Activity Overview
Set within Acadia National Park, this gorgeous freshwater swimming hole is only a few miles from the ocean and within a 20-minute drive of Bar Harbor’s charming restaurants and shops. The lake gives you a taste of the Maine summer-camp experience without putting you too far from resort-town amenities.
Things See & Do
Go swimming in water that’s much warmer than the ocean. Lifeguards are on duty after 10am in the summer.
Echo Lake is one of the few freshwater areas that allow swimming in Acadia National Park.
Perfect for kids there is sand to build sand castles, nice bathrooms and changing rooms, and the water is shallow it goes out very slowly.
Fishing for brook trout is a popular activity at Echo Lake.
Canoe, Kayak or Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP). Motors of more than 10 horsepower aren’t allowed, making this a quiet place for paddling. Don't have your own canoe or kayak? You can rent one in Bar Harbor.
There are two campgrounds at Acadia, one close to Bar Harbor and the other near Echo Lake.
Stay at a waterfront cottage or B&B in Bar Harbor, and catch the free park shuttle to Echo Lake’s beach and other sites in the park.
Rock Ledges - park at the start of the Acadia mountain trail (which you can hike first if you are up for it) and you'll see the changing room and staircase for the Echo Lake ledges. It's a short hike down, find a place to set up your things on the big granite sides of the lake and swim there! There's also a small ledge at about 2ft deep before the drop for those who just want to cool their feet.
Echo Lake Insider Tips
- It does get busy on weekends especially but if you get there for 10:00 am it's often deserted.
- The water is quite a bit warmer than the cold Atlantic it is fairly popular on nice days.
- The sandy beach is perfect for smaller children and there's plenty of shade.
- There are picnic tables onsite back in the trees.
- There is a nominal parking fee per car but there is plenty of parking
