Road Tripping Through the Parks: Maine
Today we are road tripping through the national parks of the Pine Tree State. That’s right! We are touring through the thick forests and breezy beaches of Maine. Your best bet on starting this vacation in good fashion is by flying into Bangor International Airport and getting a rental car. Take an hour and fifteen minute drive to one of the best national parks in the entire country: Acadia National Park.
Assuming you are going on a summer visit, skip right past the Thompson Island Information Center at the entrance to Mount Desert Island and continue on to the park’s main visitor center, Hulls Cove Visitor Center. This visitor center is a bit dated and you do have to take a steep set of stairs to reach it, but it’s still well worth the visit. It will get you prepared for your next few days here. For instance, it gives you the opportunity to pick up a map of the Park Loop Road, which is your next destination. The park loop road loops around the major sights of the eastern end of Mount Desert Island. It does not cover all of Acadia National Park, but it certainly covers the most popular sections. You will pass the beautiful Sieur de Monts area where mountains rapidly descend into ponds by the roadside before heading to the most popular parking area, Sand Beach. Numerous trails including the Beehive Trail start from here, and Sand Beach is the most popular (although coldest) swimming area around. After Sand Beach you pass Thunder Hole, a rock formation carved by the ocean that causes waves to make weird and loud sounds when they come crashing in. The next stop is Blackwoods Campground, which is where you will be staying during your time here. It’s a popular campground, but the sites are large enough to make it feel like you're in the wilderness. Many trails lead right from the campground including a few that summit the park’s tallest mountain, Cadillac Mountain. Once you unpack and set up camp, continue onto the last major stop on the Park Loop Road: Jordan Pond. You could spend days exploring the Jordan Pond area as most of the recreation opportunities that the park has to offer are here. Hiking, horseback riding and biking can all be done here. Today, though, you are checking out the historic pond house. The Jordan Pond House is famous for its tea and popovers. You can get both while getting dinner here, which is much less crowded than lunch. It’s a fabulous experience.
You can begin your second day by doing one of the park’s infamous rung and ladders trails. These trails are not endurance tests but they make up for it with a thrill (or, if you are afraid of heights, scare) factor. The Precipice Trail is the best one of these as you climb up Champlain Mountain and experience expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean and Bar Harbor. To top it all off, wild blueberries grow all over the trail during the summer so you can eat as you climb up. The one problem is that this trail is such a cliffside experience that peregrine falcons tend to live here. During nesting season the trail closes. That means for most of the summer you can’t hike this trail. If that’s the case while you are here, take the short drive to the Beehive Trail. The Beehive Trail is much more popular. However, it is a shorter experience, and I still prefer the views at the Precipice Trail. It’s still well worth the hike. Your next experience of the day is back in Bar Harbor, the gateway community to Acadia National Park. Bar Harbor has multiple sea kayaking rental and tour shops. Depending on your skill grab a rental or do a tour as it's a blast. Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park have multiple smaller islands just offshore that are teeming with wildlife like seals and bald eagles. They are great places to kayak around. Just be sure to make a reservation. Even though there are multiple kayak businesses in town, it’s almost never enough to keep up with demand. Once you get back on land you can grab a late lunch or early dinner at Stewman’s Lobster Pound. Head back to camp early as you are going to have a big day three.
If you are up for the experience (and let me tell you it will be the experience of a lifetime), wake up at 3am or so and take a night hike up to Cadillac Mountain by the South Ridge Trail. It’s a hefty three mile climb up but the low alpine zone gives you expansive and moonlit views of your surroundings for most of the hike up. When you get to the top you can experience the world famous sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain, and do it knowing that the vast majority of the people there with you did not earn it like you did as they just drove up. After your early wake up call and exercise, it’s time for a quieter afternoon. So you should head to the “quiet side” of Acadia. Now that so many know about the greatness of Acadia there is really no place that isn’t crowded, but there’s certainly less crowds on the western side of the park. There are a bunch of seaside walks here, but the main highlight is the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. This is probably the most photographed location in the park so don’t forget to bring your camera. Once you’ve had your fill of the area, head back to the eastern end and enjoy lunch at Atlantic Brewing Company. They have some great barbecue offerings, and their blueberry ale is one of the best beers you will ever have. If you still have energy head towards Jordan Pond to experience the best hike in the entire park. Sargent Mountain Loop Trail isn’t as well known as the Precipice, Beehive or trails that go up Cadillac Mountain, but it contains all of the best aspects that Acadia has to offer. The trail starts off on the tame but beautiful carriage roads before it ascends into some rung and ladder sections. Once you get towards the top you are introduced to a beautiful alpine zone, and in between the two mountains that this trail crosses is an alpine pond that you can take a mid-hike swim in. It’s just a perfect hike.
On day four it’s time to say goodbye to Acadia. You are taking a two and a half hour drive to Saint Croix Island International Historic Site. The park, which has an American and Canadian side, preserves Saint Croix island, the site of a 17th century French settlement. There is no public access to the island, but you can technically get to it by sea kayak without breaking any sort of laws. You are better off just experiencing the park visitor center and interpretive trail. The trail has some interesting artwork and gives a good overview of the island’s importance. Local parks such as Devil’s Head Conservation Area offer great views of the island, and you can get a good lunch at Jo’s Diner and Pizzeria. Once you are done you’re going to have to take the two and a half hour drive to the town of Millinocket. This is where you will be spending the night.
Millinocket is the home to the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument visitor contact station. Katahdin Woods and Waters is one of our newer parks and preserves the lands surrounding Baxter State Park and Maine’s tallest mountain, Mount Katahdin. The park is pretty primitive so your best bet at experiencing the park is checking out the auto tour road. The auto tour road is all gravel and dirt so it isn’t like your typical park auto road. It’s also an hour drive away from Millinocket. The auto tour offers great views of Mount Katahdin, and you can drive on it as long as your car is safely able to. Once you’re done your trip to Maine’s national parks is wrapped up, and you can head on back to Bangor.
