About Us

Our Environmental Pledge

Oli’s Trolley, a family-run company, has operated in Acadia National Park for 27 years. We strive to reduce our environmental impact in a number of ways. Our priorities include educating our tour guests, increasing operating efficiency, and reducing our waste stream.

Oli’s Trolley educates tour guests in Leave No Trace principles and the fragility of Acadia National Park’s flora and fauna.
We employ the latest paperless technologies in tour ticketing and personnel management to eliminate waste.
We have installed energy-efficient products throughout our operation as they become available.
Through the use of modern real-time GPS tracking and management, Oli’s Trolley has improved guest experience, tour scheduling, and vehicle maintenance—all with the goal of the smallest environmental impact possible.
Oli’s Trolley fully participates in Bar Harbor’s waste stream management, employing Fiberight’s innovative technologies which aim to make changes towards reversing global environmental practices through boosting the recovery of raw materials and commodities.

We ask all of our guests and employees to share Oli’s Trolley’s commitment to environmental stewardship locally, nationally, and worldwide.

Acadia National Park

Nature at its peak

Come for a Visit

With its combination of mountains and beaches, rugged coastlines and majestic forests, Acadia National Park has inspired in-numerous artists from near and far, and attracts nearly 2.5 million visitors from around the world each year.

National Park History

Native Americans have inhabited the areas now called Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park for thousands of years. Today, Maine’s four Native American Tribes – known collectively as the Wabanaki, or “People of the Dawnland” – still maintain a close spiritual connection to the land.

Public interest in conserving the unique natural beauty of Mount Desert Island began in the late 19th century, when Bar Harbor thrived as a tourist town. Many wealthy patrons contributed land, funds, and tireless work to preserve the lands they loved. George W. Eliot, a Boston businessman and summer visitor, founded the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations in 1901, for the purpose of “…acquiring, owning and holding lands and other property in Hancock County for free public use.” Pathfinder Waldron Bates (later chairman of Bar Harbor’s Path Committee) published the first map of the island’s hiking trails in 1896. The hiking map used by Acadia visitors today derives from Bates’ original.

In 1916, the area was established as Sieur de Monts National Monument. (Vacationer George B. Dorr had spent years fighting for government preservation, and later became the Monument’s first superintendent.) Acadia was renamed Lafayette National Park in 1919, making it the first national park east of the Mississippi River. Finally, in 1929, it was officially renamed once more to Acadia National Park.

Acadia Today

Modern-day Acadia encompasses about 47,748 acres of unique beauty and rich wildlife. The Park offers something to interest everyone, from glorious views at the top of Cadillac Mountain to Thunder Hole on Ocean Drive. Enjoy the exquisite scenery along the 27-mile Park Loop Road, or the rustic stone bridges on 45 miles of beautiful carriage roads.

For a taste of Acadia’s living history, visit Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Outdoor enthusiasts can tackle nearly 120 miles of historic hiking, skiing, and bicycle trails, climb the majestic Otter Cliffs, or swim on Sand Beach. And of course, no visit would be complete without a stop at The Nature Center and Wild Gardens at Sieur de Monts Spring.

Whether you’re here on vacation or just for a day, Acadia has endless opportunities to relax and enjoy!

The Most Beautiful Place in Maine

The largest island off the coast of Maine, Mount Desert gets its name from its rocky seaside terrain. When French explorer Samuel de Champlain first landed in 1604, he called it “île des Monts Déserts” – the “island of the Bare Mountains.” Today, the Mount Desert Island encompasses four towns – Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor, and Tremont – each blending picturesque scenery with a unique coastal culture.

Island History

Maine’s four Native American Tribes – known collectively as the Wabanaki, or “People of the Dawnland” – have made Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park the center of their traditional homelands for thousands of years. Today, they still maintain a close spiritual connection to these lands, and return to enjoy its majestic scenery and pay respect to the landscape.

The island’s earliest European inhabitants were French settlers in the early 1600’s. After English colonists raided the French settlement in 1613, Mount Desert remained in dispute for more than 150 years, used mostly as a landmark for sea travelers. It wasn’t until after the American Revolution that landholders again began to stake claims on the island. By the 1850’s, settlers had built up steady trades in lumber, farming, fishing, and shipbuilding – a seafaring way of life.

After the Civil War, artists, writers, and other “rusticators” slowly revealed Mount Desert Island’s rugged beauty to the rest of the nation. By the 1890’s, the island had become a popular retreat for wealthy summer visitors, including the Rockfellers, Fords, and Vanderbilts. As the area became more developed, local “Village Improvement Societies” began to organize conservation efforts to preserve its unique landscape. Their tireless work brought about the creation of Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916 – later renamed Acadia National Park.

Mount Desert Island Today

Mount Desert Island in the 21st century is home to about 10,000 year-round inhabitants – though more than 2 million tourists from around the world stop in each year. Visitors to the island can view the stately cottages of a bygone era and the area’s most distinguished historical sites, all surrounded by the romance of traditional New England coastal life.

Explore museums to learn about Mount Desert’s “Golden Age,” its Native American heritage, and diverse ecosystems. Some of the best restaurants in New England can also be found here, whether you’re craving seafood, Maine breakfasts, or homemade dessert – and don’t forget the award-winning microbreweries!

The Island’s unique and colorful shops are sure to offer the perfect memento of your visit, and for a taste of local culture, enjoy the nightclubs, theater, and celebrated summer music festivals. Whether for adults, kids, or the whole family, Mount Desert Island offers a great selection of things to see and do!