Moments of calm make it enticing to ply the park waters closer to Bar Harbor/Colleen Miniuk-Sperry
Springtime finds many flocking to the warmer climates and sun, desperate to break free of winter. But put off bathing-suit season for just a while longer and head north to Maine and Acadia National Park in late April or early May to beat the summer crowds.
From Ellsworth, Maine, it's only about 20 minutes to Bar Harbor, the park's gateway town, on Route 3, the only road that connects Mount Desert Island to the mainland.
Relax and explore Bar Harbor's cultural downtown area, visit the Abbe Museum, tour the William A. Bracken art gallery, and finish by grabbing a lobster dinner on the dock at Stewman's Lobster Pound. The next day grab some maps and guidebooks at the Hull's Cove Visitor Center, just a few miles from downtown, then hop on the Park Loop Road. Take the day and explore this 27-mile drive, where you'll see Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, and Cadillac Mountain. But bundle up or bring a change of clothes in case a rogue wave drenches you at Thunder Hole. And, exercise caution on the slippery rocks, because the surging ocean has been known to carry people, and cameras, out to sea.
Rent a bike at Acadia and ride the historic carriage roads where cars are banned, though you might encounter a horse-drawn carriage. Then, spend the sunset hours high atop Cadillac Mountain via a 3.5-mile drive. You will want to stop at the Blue Hill Overlook just below the peak for the best views. Another corner of the park, the Schoodic Peninsula, has more rocky beaches but without the crowds on Mount Desert Island.
Only an hour's drive from Bar Harbor, Schoodic Point has great views of Mount Desert Island. Weather permitting, take a hike, go for a paddle, or content yourself with some climbing.
Wrap up your trip by heading north two hours to the St. Croix International Historic Site, the only international historic site in our National Park System. Here you'll find an historical and interactive trail lined with life-size bronze statues depicting the arrival of French colonists and the Passamaquoddy. It's well worth the trip.
Comments
Nice piece! Springtime is a fabulous time to enjoy Acadia. Just note that the Thunder Hole stairs and viewing platform are closed till Memorial Day for repairs (though you can still clamber about on the surrounding ledges to your heart's content) and the carriage roads will likely be closed in the next few weeks for their annual drying-out. Parts of the Loop Road are still closed to auto traffic due to the unusually snowy winter, but the length from the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to Otter Cliffs is now open to cars. Check the "park alerts" at http://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm for up-to-date closure information.
Springtime in Acadia may still feel and look like winter this year, but the peregrine falcons are already nesting and closing down some of the cliff trails, and some coastal trails are finally snow-free.
The rest of April is free entry to Acadia - you don't need to wait for National Park Week this week for that, as in other parks!
Here's a recent blog post we did on springtime in Acadia, with lists of things to do, places to stay, even before peak season. We'll be adding pages shortly for off-season lodging and restaurants in Northeast Harbor, Isle au Haut and Stonington.
http://acadiaonmymind.com/2015/03/hope-springs-eternal-for-springtime-in-acadia-national-park/
Springtime in Acadia may still feel and look like winter this year, but the peregrine falcons are already nesting and closing down some of the cliff trails, and some coastal trails are finally snow-free.
The rest of April is free entry to Acadia - you don't need to wait for National Park Week this week for that, as in other parks!
Here's a recent blog post we did on springtime in Acadia, with lists of things to do, places to stay, even before peak season. We'll be adding pages shortly for off-season lodging and restaurants in Northeast Harbor, Isle au Haut and Stonington.
http://acadiaonmymind.com/2015/03/hope-springs-eternal-for-springtime-in-acadia-national-park/
Oops! Pardon the double entry. Technical glitch! And couldn't figure out how to delete the duplicate.