Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England, and that is the only reason it is consistently in the top 10 most visited national parks. It is ugly and overcrowded and not visually spectacular at all. Don't waste your time fighting traffic in Boston and Portland to go up there. Look how far away it is! Have you ever really looked at a map of Maine? It's mostly in Canada. Totally unpatriotic.
Besides, it's too spread out - over 50,000 acres, and mostly on an island. Frankly, it's not worth the fuss. Without a boat, a helicopter, a bike and a hot hair balloon you won't get to see much anyway. It's probably best if you just stay home.
Psst...Are you still reading? Hopefully just my loyal readers. Now that we're clear of the riffraff....
I loved Acadia! It's picturesque as hell, with misty mountains and rocky shorelines and magical bays and views that make you feel like you're on the planet Pandora in Avatar! I'll share my 3 day itinerary from my sojourn in August 2023, but let's not all rush there at once, OK?
Tuesday, August 29:
I started my Acadia adventure by driving up Cadillac Summit Road on Mount Desert Island. I secured my reservation on Recreation.gov for $6 and headed there for my 10:00 a.m. entry time.
There are a lot of reasons I shouldn't have liked the Cadillac Summit drive:
*I was in my vehicle, in a line of other vehicles, spiraling our way up a paved road for 3.5 miles.
*Permitted, timed-entry? Is this a mountain or a Disney attraction?
*Even though it was a Tuesday morning, it was swimming with tourists.
*The summit was mostly a large parking lot with a gift shop.
But...
I still loved it. And I still recommend it as a good starting place for Acadia. Here's why:
*The timed entry system is effective in limiting the number of visitors. It doesn't feel overcrowded.
*I wasn't stuck in my car. There are pullouts and viewpoints and waysides all along the route.
*Once at the top, it is easy to steer clear of the parking lot and gift shop. Just hike down any number of trails, sit on a granite rock outcropping and take in the view. (I brought a book and snacks and ended up staying for most of the day.)
*There's no comparable view anywhere in America. Cadillac Mountain affords you a bird's eye view of Acadia's one-of-a-kind landscape.
After Cadillac Mountain, I drove twenty minutes to the northeast corner of Desert Island to check out an RV campground with a few tent sites on the perimeter. Bar Harbor Campground has nicer-than-average laundry and shower facilities, super-friendly staff, and the park shuttle stops there multiple times a day. I checked in for one night.
Wednesday, August 30: I drove back into Acadia on Park Loop Road. I parked at Bubble Rock Parking area. Though it was raining, I was able to fit in a short hike to North Bubble summit.
The rain became a thunderstorm just as I returned to my car. I drove to Southwest Harbor to wait it out. The downtown area of Southwest Harbor is what I imagine Bar Harbor was like 50 years ago - quaint and modest and happy to welcome a few tourists (as opposed to thousands). At the public library I sent a few texts and caught up on news. Then I went across the parking lot and ate a delicious sandwich and an ice cream cone at a restaurant called Saint Dreux's. Highly recommend.
From there I drove to Bass Harbor Light Station. There wasn't much to see, but...when in Maine...
I visited Seawall Campground on the south end of the island, and booked a nice campsite for the night. The weather cleared, so I decided to drive to nearby Ship Harbor Trail and go for a run.
Ship Harbor Trail turned out to be one of my favorite places at Acadia.
The trail is a 1.3 mile figure-8 loop. It's flat and wooded, with some marshy areas with boardwalks. At the top of the loop, a beautiful bay opens to the ocean.
As the sun sunk low, the sky started turning shades of pink and purple. It was beautiful. I jumped around on the rocks and went wandering among tide pools, crouching beside them and peering in. I took picture after picture, then forced myself to stop and just soak it in. I picked out a spot to sit down, watched the sun set and listened to the waves crashing.
I lingered there as darkness fell, simultaneously full of gratitude and sorrow. Mike should have been there with me.
Then I went back to my car, and back to Seawall, where I slept soundly and dreamed pleasant dreams of loved ones lost too soon.
Thursday, August 31: When the day broke clear and bright I headed for a trail recommended by a friend who lives the area: Mansell Mountain. (Thanks Hilary!)
The trailhead was deep in lovely woods, down a few one-lane, dirt roads. I was thankful for my printed maps, because cell reception was scarce. This was the blissful opposite of going to Cadillac Mountain with the rest of the tourists. At 10 a.m. Lakester was the only car in the lot.
The 1 mile trail was easy at first, but steepened quickly. The path underfoot turned from dirt to small rocks - giving me the feeling I was hiking in a sloped dry creek bed. There were pine trees all around and black-capped chickadees flitting to and fro.
About halfway up the terrain changed to solid granite. I was glad to meet hikers coming down to know the best path to take in my ascent.
I was rewarded for my efforts with views in all directions - devoid of cars and tourists and gift shops.
And that was my last hike in Acadia. I took a slow drive around the western edge of Desert Island, but then decided to head back to Lamoine State Park for the night. I went for a run and a swim, made a simple dinner over the campfire, and went fishing.
I hope to return to Acadia soon. Next time I'd like to explore by boat. Kayaking? Sailing? Fishing charter? Marine wildlife tour? Yes to all! Three days wasn't nearly enough.
But shhhhhhhhh - let's not shout it from the rooftops.
Sojourn on.
(To see additional photos and videos of my visit to Acadia National Park, click here.)
Comments