From the moody Atlantic, rugged cliffs of pink granite rise dramatically, disappear into a pristine forest of evergreens and glacier etched lakes, then reemerge high above them in the form of bald peaks and lichen-covered crags where gulls wheel and eagles soar.  To walk on the land, to hike the trails, to enjoy the scenic vistas in a place where every living thing exists in an ecosystem as fragile as its foundations are strong, is a peaceful, soul satisfying experience that inspires awe and renews the spirit.

This astonishing contrast in strength and fragility is what makes Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park one of America's unique national treasures.  Yet, every year, more than four million visitors are literally loving it to death.