In the summer of 2015 I visited Acadia National Park. I felt completely immersed in the wilderness and that I was truly stepping out of my comfort zone. However, after taking and environmental class in college, I realize that the wilderness I thought I was experiencing was completely constructed by man. The paths were cleared for us to bike on, the hills were lined with steps made of stone, and hundred of trees were cut down to give us the views, like you can see in this picture. The wilderness that we have is completely constructed by man. Native people were removed from their homes and only the wilderness that we decided as “beautiful” enough were kept to be preserved as a national park. We have so much more work to do and so much to learn about how to truly keep these areas wild and preserve them in their natural state.
Sincerely,
Acadia National Park
Along the rugged coastline of Maine, this gem of the Northeast offers ocean shoreline, coastal forests, remote islands, rocky mountains and historic lighthouses. With 45 miles of historic carriage roads to bike and 125 miles of trails to hike, Acadia is a premier destination for the adventurous and outdoorsy. Among the park’s granite peaks is Cadillac Mountain, which at 1,530 feet stands as the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast.
State(s): Maine
Established: 1919
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