Acadia

So you want to do some hiking but are not quite in the shape you used to be (thats me!). That is one of the great things about Acadia National Park. There is a trail for just about everyone. I am going to tell you about one of my favorites - Flying Mountain.

Flying Mountain (FM) is on the Southwest Harbor (SH) side of Mount Desert Island (MDI). It is easy to find - take Fernald Point Road at the north end of SH. Look for the Causeway Country Club and you will find Fernald Point. Follow Fernald Point to the sharp right hand turn in the road close to the end - there is a parking lot on the left. The trail head is marked with a post - don’t go down the dirt road.

It will take less than 30 minutes to reach the top so don’t rush. Slow down and watch the squirrels and chipmunks as they scurry around collecting food for the winter. Inhale the fresh aroma of the balsam trees. Caution - the trail has a lot of tree roots running across it. Look at where you step! Wear good quality shoes - no flip flops here!

The view from the top is unobstructed and provides spectacular views of the entrance to Somes Sound, Southwest Harbor, and the Cranberry Islands. Well worth the hike.

NOTE: Whenever you hike, no matter how short or long, bring water and a jacket - it can get pretty cold at the top of these mountains and you always want water because you will get thirsty.

So, you only have one day to visit Mount Desert Island (MDI) and Acadia National Park (ANP). That really is unfortunate because I sincerely believe that once you arrive you will wish you had a lot more time to enjoy this fantastically beautiful place.

I have designed this tour to expose you to as much of the island and Park as possible without running you ragged. I am assuming you start your day on the island in the early morning, somewhere around 8:30 or 9:00 am(dawn is better). I suggest you pack a picnic lunch as there will not be any convenient places to eat until late in the afternoon.

Start at the ANP Visitor Center on Route 3 in Hulls Cove. I suggest you view their short video about the Park. After leaving the Visitors Center enter the Park on the Park Loop Road (there is a toll booth on the Park Loop Road just before the Sand Beach- the toll is minimal). This one-way road takes you to many of the well known Park locations including Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs. Plan to spend two to three hours on the Park Loop Road (PLR). There are many places where you will decide to stop and enjoy the beautiful vistas.

The Sand Beach is interesting but I suggest you enjoy it from a little further down the PLR rather than try to find a parking space and walk down to the beach. Thunder Hole (the next very popular spot on the PLR) is a great place to stop and explore (15 or 20 minutes or even longer if you like). Don’t expect to hear any thunder unless you are lucky - the tide and the waves must be just right. Unfortunately winter storms are best for producing thunder. It is still worth stopping to enjoy the views.

Continue on the PLR until you reach Otter Point - a short distance past Otter Cliff. This is another location where you may want to walk around and/or sit on the rocks, especially if the waves are large. The view from here is very nice. You should be at this point by noon so it may be a good place to enjoy your picnic.

After you leave Otter Point continue on the PLR until you reach Route 3. Take Route 3 and head South to Northeast Harbor. You will go through Seal Harbor - stop and enjoy this location for a little while (unless the tide is out - not as beautiful then). A very nice little village and interesting beach / harbor.

Then proceed to Northeast Harbor, watching for the Asticou gardens opposite the Asticou Inn. A very pleasant place to get out and go for a stroll. It is especially nice when the Azaleas are in bloom in April.

Then drive into Northeast Harbor. If you have not eaten yet you may want to get a bite to eat here. Leave Northeast Harbor via Sargent Drive (watch for signs - it is a little tricky so you may want to ask how to get to it). It takes you along the East coast of Somes Sound toward Somesville. It is a short road but well worth taking and much more scenic than Route 3.

After leaving Sargent Drive you will take Route 3 / 198 toward Somesville. At the intersection with Route 233 you will have to make a big decision. If you want to see Bar Harbor and drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain you will want to follow 233 toward Bar Harbor. If, on the other hand, you would like to see more of the island and several very quaint villages and the Bass Harbor Lighthouse then continue on Route 3/198 to Somesville.

If you decide to go to Cadillac and Bar Harbor simply follow the signs and you will find both easily. I recommend you forgo continue on to Somesville and the “Quiet Side” of the island. If you do continue on to Somesville I suggest you stop briefly in Somesville and enjoy this small village, the first to be settled on the island.

From Somesville continue south on Route 102 toward Southwest Harbor. You will pass Echo Lake. I suggest you turn into the Echo Lake Entrance to the Park and take a few minutes to enjoy the sand beach at Echo Lake.

Continue south on Route 102 to Fernald Point Road (watch for the sign for The Heron House B&B). Turn left onto Fernald Point Road (if you are up for an easy 20 minute climb to the top of a mountain) and drive about 3 miles to a small dirt parking lot on the left side of the road. Park here and look for the trail head (on the right as you enter the parking lot) for the Flying Mountain Trail. This trail takes you through pine forests to the top of Flying Mountain. The trail is not difficult but there are lots of tree roots and stones to walk over so be sure you have good shoes or sneakers and watch your step. The view from the top is spectacular and well worth the time and effort. Be sure to bring your camera! Sit and enjoy the view for awhile.

After leaving Flying Mountain you will drive a short distance south on Route 102 to Southwest Harbor. This small fishing / boatbuilding village has a short main street that you may want to spend some time browsing. It is not as large as Bar Habor but has a nice variety of shops and restaurants. You are sure to find something nice to remind you of your visit to the island.

There is still more to see. Continue on through Southwest Harbor and just south of town turn left onto Route 102A toward Manset and The Seawall. Before you turn left you may want to stop at the pull-out that offers a spectacular view of Southwest Harbor. Just after Annabelle’s Seawall Restaurant and Motel is The Seawall. This natural rock wall is created by the action of the ocean waves on the rocks. This is a nice place to get out and enjoy the rocky beach and the action of the ocean as it crashes onto the rocks. You may want to go a little further down to the Seawall Picnic area which is also a nice spot to enjoy this beautiful area of the island.

A couple of miles beyond The Seawall Picnic area you will come to the Ship Harbor Nature Trail (it is after the Wonderland Trail). This short, relatively flat trail is a self-guided nature trail that takes you along a beautiful cove and out to a beautiful rocky shoreline that you will want to sit and enjoy for awhile. I have seen Bald Eagles here. Caution, do not turn your back on the ocean if there are waves of any size. Every once in awhile a wave that is much bigger than most will come along and it can surprise you if you are not looking.

By now it is getting late in the day and you may be thinking about supper. Consider the Seafood Ketch in Bass Harbor, a short distance beyond Ship Harbor. You want to try to plan your supper so you can visit the Bass Harbor Head Light around sunset. There is a short trail, at the end of the parking lot at the Bass Harbor Lighthouse that takes you down to the rocks below the Lighthouse. I love to listen to the channel marker from here. I have often see seals swim by this location. And, in the evening you are likely to see lobster boats and sailboats returning from a day on the ocean. This is a great place to end your tour.

Hard to believe it but it is March already. While a lot of businesses on Mount Desert Island and in Down East Maine will not open their doors until May or even June there is plenty of reason to visit as early as April and May. The lodging rates tend to be lower and the sunrises and sunsets are easier to see because they are still at a reasonable hour. The fishing harbors are busy and the ocean is still a little wilder than what typically occurs in the summer.

Come early and have the place to yourself. There are plenty of good places to eat and you will most likely not have to wait in line to get a table.

I happen to believe that a Maine B&Bs is are a very good way to enhance a vacation in Maine. Below I introduce you to one that has been around for a long time and is well worth considering. It has always been very nice but the new owners have brought a whole new dimension to it. They have been feature on Emeril Live. Here is their introduction to their B&B as you will find it on their web site - see link in my BLOGROLL…..

So if you like to enjoy good food as part of your experience take a close look:

“Chef Owned and Operated - Coach Stop Inn bed & breakfast, built c.1804 is Bar Harbor’s oldest inn, originally a stagecoach stop and tavern. Stepping through the front door is truly like stepping back in time to over 200 years ago when Thomas Jefferson was president. Enjoy our country setting surrounded by antique apple trees and lovely gardens.”

For other selected offerings check out www.acadiavacations.com.

For people who want to visit Maine this summer, and if they want a variety of options for lodging I suggest they obtain their reservations soon. And if they want a cottage it may already be to late. Because Mount Desert Island and the Down East region is so beautiful a lot of people come back year after year. As a result, a lot of the lodging is reserved a year in advance (many reserve before they leave each year), leaving a small number of lodgings available for first time visitors.

Let me suggest my web site (www.acadiavacations.com) where I have listed personally selected lodging for consideration.

I also invite anyone who has stayed in the Down East area of Maine to offer recommendations based on personal experience.