A Random Collection of Travel Recs: Acadia National Park Edition
Welcome to the first post in my 'Random Collection of Travel Recs' series! These posts are loose travel guides to a general area or destination. For the past few years, my personal travel style has been pretty in the moment and primarily road trips around the United States. I'll usually do some general advance planning including a basic route with potential stops along the way and possible places to sleep (especially if I'm visiting a popular destination, such as a National Park or larger city). Beyond that, I'll do a lot of picking based on talking to locals, doing an internet search for 'best of' posts, or doing a map search of what's nearby or along my route and seeing what catches my eye. All that to say, I don't always create specific and detailed itineraries for myself, and so what I'm left with is something that looks a lot like what I'm sharing below. Though this guide might be most helpful as a resource on your own meandering road trip, I hope that anyone traveling in these areas can find a useful tip or two. So without further ado, I present to you...
A Random Collection of Travel Recommendations: Acadia National Park Edition
Acadia National Park protects a section of rocky headlands along the Northern Atlantic coastline of the United States and is one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the US. This park is huge, covering more than 38,000 acres, 60 miles of coastline, and 21 islands. If you've got a week to spend here, I'd highly recommend splitting your time between the two sides of the park. Note - This is by no means an exhaustive collection of everything there is to see and do at Acadia, only the activities I personally did. For detailed information, I encourage you to check out the National Park Service website for Acadia. - https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
DO
Scenic Drive on Park Loop Road (https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/park-loop-road.htm) - This 27-mile road is the primary scenic drive for the east side of Mount Desert Island and it provides access to many of the top attractions in this part of the park. If you're staying on this part of the island, you'll drive sections of this road multiple times to get to your desired activities. However, it's worth it to make the full loop at least once with the intention of pulling off at overlooks to take in the views. If you've got the time, I'd recommend packing snacks or a lunch and allowing at least a few hours so that you can make lots of stops, take lots of photos, and do a little exploring without feeling rushed. Note that portions of the road are one way, during peak season the road can be very congested with pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and during winter large sections of the road close entirely to vehicle traffic.
Go Swimming at Sand Beach (https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/swim-sand-beach.htm) - I swam at Sand Beach after hiking the Precipice Loop Trail and it really was a pretty perfect Acadia Day. Although, I use the word 'swim' very loosely in this context. The water was frigid, perhaps high 50s, and I went out exactly one time and submerged my body then came back up, wrapped myself in my towel, and laid on the beach in the sunshine. If you decide to take an actual swim here, be sure to monitor for any symptoms of hypothermia which are listed on signage at the beach. There is one other swimming beach in the park, Echo Lake Beach, but I didn't make it there on this trip.
Visit Jordan Pond (https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/paddle-jordan-pond.htm and https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/jordan-pond.htm) - There's always something that you come across when planning a trip that you think will be absolutely unimpressive and then totally exceeds your expectations when you actually arrive. For me on this trip, that was Jordan Pond. I had the mindset of "why spend time looking at this little pond when I can take in all of those gorgeous coastal views from the cliffs?" I'll be the first to admit - I was wrong. Jordan Pond is breathtaking and not to be missed. The water is clear and pristine, the landscape stunning, and it's the perfect place to bring a picnic and a book and just relax for awhile. While swimming and paddleboarding are not permitted at Jordan Pond due to its use as a drinking water source for Seal Harbor, you are permitted to kayak or canoe and take in the views from the water.
HIKING
Precipice Loop Trail (https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-precipice-loop.htm) - This one was tough but absolutely worth it. Lots of rock stairs and ladder climbing. The Precipice Loop Trail is 3.2 miles round trip with 1,000 feet of elevation gain in .9 miles. If you decide to do this hike, take it seriously. Bring plenty of water, some snacks, and please wear appropriate footwear. I feel like I have to emphasize this because I saw a man attempting this hike in loafers and was convinced I was going to be hearing about some tragic story by the end of the day. Additionally, do not come down on the route you went up. There's not room for that in many spots along the trail, it adds an unnecessary layer of danger to an already precarious hike, and the hikers going up will be seriously annoyed by you and not afraid to express it. Follow the instructions provided on the NPS website for explanation on the recommended route options for coming back down. A note for my fellow shorties - one section very early in the hike was particularly difficult. The spot I'm describing is when you first get into the more precarious sections along the cliff face. This spot has a high foothold (I'm about 5'1" and the foothold was around hip height for me) paired with a long arm reach. It helps to be flexible (literally - get a good stretch in before you get started). Once you get past that first spot, the rest is still challenging but not so much extra hard for us shorties. **Note that the Precipice Loop Trail is closed due to Peregrine Falcon nesting season during spring and summer. The general dates given for the closure are March 15 - August 15, give or take based on when the falcons are actually nesting.
Jordan Pond Path + The Bubbles (https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-jordan-pond-path.htm and https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-the-bubbles.htm) - I paired these two hikes as there's trail access for The Bubbles that comes off the Jordan Pond Trail. Let's start with Jordan Pond Path. The loop is 3.3 miles, flat, and relatively easy. There is a portion of it that is a narrow wooden boardwalk, but there are also portions that require climbing over some rocks and boulders. AKA, not accessible and not stroller-friendly. The Bubbles hike from the direction of Jordan Pond Path was more challenging than I expected with some sections of intense elevation gain (Again with the endless granite stairs!) but very fun if you enjoy some climbing and rock scrambles. There were some upper elementary aged kids near me on the hike who were really struggling, both with the difficulty and also with some fear. So if you've got kids, take into consideration whether or not this route is appropriate for them. Based on conversation with some folks at the summit, the route coming from the Bubbles Trailhead parking area seems like it may be a bit easier and may be more suitable for younger hikers. And again, proper footwear is key for your safety. Once you get to the top, you’ve got a great view of Jordan Pond and make sure to check out Bubble Rock while you’re up there.
FOOD
Jordan Pond House (https://www.nps.gov/places/jordan-pond-house.htm and https://jordanpondhouse.com/) - Jordan Pond house is the only dining facility located within the park, though there are several restaurants in nearby communities just outside park borders. This place is known for their popovers, but with no option to make advance reservations this year and a more than two hour wait, I passed and just bought some popover mix to bring home. Honestly, the popovers I made were fine. They were popovers. Maybe the popovers made at the restaurant would have been mind blowing? What I really wish is that they had a to-go window solely to sell popovers because I suspect that's what a majority of the people there really wanted.
Otter Creek Market (https://www.ottercreekinnmaine.com/) - This little market is just outside the Blackwoods campground and they serve up some delicious clam chowder that I would highly recommend. They do sell out, so I'd suggest grabbing some for lunch while it's still available. I purchased a cup around 3ish and got the last serving of the day. Otter Creek Market is also a general store with some basic food items, camping necessities, and beer and wine.
CAMPING
I camped at the Blackwoods Campground (https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/blackwoods-campground.htm). This campground is located on the east side of Mount Desert Island, and is close to many of the most popular sights and activities. Additionally, it is the closest campground to Bar Harbor within the park, with a less than 15-minute drive. There was potable water and flush toilets in the loop, but no showers and no hookups. Availability opens up two months in advance and, in my experience, you need to book right when the window opens otherwise it will fill up. My recommendation is to do your research in advance, pick your preferred site but have a few backup options, have your recreation.gov account created and logged in before the booking window opens, and be on the campsite that you want to book. When the booking window opens, go ahead and reserve. If it tells you that the site you picked is already reserved, move on to your back up site. It was my experience that all sites were booked for a visit in August in less than ten minutes (probably around 8 minutes if we're getting specific). However, they were booking at a reduced capacity due to COVID, so perhaps in typical years it's not quite so difficult. This is a seasonal campground. Open dates for 2021 were May 7 - October 17. My specific site was A028 and was a pretty good location. I could walk to an ocean overlook in about 5 minutes and would definitely recommend this campground if you're wanting to camp near the most popular attractions in the park and/or be closer to Bar Harbor.
ETC.
Island Explorer Bus - During peak season there is a free bus that drives around the park with pick up and drop off locations at all of the top spots. It is helpful for combating traffic congestion and great if you hate dealing with traffic or you're going somewhere that parking will definitely be tricky (like Sand Beach, for example).
The surrounding area is highly seasonal with many shops, restaurants, and attractions closing in the winter months. If you aren't visiting in peak season, confirm that what you want to do is open.
NEXT TRIP
On my next trip to Acadia, I'd love to rent a bike to explore the carriage roads. I'll also plan to camp at the Seawall Campground in order to explore other parts of the park and will definitely be hiking to the top of Mansell Mountain (for obvious reasons)! I think it would also be fun to take the ferry out to Isle Au Haut and explore some of the outer islands. As is the case with many National Parks, it's impossible to see it all in one or even two trips, so take your time and just plan to come back again in the future.
NEAR ACADIA
Precipice Coffee (www.precipicecoffee.com) - A great local coffee shop in Ellsworth, ME, that I stopped at when leaving Acadia. The cashier, who I believe was also one of the owners, was super friendly and open to chatting which is nice when you're a solo traveler. I got the drip coffee, black (as always), along with the house-made focaccia. Both were delicious and I sort of wished I had gotten an extra cup of coffee to keep me going on my long drive back to New Hampshire. Though I don't generally add flavorings to my coffee, the customer ahead of me in line ordered her drinks with some of the house made syrups and it sounded amazing. Flavors like sage, basil, maple, and more. I didn't realize until doing a little research for this post, but they are the first zero emissions coffee roaster in the state of Maine. I 100% recommend stopping here for coffee and whatever snack they're offering that day.
Unique Rock Shop (135 US Hwy. 1, Bucksport, ME 04416) - I randomly saw this rock and mineral shop on my way home from Acadia and immediately pulled in to check it out. Shops like this are one of my favorite places to stop in small towns along my journey, and Unique Rock Shop was a gem (pun totally intended). This shop was well stocked, reasonably priced, and the staff was friendly. The owner was set up outside and has amassed a wealth of knowledge over his decades in this business. He was an absolute delight to chat with about rocks and traveling as I perused the many options available for purchase.
Seal Harbor, ME - I drove through this small town as I made my way from one side of Acadia to the other. There are small local beaches along the road that are great for quiet walks away from the crowds of the park.
All right, that’s it for the Acadia National Park recommendations - at least until my next visit! Have you visited Acadia? If so, what was your favorite experience? If not, which of these recommendations looks most interesting to you? I’d love to hear, so let me know in the comments below!
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