June is the perfect time to visit Acadia National Park: the lupine are in bloom and the summer crowds have not yet arrived. (Bar Harbor has over one million visitors during the months of July and August. I can't begin to imagine what the traffic situation would be during that time.)
We started our day with a stop at the visitor center to see a short introductory movie about the establishment of this magnificent national treasure. We then took our time following the twenty-seven mile loop drive.
These top two photos were taken shortly after Sandy Beach which you are able to see in the distance.
Tip: Stop at each pull-in area and if there are any short trails, by all means check them out. These images were taken from the bottom of a very short trail which provided an awesome view. (With my foot issue, I was not able to do any hiking, but it didn't stop me from checking out the short trails. )
We were there early and with the tide being out, a stop at Thunder Hole was disappointing. Not only was it not thundering, it wasn't even whimpering. We consoled ourselves by stopping at the Jordan Pond Restaurant and having chowder and one of their famous popovers. Since it had begun to rain, we forgo following the trail down and around the pond.
This stone building was the original Jordan Pond Gate Lodge, but it is now used to provide sleeping accommodations for park workers. Also imposing were the many stone bridges on the carriage roads throughout the park.
Tip: When you visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, bring all types of outerwear. I brought a light jacket, a heavier jacket, a sweatshirt, and a rain jacket, and I was glad that I had all of them with me. The weather can be very changeable. We were only at the summit of Cadillac mountain for about twenty minutes, and let me tell you it was very cold and very windy. Look how quickly the scene changed.
One final funny note regarding jackets . . . our first night in Bar Harbor we were wearing fairly light jackets as the temperature was around 45 -50. You should have seen some people bundled up in heavy jackets, knit hats, knit scarves and mittens! They must have come from far warmer states. :-)
As always, you may click on any image for a larger view, and I encourage you to do so.
Next post: Lupines!!!
I loved the photographs of the stone bridges. What an interesting park! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI have eaten those popovers and they melt in your mouth they are so delicious. Thank you for reminding me what a beautiful area Arcadia is.
ReplyDelete