We have been to Mount Desert Island once before, where Acadia National Park is located, and experienced one of the most robust fall foliage displays I can ever remember. We also took advantage of every opportunity to dig into lobster during that brief visit. So, even though the season was different (and promised annoying bug life), we were looking forward to revisiting the only National Park in the Northeast of the United States.
Our first stop on this tour of the Northeast was in Portsmouth, and we then journeyed through Rockland and Camden on our way to Acadia. I must admit to some disappointment that neither of those stops met expectations as we were looking for opportunities to explore picturesque, harbor front villages. I will, however, put in a plug for a stopover in Rockland to visit the Project Puffin Visitor Center which, albeit small, was very interesting, and to enjoy a light lunch of fresh oysters at the North Beacon Oyster Bar. The wine list there was very compelling and the oysters were very fresh and plump with sea water. A stop at Camden harbor is good for a few good photos, but it will not take long.
We decided to save some money on hotel accommodation by staying in Ellsworth and driving onto Mount Desert Island during our two-night stay. I wouldn’t say it was a bad decision, but the better restaurants were definitely in the vicinity of Acadia and Bar Harbor. On day one, which was a Sunday, we followed the Park Loop Road to get first impressions and wound up in Bar Harbor for a late lunch. We found the peel and eat shrimp and fish and chips at Stewman’s Lobster Pound on the waterfront to be reasonably priced given the premium location with fantastic water views.
We then carried on to cherry pick some hiking trails with that we had identified during our Park Loop Road circuit. The waterfront trail that parallels the Park Loop Road between Thunder Hole and Gorham Mountain Trailhead is absolutely breathtaking, made more enjoyable by bluebird skies, pleasant temps and a slight breeze (which keeps away the bugs). The combination of evergreens, open water and big blue sky reminded us of the views from the Sea to Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler.
There are so many interesting hiking options in Acadia National Park, many of which parallel water that holds trout, both stocked specimens and native brookies. I am always thankful for my wife’s agreement to allow for some of our expeditions to be a combination of the two. In Acadia, Hunter’s Brook provided the best option for this prospect, both at the Hunter’s Brook trailhead, as well as at the Harbor Brook Trail near Hunter’s Beach Cove.
On that Sunday, we extended our day to early evening. As it was pre-season, many of the lobster pounds we had identified near Mount Desert Island were closing at 8pm. Thankfully, we found one on the road back to Ellsworth that remained open until 9pm, probably because it is located directly across the road from a campground. Well, the Bar Harbor Lobster Pond (which is actually 5 miles from Bar Harbor) was a terrific option with a very accommodating outdoor dining area and great grab and go service.
On our next day in Acadia, we continued the hiking theme, venturing further south and west to Ship Harbor trail near to Bass Harbor and the Seawall Campground. This is a figure-eight trail covering 1.3 miles through spruce woods with views to the bay and the cove. It is a very agreeable hike suitable for families and beginners.
The timing of our visit, which occurred just after Memorial Day, was perfect. The tourist season had not yet started in earnest and the temperatures were comfortable. A breeze kept the insects from being too annoying, but we still applied bug spray and had head nets available. Be sure to stop at either the Hulls Cove Visitor Center or the Park Headquarters as there is an entry fee to visit Acadia. Entry is free if you can provide evidence of an America the Beautiful annual pass from the U.S. National Park Service.
Note: I am not being compensated for my mention of the various business in this post. I am simply a happy customer!
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