Acadia wants to require reservations for this popular park attraction

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 2, 2025

Acadia National Park is trying to figure out how to manage hot spots that get congested during its busy summer tourist season, but its top priorities aren’t the places that social media users might think. Last week, a video of a long line of hikers slowly snaking its way up the ladder trail on The Beehive mountain got ample attention online and discussion about conditions at Acadia. But crowded trails on the mountain, where hikers can climb up a series of iron ladders fastened to a steep rock face that overlooks scenic Sand Beach, are not a new phenomenon during the post-COVID boom, according to park officials.