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V O L . X X I N O. X V O n any sunny summer day, sections of the 27-mile Park Loop Road — a highlight of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island — are jammed with concession buses, commer- cial motor coaches, RVs, the park's public transit system buses, cars, motorcycles, bicyclists and pedestrians. Visitors are eager to experience vistas of the ocean and woods, stroll the granite slopes atop Cadillac Mountain, listen to the surf at under Hole, swim at Sand Beach or enjoy tea and pop- overs at Jordan Pond House. What they aren't excited about is traffi c jams and safety hazards along this narrow, curvy road and at each one of these primary visitor stops. e problem, here and elsewhere around the park, has accelerated in recent years, thanks to Acadia's growing popularity. With a declining operating budget over the past few years, a substantial maintenance backlog and a transportation network that at times is over- whelmed, park administrators face challenges as they work to ensure a blend of positive experiences for visitors and protection of the resources. " e biggest single challenge facing Acadia now is our popularity," says Acadia Superintendent Sheridan Steele. " ere are times and places when it is too crowded. Fortunately, it's not all the time. But it does happen, and that diminishes people's experi- ence. It's a lot of people trying to enjoy the same space in diff erent ways." Acadia benefi ts from 'staycation' trend e National Park Service in general and Acadia, in particular, have been in something of an ascen- dancy in recent years. e recession prompted many people to take vacations within driving distance of their homes, and Acadia is within reach of huge population centers in the Northeast. e cruise ship industry has grown in Bar Harbor, where passengers hop on buses for excursions into the park. Acadia also was featured in a segment in the 2009 Ken Burns' documentary series about the park service, " e National Parks: America's Best Idea." A year later, a visit by President Obama and his family generated interest in the park from around the world. More recently, it was named "America's Favorite Place" by ABC's "Good Morning America," and it's regularly featured on the "top 10" lists. Acadia is the park service's ninth most-visited park, yet in size, at 47,000 acres, barely makes the top 50. More attention is doubtless on its way in 2016, when both Acadia and the National Park Service will both celebrate 100-year anniversaries. Last year, Acadia had 2.56 million visitors, mak- ing 2014 one of the park's top years and refl ecting a nationwide trend, with a record-breaking 292.8 mil- lion national park visits in 2014, rebounding from a 2013 decline that included a 16-day government shutdown and many park closures for repairs after Superstorm Sandy hit the Northeast in late 2012, according to a new National Park Service visitor spending report. So far this year, the park is on pace to exceed last year's visitor number. "Memorial Day set a record in terms of our entrance pass sales, so it's potentially a very busy season," says John Kelly, Acadia's park planner. " at might be coming about because of the publicity the P H O T O S / DAV E C L O U G H Acadia looks ahead As visitation grows, Acadia National Park sees planning and fundraising as priorities B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r Sheridan Steele, superintendent of Acadia National Park, says the park is seeing an increasing number of visitors while operating on tighter budgets. Acadia encompasses 47,000 acres and includes vistas like this, of Jordan Pond. Acadia National Park vistas like this one are attracting roughly 2.5 million visitors a year, but offi cials there are contending with an increase in traffi c. J U LY 1 3 , 2 0 1 5 14

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