Beehive Overlook is a scenic viewpoint in Hancock County, Maine. It lies in or next to Acadia National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 6.8 km (4.2 mi) SSE of Bar Harbor.
From the National Park Service
The Beehive and many of Acadia’s other mountains are examples of a geologic feature called a “roche mountonée.” Roches mountonée always have this distinct shape: a gradual slope leading up to a steep drop-off. This shape was created by glaciers, which covered Acadia from 35,000 to 16,000 years ago.
As they made their way over mountains like the Beehive, glaciers had to fight against gravity as the mountain pushed them up toward the sky. This created a lot of pressure on the surface of the mountain. Not only were the glaciers working against the force of gravity, but the glaciers here were over a mile thick! That ice adds up to a lot of weight. The pressure from the combined weight of the ice and the gravity pulling it downwards meant that the glacier smoothed the surface of the mountains it traveled over, much like sandpaper. When we look at the Beehive and see the gentle slope leading up to its summit, we are looking at the path that the glaciers created as they passed over the mountain.
But if glaciers have smoothed one side to a gentle slope, why does the other side look so steep? After the glacier reached the summit, there was a large release in the pressure that we previously talked about. Now, gravity was helping to pull that heavy ice back down the mountain. As the ice moved back down the mountain, changes in pressure meant that some of the ice at the base of the glacier melted – and that water seeped into cracks of the mountain’s surface. Eventually, that water would refreeze, breaking chunks of rock loose from the mountain as it expanded into ice. The glacier continued “plucking” rocks from the surface, making a steeper slope each time. This process happened over and over again as the glacier continued sliding over the mountain; eventually, it created the famously steep path up the Beehive that Acadia visitors know today.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Beehive Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:37 AM | 90° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:49 AM | 55° NE | 8:21 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:20 AM | 89° E | 6:32 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 123° ESE | 3:57 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:33 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:12 AM | 4:49 AM | 5:33 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 4:28 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:51 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:07 PM | 4:38 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:07 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:28 PM | 8h 52m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Beehive Overlook, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 2:59 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:01 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 11:02 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 8:55 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 53 | 51 | 72 | 73 | 81 | 88 | 89 | 93 | 94 | 79 | 64 | 60 |
| Low °F | -19 | -19 | -13 | 15 | 29 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 36 | 24 | 6 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this scenic viewpoint
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Beehive Overlook, closest first.
Beach
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Lighthouse
LighthouseWaterfallScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blackwoods Campground3.1 km (1.9 mi) · reservable
- Schoodic Woods Campground10.6 km (6.6 mi) · reservable
- Seawall Campground14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Beehive Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Beehive Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Beehive Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Beehive Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Beehive Overlook?
How far is Beehive Overlook from Bar Harbor?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.