Skift Take
Sequestration has had a large impact on many national parks, but it’s also shaken up the system and brought a renewed focus on what they provide the public – something all institutions need.
The local business community is not thrilled about the federal budget-related delay in opening Acadia National Park's seasonal facilities, but at least one group is expected to benefit by not having cars on the park's paved roads, according to officials: road cyclists.
Most of Acadia's Park Loop Road and the entire length of the Summit Road on Cadillac Mountain, both of which are paved, are closed to traffic in the winter. Skiers, hikers and snowmobiles get to use the paved and dirt roads during the colder months, but motorized road vehicles are prohibited and bicyclists usually are shut out by the weather.
Even in the weeks leading up to Acadia's traditional April 15 'opening' date, fallen snow can linger in the park, especially in shady areas that receive little sun. But by delaying the opening until Friday, May 17, bicyclists will have a full month of spring weather during which they won't have to share the park's roads with cars, trucks and recreational vehicles.
"I think it's going to be great," Joe Minutolo, owner of Bar Harbor Bike Shop, said Tuesday. "It changes the whole dynamic of the place."
The park is never fully closed, but visitation in the park declines dramatically when temperatures drop below freezing. The Ocean Drive section of the loop
