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Acadia National Park
Storm Impacts at Acadia Still Being Assessed
January 17th, 2024
Storm Impacts Update 2/8/24:
Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider told the Acadia Advisory Commission on Monday, Feb. 5, that the park continues its assessment of damage from two powerful January storms.
The park received emergency funding to hire civil and structural engineers to help assess structural damage to areas such as the water tower at Schoodic, the Blue Duck, and the Boathouse at Bear Island. Engineers will also be assessing the Otter Cove causeway, Park Loop Road, and Schoodic Loop Road. A crew brought in from other national parks is helping to clear tree damage at Seawall over the next two weeks.
It will take weeks to gather all the data and begin to formalize a plan for how to rebuild. Read more about the storm impacts.
January 17, 2024:
Back-to-back storms on January 10 and 13 caused devastating damage to Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities. Many areas of the park are affected, including Ocean Path, where 1,000 feet of the two-mile trail is severely damaged, and Seawall Campground and Picnic Area which suffered scattered rock, downed trees, and a washed-out road. A final inventory of the damage will take weeks to complete.
While no one storm is due to climate change, the higher frequency and the greater intensity storms certainly is. Combined with rapidly warming temperatures in the Gulf of Maine and rising sea levels, the impacts of climate disruption at Acadia and its communities remains front and center for Friends of Acadia.
We’ll continue our dedicated support of the park and surrounding communities as the damage is assessed to better understand what role Friends of Acadia can play in the recovery.
At this time, Acadia was not ready for community volunteers to help with clean up. We’ll let you know via our social media if volunteers are needed in the future.
Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities are strong and resilient. While the past week has been challenging and heartbreaking, we will emerge through community action and commitment.
Check closings and updates on the park’s Current Conditions page: www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
High tide inundates the Sand Beach staircase in Acadia National Park during a winter storm in January 2024. (Photo Courtesy Steve Boucher)
Erosion and other washout damage to Ocean Path after a winter storm in January 2024. (NPS photo)
Zach Hunt, U.S. Park Ranger at Acadia National Park takes a photo of damage to the road at Seawall following a destructive winter storm on January 14, 2024. Photo by Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia.
Mallard ducks fly over the marsh behind the Seawall Road in Bass Harbor following the storm that cast rocks across the road and destroyed portions of the road. Photo by Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia
Remnants of the Tay rest on Sand Beach after being exposed by a winter storm January 11, 2024. (Photo by Zach Hunt/NPS)
Waves crash over the Seawall road during a destructive winter storm on January 13, 2024. (Photo courtesy Ronald Hanscom)
Waves crash over the road at the entrance to the Schoodic Institute in Winter Harbor during a destructive winter storm in January 2024. (Photo courtesy Craig Pinkham)
Waves crash on the stairs at Sand Beach during high tide the day after a damaging winter storm on January 14, 2024. The storm eroded a significant portion of Sand Beach. Photo by Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia
Displace stone near the staircase at Sand Beach following a storm on Jan. 10, 2024 that brought intense wind and high surf to Acadia. (Photo courtesy Lynn Verrill)
Acadia National Park and Maine Department of Transportation Staff Members survey damage to the Seawall road following a destructive winter storm on January 14, 2024. Photo by Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia
Damage to the Seawall Road. (Photo Courtesy Rod O’Connor)
Damage to trees at the Thompson Island picnic area after a winter storm in January 2024. (Catherine Schmitt/Schoodic Institute)
A section of damaged road at Seawall in Bass Harbor following a destructive winter storm on January 14, 2024. Photo by Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia
A section of damaged road at Seawall in Bass Harbor following a destructive winter storm on January 14, 2024. Photo by Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia
Erosion and other washout damage to Ocean Path after a winter storm in January 2024. (NPS photo)
Debris washed into the Seal Harbor Beach parking lot near the Stanley Brook Entrance of Acadia National Park after a destructive winter storm in January 2024. (Lynn Verrill/Friends of Acadia)
Erosion and other damage at the Thompson Island picnic area in Acadia National Park after a winter storm with astronomical high tides and large waves in January 2024. (Photo courtesy David Manski)
Additional Coverage:
Acadia National Park suffers significant damage from storm – via FOX23
Acadia National Park cleans up after recent storm – via WABI
Wednesday’s storm unearthed long-buried shipwreck at Acadia National Park – via Union Leader
[VIDEO] Water could rise to all-time record highs in coastal Maine communities with storm – News Center Maine via YouTube
Storm exposes 1911 shipwreck in Acadia National Park – via News Center Maine
