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Bar Harbor, Maine
Same as it ever was
I have been going to Maine for twenty years now, although it hasn’t been every year, although sometimes I wish it was. This is the classic view of Bar Harbor from Bar Island. Champlain Mountain is on the left, while Door and Cadillac are on the right. I have hiked up all of them, even Cadillac and even though you can drive up that one anytime you want.
Speaking of hiking up Cadillac Mountain, this is the very start of the South Ridge Trail, near Blackwoods Campground off Route 3. Mountains at Acadia National Park aren’t all that high but have low tree lines, steep east west ridges and long, gradual north south ones. The South Ridge Trail is a spectacular one, and quite an achievement to hike up, although in this case, I cheated and walked down instead.
So if you have two cars and can drive up Cadillac Mountain, then leaving at the trailhead on Route 3 and the other one at the summit allows you to enjoy the South Ridge Trail with (almost) all of the uphill parts as downhill ones. The great thing too about the descent is that for a good portion, you find yourself walking into the views above the tree line, something which is kind of at your back if you decide to do things the hard way.
The mountains at Acadia are great and all, but every year, no matter what, I always make sure to walk the Ocean Path from Sand Beach to Otter Point and back. My favorite part is the last half, from right before Otter Cliffs to Otter Point. It’s less busy, a little farther from the Park Loop Road (except for the section at Otter Cliffs) and almost every part of it feels perfect.
And speaking of perfect, we’re going to end the Maine pictures and this slideshow with one of my favorite pictures ever. This is the Asticou Azalea Gardens, on a perfect foggy Maine day, exactly how I always remember it.
