Thunder Hole: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Acadia National Park

Killion, Jeffrey

Thunder Hole is a National Park Service (NPS) developed area in Acadia National Park, located in Hancock County, Maine. Acadia was the first national park established east of the Mississippi River and today encompasses over 50,000 acres across Mount Desert Island, the Schoodic Peninsula, and other smaller islands. Thunder Hole is a natural carved out inlet along the rocky eastern shoreline of Mount Desert Island. When a storm or the turning tide forces waves into this narrow channel, the air escapes with a thunderous reverberation that is both deafening and thrilling. Thunder Hole is a delight to the young and old who want to get soaked by sprays that have been witnessed to reach over 40 feet in height. But it can also be dangerous and has an ominous history of rogue waves that can suddenly wash over the surrounding granite ledges and outcrops. Since the early 1930s, the NPS has provided formalized walkways, railings and other visitor facilities at Thunder Hole. Thunder Hole is reached by Ocean Drive and the Ocean Path, two segments of the park’s historic motor road and hiking trail systems that weave across the island. The road and trail trace the shoreline and offer panoramic ocean views that are among the best in the park. At Thunder Hole, they run side by side. Constructed with guardwalls and retaining walls of native stone, the road and trail blend in with the surrounding rocks that also support scattered grasses, shrubs, and trees. Ocean Drive and the Ocean Path essentially bisect the Thunder Hole developed area, which encompasses approximately 2.25 acres. Below, or to the east, of the road and trail is a landscape of uneven and massive granite ledges. Here, a series of curved walks, ramps, and steps make their way in between the rocks and down to a broad ledge overlooking the Thunder Hole. Gates positioned at various points can be closed by park staff during rough weather when waves can submerge the paths and top the railings. Above, or to the west, the landscape holds considerably more trees and shrubs that screen the historic Thunder Hole Ranger Station, parking lot, and restroom. The Ranger Station was the park’s first such building when constructed in 1934 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and is now a gift shop and information center. The one-story building’s hipped roof and gray board and batten siding reflect the Rustic Design style used throughout the park. The parking lot and two access roads were designed by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm during the reconstruction of Ocean Drive in 1933-1934, and were intended to move parking off of the drive so as not to impact the views of the ocean. Rough cut granite curbs, stone steps, and plantings installed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) still remain, contributing to the site’s rustic character. Contemporary additions of accessible walkways have been faced with native stone so that they too blend in with the surroundings. Today, Thunder Hole is one of the park’s most popular destinations. The Ranger Station continues to provide information to visitors and an opportunity to purchase souvenirs. The parking lot and right lane of Ocean Drive are often filled to capacity in the busy summer months, and particularly after big storms when the Thunder Hole is at its most impressive. The Island Explorer free bus service stops here frequently in the summer, helping alleviate traffic congestion.

Thunder Hole: Cultural Landscapes Inventory, Acadia National Park

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