Acadia - A National Treasure
With over 46,000 acres spanning the awe-inspiring pink-granite shoreline to the highest point
on the east coast north of Brazil and with miles upon miles of pristine walking, hiking, and bicycling
trails encircling deep glacial ponds in between, Acadia National Park is a true national treasure.
When visiting Acadia you'll want to get to the shoreline and feel the ocean breeze as soon as
possible. Acadia's Sand Beach is my favorite first-stop for this reason. It's one of the first
stops along the Park Loop Road, a 20-mile road winding through the eastern half of Mount Desert
Island. (Did I mention that the heart of Acadia lies on the third largest island in the continental
United States?) The best time to start your adventure into Acadia is at daybreak, but don't get your
hopes up for watching a sunrise from Sand Beach. This graceful arc of sand is usually fogged-in. The
fog adds to the mystery of this place, and what is hidden in the distance is made up for by the morning
sounds of Acadia, from the coastal bird life to the waves crashing against the beach to the sounds of
the commercial lobster boats, hidden in the fog, slowly working their way around the rocky shoreline.
The next few miles of the Park Loop Road after leaving Sand Beach rise in elevation taking you
directly over the granite cliffs that make up Acadia's magnificent coastline. This section of the
road is one-way, making it easier for you as you find yourself stopping every 100 feet at one scenic
pullover spot after another. Each of these vistas offers a different, yet incredible panorama,
climaxing at the Otter Cliffs where the pink granite cliffs rise 100 feet above the water. A footpath
follows the Park Loop Road and many short paths shoot off of it out onto the granite cliffs where
you can easily spend hours hoping from one granite monument to nature to the next. After exploring,
simply rest and feel the ocean breeze as you watch the constantly changing light on the
cliffs of Acadia.
If you manage to break free from the ocean sights and sounds of the cliffs, the Park Loop Road
will take you around Otter Point where French explorer Samuel Champlain is said to have landed in
1604 and met the native inhabitants, the Wabanaki. The Wabanaki's name for the island was the
Pemetic, or "Sloping Land". Champlain named it l'Isles des Monts-déserts, now known as
Mount Desert Island. Before Champlain, though, French explorers had been coming to the region
itself since the 1500s. They gave the name L'Acadie to the land south of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
including what is now Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, parts of Quebec, and the
state of Maine.
If Champlain did stop at Otter Point, then his rowboat probably ran aground inside Otter Cove,
just around the point from the magnificent Otter Cliffs. Today, the Park Loop Road crosses the cove
over a narrow causeway terminated by a bridge with three Romanesque arches allowing the high tide
to flow from the mouth of the cove on you're left to an enclosed basin on your right. You probably
will not find Otter Cove highlighted in your travel book, but don't pass it by without taking a
closer look. If you're traveling by vehicle it's permissible to park in the right-side lane of
the one-way road at any point. Get out and walk the shore of Otter Cove. In addition to the
incredible views around you, look below you. This is your introduction to the countless,
multi-colored, speckled cobblestones of Acadia National Park. Be here at low tide for the
best experience, even if it means coming back later for a second visit. The floor of Otter Cove
has a gradual slope to it. Coupled with Acadia's 10-15 foot tides, at low tide you can walk
over a significant portion of this granite and shell-encrusted wonderland, even below the
bridge itself.
A short distance down the road is a much more intimate cove also composed of billions of
granite cobblestones, these egg-shaped and averaging a few inches in diameter. It's known as
Little Hunters Beach, but you will not find any sand here, only time-rounded stones that are
pilled several feet deep. You can actually hear their profound depth and resiliency by the deafening
sound of the waves crashing against them again and again. The cove starts at a tree-lined drop-off
from the road above, with the back-end of the cove around fifteen to twenty feet in elevation
higher than sea level at high tide. From the tree line to the ocean, the cove is filled with
colored cobblestones, each seemingly a different color from the next, and capped by the occasional
piece of ornamental, weathered driftwood and band of beached kelp. Little Hunters Beach must be
seen but is easy to pass by on the road if you're not careful. It's on the southern tip of the
road after you have visited Otter Cove with only a small parking space to the right side of the
road and wooden steps on the left going down to the beach.
The Park Loop Road is the most visited part of the park by far and certainly tourist-central,
but for good reason as it takes you directly to some of the most scenic areas of the park. In addition
to spots listed above, it passes by Thunder Hole and goes directly to the top of Cadillac
Mountain, the tallest mountain on the Eastern seaboard north of Brazil. To see the sights on
the Eastern shore and still miss the tourist crowd, it's best to get started early in the
morning. Even on the 4th of July it's amazing how well this strategy works.
Close to the Park Loop Road, an easy walk around the glacier-carved Jordan Pond makes for an
excellent mid-morning hike with the Jordan Pond House restaurant nearby when your appetite
takes over. The Jordon Pond House serves Maine seafaring delicacies including lobster and
crabmeat roll sandwiches, grilled Maine salmon, and lobster stew.
Later in the day it's easy to escape the other tourists in Acadia by simply hitting
the hiking trails. More rigorous hiking trails can be found on the Western side of Mount Desert
Island and can be completed in an afternoon, not to mention the biking, sea kayaking, and even
carriage rides available at various locations in the park.
Acadia is perhaps the most enchanting of America's national parks. Start at Sand Beach and then
let the sights and sounds wash you deeper into this national treasure.
Logistics
Portland, a three-hour drive to Bar Harbor, and Bangor, a one-hour drive away, are your
best options for flying into Maine.
Most visitors stay in the touristy town of Bar Harbor. It's worth a quick browse,
but I recommend staying in one of the many small motels or bed and breakfasts
in Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, or Bass Harbor. If you're on a budget,
try the Seawall Motel in Southwest Harbor.
Discover Acadia National Park: A Guide to Hiking, Biking, and Paddling
by Jerry and Marcy Monkman (Appalachian Mountain Club Books) is your best bet for
planning activities in the park. It includes a detailed, removable foldout map in the back
that covers the trails, roads, and highlights of the park.
Also check the National Park Service's Acadia website for maps and updated event information.