Acadia National Park (ME), August 10-14

Schoodic Point at low tide

My first excursion at Acadia National Park was to Schoodic Peninsula, a separate piece of land from the main Bar Harbor area.  A friend gave me a heads up that this is a not-to-miss place, albeit off the beaten path.  And she was absolutely right!

Schoodic Point at high tide

I loved the beauty of the drive and the roughness of the place, where sea meets granite, where waves crash and lobster boats bring in their day's catch.  It was low tide at my first visit, and high tide the second time around.

Drive with gnarled tree on
the Schoodic Peninsula

For my first evening I made it to Bar Harbor and a bit beyond, staying the night at the park's Blackwoods Campground.  The next day I began to explore the main part of the park, lighthouses, bays full of boats, and a sunset at the natural seawall.  In fact, the next few days I camped at the Seawall Campground in a lesser visited portion of the park.

Lobster boat off the
Schoodic Peninsula

One morning I got up early and went on a ranger-led birding hike where we spied grosbeaks, finches, chickadees, hawks, cormorants, and many others.  Another morning, I got to the popular Sand Beach before the crowds and enjoyed some unexpected solitude as the tide was going out.  That same day I spent a couple of hours at Thunder Hole, where the rising tide can make a thunderous noise in an air pocket in the rocks.  Unfortunately, the seas were too calm that day, but I enjoyed people watching all the same.

Sunset at the
Natural Seawall

One evening's ranger-led star program on Sand Beach corresponded with the Perseid Meteor Shower ... what a spectacular show those falling stars put on for us as we laid on our backs in the sand ... better than the 4th of July!  And on another night, I watched the sunset from on top of Cadillac Mountain.

Sunset from the top of
Cadillac Mountain

During the days, I explored the many scenic drives and back roads ... taking little hikes, or just lazing around, watching the lobster boats. I even went to town and had a lobster dinner one evening at one of the many roadside stands.  On my last full day in the park, I treated myself to a carriage ride.  John D. Rockefeller, Jr. built wonderful gravel roads for horse drawn carriages.  He wanted visitors to enjoy a slower pace within park.

Noontime view from the top of
Cadillac Mountain

Later on that same day, I took myself out to Jordan's Pond for tea and popovers, a local tradition.  It was lunch time, so I added a cup of lobster stew.  There I was, sitting at a table under an umbrella overlooking Jordan's Pond, ordering, being served, indulging in rich-tasting food.  I felt like a silly, eccentric old lady sitting at a table all by myself ... enjoying every minute and every bite!

Early morning solitude at
Sand Beach

My foot prints at
Sand Beach

Jordan's Pond with the
"Bubbles" in the background

Just seated for tea and popovers
at Jordan's Pond ... a local tradition

Getting ready for a
carriage ride

On one of the many
carriage roads in the park

Fine stone work and bridges
designed and funded by
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. for
the carriage roads

Thunder Hole
No thunder today, but
good for people watching

originally posted 9/15/10