Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Acadia is an amazing destination for exploring the Maine coast, with wonderful hikes, beautiful vistas, and water everywhere you look. If you are enjoying Acadia, especially in the summer, you may be wondering where you can find the best Acadia swimming hole for cooling off after your morning hike. There are several great options around including swimming in the ocean as well as lakes or ponds. Since the saltwater in Acadia is COLD and can often be rough, sometimes the best option is to find a freshwater swimming hole.
Lake Wood Pond is the perfect spot to cool off in the summer. You can visit the beach at the Pond for a great place to swim with kids or take a short walk to jump off some nearby cliffs.
Read more below about the Acadia swimming hole at Lake Wood Pond.
**Always use caution when jumping or swimming and use your judgment in terms of safety and water levels.
Looking for more to do in Acadia? Check out 15 Absolute Top Things to do in Acadia National Park for an Amazing Visit
How to Get to Lake Wood Pond: An Amazing Acadia Swimming Hole
To get to Lake Wood Pond from Bar Harbor, drive north on route 3 and turn left onto Crooked Rd. Look for Lake Wood Pond Rd on your left. This is part of Acadia National Park, so you will need to display a park pass in order to visit this Acadia swimming hole.
Drive to the end of the rd. You may pass some cars parked in a meadow on your way – this is a good place to park to get to the cliffs at Lake Wood Pond. At the end of the road is a parking lot with a bathroom. You can park here to walk the short distance to the beach. From the beach, you can also hike along the edge of the pond to the cliffs for jumping.
To get to the beach from the parking lot, follow the obvious trail downhill. It is a less than 5-minute walk to the beach. When we visited on a Sunday in August there was only one other family at Lake Wood Beach in Acadia.
Visiting the Cliffs at Lakewood Pond for Jumping
There are two ways to access the jumping rocks at Lake Wood Pond Acadia. It may be a bit much to call them cliffs. You can park in the field and take the trail through the woods to the cliffs, or you can park at the end of the road, walk to the beach and follow the edge of the pond to the cliffs.
We visited both the cliff and the beach. From the beach, there is an obvious path along the eastern side of the pond. The cliffs are a little less than halfway down the lake and are obvious as you approach. There are several different heights to jump from, none of which are too tall.
Note that you should use caution and always check the water yourself. There are some rocks up against the edge of the cliff, so you will need to jump out to get to the deeper water. This means this may not be appropriate for younger kids. Always use your own judgment when jumping.
Things to Know about Visiting Lakewood Pond, Acadia
Do you Need to Pay to Park at Lake Wood Pond?
Yes – this is part of Acadia National Park, and even though you don’t go through a gate, you still need to display a park pass. You can see more about getting a park pass at NPS.
Are there Leeches in Lake Wood Pond?
There are typical freshwater animals in Lake Wood Pond including frogs and leeches. We did not have any issues during our visit, but if you swam along the shoreline, you may encounter some of these animals.
Are Dogs Allowed at Lake Wood Pond?
Yes – you can bring your dog to take a swim at Lake Wood Pond
Other Places in Acadia for Swimming
In addition to the swimming hole at Lake Wood Pond, you can also swim at a few other locations in the area, including:
- Sand Beach
- Echo Lake
- Somes Pond
- Glen Mary Pool
Looking for more amazing things to do in Acadia? Check out our Guide on Visiting Acadia National Park
