Acadia National Park says staff, visitor safety primary concern ahead of Lee

BAR HARBOR, Maine (WABI) - As Hurricane Lee barrels our way, a number of closures are now in effect at Acadia National Park.

Park officials say their biggest concerns are the potential for trees to come down in the high winds as well as dangerously large waves at the ocean’s edge.

While they say they want to get the park reopened as quickly as possible, staff and visitor safety is the number one concern.

Back in 2009, a 7-year-old girl visiting Acadia died after waves from Hurricane Bill swept her out to sea.

Officials say they won’t reopen until it’s safe to do so.

“We absolutely are taking the lessons learned from Hurricane Bill, and I think that’s one of the most important things for people to realize, is that the danger isn’t just on Saturday. It very well could be on Sunday as well. The risk of these high waves coming up and washing people out to sea, it’s a very real risk visiting the park,” said Amanda Pollock, Public Affairs Officer, Acadia National Park.

As they continue to monitor the storm, there may be additional closures. You can find the most up-to-date information on the “Current Conditions” page of Acadia National Park’s website or pinned to the top of their social media channels.

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