| "In Wildness is the preservation of the earth." Henry David Thoreau  |
| Acadia National Park in the Fall |
In late September 2012, my husband and I visited Acadia
National Park. We were on a cruise and
one of the stops was Bar Harbor, Maine.
Because we were on a cruise, we only had a few hours to see the park,
and really you need more time than what we had, to see any of our national
parks. But even though it was a quick
visit, it gave us an idea of the beauty of the place. Especially since it was fall, and we got to
see some of the fall foliage.
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| Me at Acadia NP |
While Acadia National Park is open all year, the best time
to visit is from April 15 through October.
Many of the parks roads, picnic areas and campgrounds are closed during
the winter months, including Cadillac Mountain, due to weather conditions.
There are many things to do and to see while in the
park. There are numerous hiking
trails. You can rent bikes and bike the
main roads through the park. You can swim, fish or kayak. You can go horseback riding or birdwatching. There are
carriage rides available. And there is a park ranger program called "Knowing the Night" which is a ranger led night exploration for ages 8 and up. And from April
15 through October, the Island Explorer bus is free and it will take you to
many of the main tourist sights – however it does not go to Cadillac Mountain.
Acadia National Park covers much of Mount Desert Island The town of Bar Harbor is also part of Mount Desert Island.
Acadia National Park covers much of Mount Desert Island The town of Bar Harbor is also part of Mount Desert Island.
The main tourist sights are:
| Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse |
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is the only lighthouse on Mount Desert Island. Currently a private residence for the commander of the local Coast Guard unit, the lighthouse has short trails on either side that provide spectacular views. The lighthouse is located along Route 102A in Bass Harbor, on the west side of Mount Desert Island.
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| View from the top of Cadillac Mountain |
Isle au Haut or "High Island" which is the English translation is the name given by the French navigator Samuel Champlain during his
explorations of the Maine coast in 1604. About one-half of Isle au Haut is
federal park land, the other half is privately owned, with summer residents and
a year-round fishing community.
| Isle au Haut coast area |
Islesford Historical Museum - Visit the maritime past at the Islesford Historical Museum
on Little Cranberry Island. Exhibits tell the story of the Town of Cranberry
Isles and its people through ship models, dolls and toys, photographs, and tools.
Park Loop Road - The 27-mile Park Loop Road system offers outstanding views
of the park's ocean shoreline, coastal forests, and mountain silhouettes. This
historic road system is open from April 15 through November 30, weather
permitting (small portions remain open all year).
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| Sieur de Monts Spring Area |
Sieur de Monts Spring Area is the heart of the park.
Facilities include the Nature Center, the Abbe Museum, and Wild Gardens of
Acadia. Set out on one of many historic hiking trails that begin in the area.
No lodging is located within Acadia National Park, except for two campgrounds on Mount Desert Island and a small, primitive campground (reservations required) on Isle au Haut. There are many other types of accommodations in the nearby town of Bar Harbor
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| The outside dining area of Jordan Pond House |
The Jordan Pond House Restaurant, the only dining facility
in the park, serves lunch, tea, and dinner from mid-May through late October.
The restaurant is operated by the Acadia Corporation, a Maine-owned company
working with the National Park Service to provide food service and
merchandising facilities in the park.
Jordan Pond House is famous for its popovers, which are “must haves”
while in the park. We had lunch here and
I can also recommend the lobster stew which had huge chunks of lobster in it
and comes with 2 of the popovers. I
can’t say enough good things about the popovers, they were “melt in your mouth”
good.
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| Jordan Pond House Popovers and Lobster Stew |
Entrance Pass - $20 June 23-early October; $10 May 1-June 22
and early October-October 31. Good for
entrance into Acadia National Park for one vehicle for seven days, including
the date of purchase.
Individual Entrance Pass - $5 Good for entrance into Acadia National Park
for one individual (pedestrian, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.) for seven days,
including date of purchase.
We have a senior pass which you can get when you turn
62. The cost is $10 but it is good
forever, and it gets you into all the national parks, and most national
monuments and memorials.
Pets are allowed in the park but must be kept on leashes no longer than 6 feet. They are allowed in most of the park areas including trails. They can even ride the Island Explorer bus, as long as they sit in the back of the bus.
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| The schooner Margaret Todd |
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| Town of Bar Harbor |
You catch the free buses into the park at the
town green. Bus #5 will take you to the
Jordon Pond House. From there you can
take the loop bus which will take you completely around the park on the loop
road. The loop bus will not bring you
into town, so you would have to change buses to get back into Bar Harbor, which
is what we did. None of the buses will
take you to Cadillac Mountain and it is worth going up to, unless it is an
overcast day. The views from there are
spectacular. We took an hour tour
trolley from the harbor for $15. It took
us to the top of Cadillac and gave us about 20 minutes up there to walk around. If you have a car then you can drive the loop road and up to Cadillac Mountain on your own
Whatever you decide to do while visiting this area, you will
certainly enjoy the charm of Bar Harbor and the scenic beauty of Acadia
National Park.
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| The Harbor at Bar Harbor |
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