ABANDONED TRAILS OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK: SEAWALL CAMPGROUND AND THE HIO ROAD TRAIL

Even though Acadia National Park has four campgrounds, only two have no limits on who can or can't camp there, Blackwoods Campground in Otter Creek and Seawall Campground in Seawall, on the quiet side of the island. The third campground, small with limited sites, is located over by Wildwood Stables and only available to campers who are bringing along an animal like a horse or donkey. The fourth campground is located along route 233, the Eagle Lake Road, to the far rear of the National Park Headquarters offices, and is private, run by the park for park volunteers and staff to stay at.
By far my favorite of the campgrounds is at Seawall, for a number of reasons. You have a camp store and a natural sea wall just around the corner within easy walking distance. Directly across from the campground is perhaps one of the Parks best kept secrets, the Seawall Picnic area, with picnic sites tucked up under pine trees and along the shoreline. You are also within walking distance to two official trails, Wonderland and the ship Harbor Nature Trail. And just beyond the natural seawall by a trailer park is an ice cream stand. The campground is also serviced by the free Island Explorer buses, so like every hour throughout the day and evening buses pull in and out to carry passengers to places like Bernard, Bass Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Echo Lake Beach with its warm waters, Somesville and Bar Harbor.

Seawall, like at Blackwoods, usually maintains a huge pile of split firewood free to campers as well and events and weather updates are posted at the ranger check-in station. Coin showers are also just around the corner as well.
Perhaps one of the best nature walks on that side of the island lies to the rear of Seawall Campground, behind the Group camping area. There, a dirt road enters the woods with an iron gate across it, that road is the Hio Road, and it runs through deep forest until it comes out by Adams Bridge by route 102. Go left and you quickly come to a store with camping supplies and food goods. Go right and just up over the hill is Gott's, where you can buy meats, subs, pizza, beer, soda, camp supplies, and many other take out items. Gott's also operates an ice cream stand to one side of the store, a perfect way to refresh before beginning your return hike back to the campground.

THE HIO ROAD TRAIL
SEAWALL CAMPGROUND
Acadia National Park

The Hio road is not a short walk, but it is a pleasant one with the road being flat and smooth much of the way. With birds singing in the tree tops don't be surprised to spot a deer or two along with rabbits or other small animals along your journey. This is a deep woods walk and Bass Harbor Marsh is not far to the left through the woods, so bug spray is highly recommended, if you use one with deet the insects should not be a problem.
It is said that Adam's
Bridge got its name when a young man named Adams was walking across the bridge and was hit and killed by a car, the bridge being very narrow.
An interesting side note, years ago Seawall Campground was a first come first served campground and campers would line up in a long line early in the morning hoping to get a camp site. In more recent years the Park Service made it an by reservation only campground.