassuming trail head at the top of the parking lot. GO THERE! A short walk, a few stairs, and you will be at the most amazing spot down at the waterside to get the wonderful picture of the lighthouse. We nearly missed it and that would have been a terrible shame. Some of Maine's lighthouses are closer to civilization than others. The Bass Harbor Head Light is one of the further away ones - more than 20 miles from US-1 and through a part of Maine that is likely completely blocked by seasonal traffic. You can absolutely get here by road and the lighthouse is absolutely beautiful. Maybe you don't want to come when it's cold like we did... This was our third lighthouse of the day and the walk down the stairs to the rockshore made me felt like we really earned it. The history of Bass Harbor Head Light dates to 1855, when it was determined that there was sufficient reason for a lighthouse at the mouth of Bass Harbor. In 1876, construction was completed on a fog bell and tower, since removed. The tower is 33 feet high and the lens has a range of 13 nautical miles. There is limited parking here and there's not much you can do to reserve a spot. Good luck. [Review 14877 overall, 379 of 2021, number 60 in Maine.] read more
This lighthouse is in the town of Bass Harbor, the other part if Acadia National Park. You can walk closed to the lighthouse but to get a good picture of it you need to go out to the rocks to see it. There is a little trail on the left side of the parking lot and stairs to go down to the overlook. We did went out to the rocks a bit more but only to get a glimpse of the lighthouse. I would recommend going there a bit earlier in the day as we went around 4pm and picture caught a glare. Anyhow, it was a good trip to the lighthouse. If you won't go, you won't know. read more
Great views here. The biggest question is whether it's worth stopping by here. From Bar Harbor, it's nearly a 30 minute drive. Nearly 45 from Ellsworth, so not sure it's really worth the trek when time's of the essence at Acadia. Be prepared to wait some time for parking (I wish they could expand parking). You'll spend no more than 10-15 minutes here, but perhaps waiting for parking will make the trip a bit more worth the amount of time it took to get here. read more
6 years ago
All the cities my in-laws suggested for summer vacation involved a lighthouse. I love lighthouses!! I think they're beautiful and have much history to learn from. Because we ended up in Maine, I insisted on visiting Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. It was a quick drive from where we were staying so... low investment. Parking was easy, and it wasn't a far walk to the actual lighthouse. There were a lot of tourists already there taking pictures. The view of the water was incredible, but the lighthouse itself wasn't very impressive. Days later, we took a tour on a fishing boat, and I got more enjoyment out of learning the history of the lighthouse. Overall if you're here on vacation and choosing between this place and another, you're not missing much by skipping out on the lighthouse. If you're nearby, stop for 10 minutes to cross it off your bucket list. Or come during sunrise or sunset. I'm sure it's more more worthwhile. Otherwise, go on a hike in Acadia National Park instead. read more
7 years ago
It's picture perfect! For the love of photographs , people tried going through rocks just to glimpse and take a good angle shot of the lighthouse. It nice that the government made a path and friendly steps to get closer as possible. The lighthouse is regularly featured to scenery calendars. It is best to come during sunset time . Sunrise setting will be an alternative. The park has small parking lot so be ready to park further and walk a bit. read more
If you are looking to view and/or get a good shot of a lighthouse in Maine, this is one place to do so. It's actually pretty picturesque. Once you get to the free open parking lot, you have one of two options FIRST OPTION: You can walk down the obvious path to the right. Along the path, you can read a little bit about the lighthouse and you come to a dead end with a bell and the white house where the lighthouse actually stands. On the top, you can see the red light darkening every 4 seconds. But, there's honestly not a lot to see here. If you want to get the perfect shot of the lighthouse in a distance, you want the SECOND OPTION: There's a hidden path to the left through what seems like a forest-y trail. It takes you down some stairs and you get to the rocks by the water. If you just stop there, you barely can see the lighthouse. You actually have to get down those rocks fairly close to the waters to get a decent shot. But it's fun & worth the trek if you are down for it. read more
2 years ago
Breathtaking!! For first time visitors there is a walking path off the parking lot to the left that we would have never seen but we fortunately seen people coming from the path that lead down some steep stairs and you can see the opposite side of the lighthouse!! read more
Came here today on a rainy day, but was still able to get some nice photos of this lighthouse. We took both trails. One extends out down some steps and over some rocks. Just be careful as you scramble towards the ocean over these orange rocks, was a bit scary for me since it was windy and rainy today! Nice to visit this lighthouse, although a bit treacherous to climb over rocks at high tide. read more
Lighthouse is about 25 mins from downtown Bar Harbor. If you don't want to wait, don't go near sunset. I went around 4ish and even then, I had to wait for 20mins. If your driver doesn't care for the view, walking is faster. I was able to walk there and back while my friend was still waiting to park the car. Take the trail down near restrooms for a better view. Trail will turn into stairways and then rocks. The right is an easier paved path. About 15 parking spaces? read more
Go to the left from the parking lot, walk down the path to reach where all the people are at when you go down the road and wondered how they all got there! It was soooooo packed. Don't ever go during the sunset.... Wayyy to packed. A officer is always there to tell people to not enter because the parking lot is full. I'd say go two hours before sunset if you want to find a parking spot there is another parking lot that is a giant cluster of rocks and cars, no one gets out unstressed. We parked a mile away at a trailhead as I had a park pass and it was always open, if you don't mind walking! Please don't be those people who park in front of other people's properties, so embarrassing. read more
I'd give Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse 3.5 stars. I liked it, but I had greater expectations for more. I had researched that this lighthouse is a part of Acadia National Park and according to what I read on nps.gov....."this lighthouse doesn't get any more Maine than this!" So I was excited to check it out on my extended weekend getaway 2 weeks ago. Actually, Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is a 22 mile drive (about a half hour) from the heart of Mt. Desert Island at Acadia. I was surprised to find this out while looking for it after I explored Sand Beach, Jordan Pond House and Cadillac Mountain. The good thing is, just plug this Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse into Google Maps from your location and it'll take you directly there. Upon arriving at the Lighthouse, you don't pay a fee. You simply park and walk around a bend to the lighthouse overlooking the water. The views were okay, nothing overwhelmingly beautiful as all you do is gaze into the endless waters of the Atlantic Ocean. But according to my research and reading, I had thought that you could get a scenic view of the lighthouse from the rocky coastline, which supposedly is the iconic picture I had envisioned. As I checked around.....I figured it out! From the lighthouse...walk back to the parking lot and from a tiny section of the woods, there's a small opening that leads to a trail that connects a path down to the rocks. Ah!!!! Here is where you can get a REAL GLIMPSE of the lighthouse and the picturesque photos that I visualized online. The path is real basic. Follow it for 2/10's of a mile. Then walk down a flight of stairs that leads to rocks and eventually the angle capturing the lighthouse hanging over the edge of the coast. BE CAREFUL, obviously....the rocks can be slippery and when I visited in late afternoon, the tide was high and the water was a little rough. But if you climb slowly, you can get the perspectives and the views of the lighthouse balanced up against the craggy coast. It's very picturesque. MY ONLY DRAWBACK....I came here around 5pm and the views from the rocks faces into the sun setting. My pictures had me in difficult shadows. I'm saying...the view would have been ideal had I visited in the morning with the sun gleaming against my back. SO CERTAINLY VISIT IN THE MORNINGS. The afternoon was still okay for me but the sun's glare tainted the ideal shots I was looking for. Still....the pictures were pretty. One other thing....also, the lighthouse is partially blocked with growth from shrubbery and trees. It would be nice if it's possible for someone to groom the growth of the woods so the lighthouse can be exposed without hindrance. Just my suggestion, lol. You'll understand what I mean when you're there. And that's pretty much all Bass Head Harbor Lighthouse has to offer. I was there for a 30 minutes. Unfortunately you're not allowed inside the lighthouse. It's property of the Coast Guard. Although confronting the lighthouse face to face was an alright experience, the purpose of it all is to follow the hidden trail down to the rocks....navigate onto them and immerse yourself facing the rugged setting of seacoast landscape that's the embodiment of Maine. read more
The Bass Harbor Lighthouse is a small lighthouse build of the coast of Maine and is easy to get to. My family and I went during the off season so there was no tragic and plenty of parking for our visit. The view of the Atlantic Ocean was awesome as was the sounds of the waves slightly crashing against the rocks. read more
5 years ago
Beautiful lighthouse especially at sunrise or sunset! It's often quite crowded but definitely worth a visit! read more
5 years ago
This was our first sight seeing stop in Maine, so expectations were pretty high. We loved the boulders and the small hike down to the water. We love climbing on rocks and a little challenge. The views were very pretty and there was some challenge. I didn't really know what to expect with a lighthouse, so it was a little boring. Very pretty, but boring. Parking was rough and so was the drive to get there. The pictures look like they were Bob Ross's inspiration. We still had fun and we are happy we made it there! read more
7 years ago
This is definitely worth the 30 minute drive if staying in bar harbor. We went early enough so there was parking, but be warned it is VERY limited. The light house can be seen from multiple angles but climbing onto the rocks and listening to the waves while sitting, watching and waiting for my clumsy fiancé to fall head first straight into the cold water on that 64 degree day was me fave. (FYI sadly he didn't fall) read more
4 years ago
Nice lighthouse to visit. You can't go inside, but the views from the cliff are beautiful on a clear day! It's free, there's parking, and restrooms. You can't go inside because the Coast Guard occupies it. Also, if you're going to walk down the rocky path to try and get a nice photo, be sure to wear tennis shoes...it can be quite treacherous trying to get far enough out for that perfect shot! read more
6 years ago
Highly recommend coming to this lighthouse at sunset. We saw a beautiful sky and baby seals! Grab yourself a couple of drinks, find a nice spot on the rocks, and enjoy the view. read more
8 years ago
5 years ago
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