Acadia's beauty

[buckwheat]

(Warning: Not strictly AT-related, but I posted to this forum because you can post photos here, whereas you cannot on the Parks, Trails and Wilderness Areas forum).

I recently spent a few days in Acadia National Park and was almost overcome at its rugged beauty. If you haven't spent any time there, you should do yourself a favor. It's quite spectacular. I spent a few days taking photographs and found that pretty much anywhere I pointed my camera there was an interesting subject.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/...17f71f7228.jpg

The Regular Clouds Rolling In - by Buckwheat

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/...d7e2fc9a26.jpg

Cloudbirth - by Buckwheat

Acadia features over 120 miles of hiking trail. At 1,530 feet ... Cadillac Mountain is the park's highest point, so the trails are very accessible yet still challenging enough to work up a sweat.

Here's a Flickr sideshow of some of the other photographs I took while I was there:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3867238...51735764/show/

Enjoy!

[fancyfeet]

Verrrry nice! What kind of a camera do you use?

[JF2CBR]

Awesome photos!!

I was there about 3 years ago and it rained for the entire time, and I still loved it!

MMMMM Lobster

[Blissful]

Should put those in a photo contest. Nice job.

[teachergal]

Awesome pics! I'm going to Acadia this summer and I'm so excited!!!! Spending a week there! :-)

[Dogwood]

Good pics. Did they get the Cliff Trl repaired and back open yet?

[buckwheat]

Verrrry nice! What kind of a camera do you use?

I took these with a Casio Exilim EX-Z150 (8.1 megapixels). I bought it at Costco.

[Puppy]

Very nice. Do they let dogs hike there ?

[buckwheat]

Very nice. Do they let dogs hike there ?

With certain limitations, yes.

Pets must be leashed and attended or otherwise physically restrained at all times. Pets are allowed in all park locations except Sand Beach, Echo Lake Beach, Isle au Haut campground, several ladder trails, public buildings, and lakes that are public drinking water supplies.

Pets are not allowed at ranger-led activities, however service dogs or sight-guiding dogs may accompany their owner to all park locations unless the area is closed to all visitors.

[buckwheat]

Good pics. Did they get the Cliff Trl repaired and back open yet?

If you mean the "Cadillac Cliff Trail" - yes. I hiked that trail and it was open.

If you mean the "Precipice Trail" - it was closed when I visited due to nesting Peregrine Falcons and is expected to be opened once the chicks leave the nest. The National Park Service has set up a viewing area with high-powered scopes in parking area on the Park Look Road nearest to the trailhead.

Six hatchlings were raised on Precipice Trail last year!

[gregor]

I've been thinking about doing Acadia for a while. Whats the best way to do it? is there a camsite thats closer to trails than others? or is it pretty spread out and you end up driving from campsite to most trailheads? Those pics are amazing. good job.

[kayak karl]

great photos. post others

[buckwheat]

... is there a campsite that's closer to trails than others? or is it pretty spread out and you end up driving from campsite to most trailheads?

Acadia National Park is contained within the island of Mount Desert Island. There are only two campsites within the park boundaries: Blackwoods Campground (on the east headlands) and Seawall Campground (on the west headland).

Only one trailhead emanates from either campground - and that is the Cadillac South Ridge Trail, which leads from Blackwoods Campground to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, clear across to the Northerly end of a road which loops around the park.

You will probably want to hike this trail, since Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the island. For almost all of the other trails, you will likely drive to the trailhead using the Park Loop Road. Don't be shy about asking around about the best way to get to a trailhead using this road - as it is one-way for much of its circuit around this huge National Park. Seek out a Ranger and get directions. I saw some frustrated hikers who were too proud to ask and ended up driving miles and miles around the park to get from one point to the other.

There's little reason to camp outside the park. Tentsites were $20 a night, about the going rate inside or outside the park (maybe even less expensive to stay inside the park).

I stayed at the Blackwoods Campground. It had excellent facilities (flush toilets, accessible fresh water, free provided pre-split firewood, recycle bins even). No showers (this discourages those who would want to live in the park), but otherwise excellent quality facilities. Just outside the campground across the street an entrepreneur offers shower facilities (not sure how cheap, I'm sure it's seasonal).

What you won't find much of is concession inside the park. There are three very small gift-shop type concessions and one restaurant that has a limited foo foo menu at horribly exorbitant prices owing to their near monopoly on the concession. (No cheeseburger on the menu, if that tells you something).

You can dart in and out of Bar Harbor five miles up the road (Route 3) for dinner. A bit pricey since it's a tourist trap, but at least you can get a cheeseburger if you want one and have $13.

[Erin]

What nice pictures! I never saw that view!
I was there in early June 2006 and it was rainy, foggy and very chilly. I saw Cadillac in the distance for about five minutes before the fog closed it off. I would love to go back there when the weather is decent.

[buckwheat]

What nice pictures! I never saw that view!
I was there in early June 2006 and it was rainy, foggy and very chilly. I saw Cadillac in the distance for about five minutes before the fog closed it off.

It's funny that you mention it, because there was a huge, huge fogbank about 2 miles offshore almost the entire time I was in the park. I remember standing on Great Head and watching pieces of it trying to blow onshore, but mostly it stayed just offshore, so I guess maybe I was lucky.

You can see the fogbank hovering just over the ocean in the background of shot (that's Great Head in the center):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3607/...bf0d9144_b.jpg

It was a beautiful day, but really almost too clear and sunny for good shots. I really prefer more cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds. They make for great drama.

Cheers,
Buckwheat

[Ridge Rat]

I usually go up there to goto otter cliffs. One of the best (oh no another outdoor sport that isnt hiking) climbing areas on the east coast IMHO. Beautiful views and lots of routes. Well worth the trek to ME. Plus Geddy's is a great bar to drink at.

[Gray Blazer]

Nice park. Caddilac Mountain is supposed to be the first place to see the sunrise in the USA.

[mudhead]

Hope you had your bell on. Had a bear cruise the yard last night.

Great Head is a fine spot to catch sunrise. Better than Cadillac, to me.

[woodsy]

Nice park. Caddilac Mountain is supposed to be the first place to see the sunrise in the USA.

Pretty exciting ride down cadillac on Mtn bike, watch out for loose gravel on those hairpin corners,

[buckwheat]

Hope you had your bell on. Had a bear cruise the yard last night.

Great Head is a fine spot to catch sunrise. Better than Cadillac, to me.

I did have my bell on.

I also was awakened three days in a row to the delighted sounds of a pack of wolves celebrating their morning kill.

Sent shivers down my spine the first time it happened. It woke me up from a sound sleep. They must have been less than a half-mile away - a pack of about 10, all barking gloriously before two or three began howling very long and loudly. Once I figured out that I wasn't being eaten, an amazing feeling of sharing it with them settled over me.

They then started about the business of divvying up the spoils, I assume, and it got quiet again.

The next night, in the space of about 1 hour, I heard two more kill celebrations. It was most amazing.

Cheers,
Buckwheat