"The primeval American wildness that confronted European settlers can still be found today. Acadia National Park in Maine is the home to rocky beaches and granite cliffs that resist the Atlantic Oceans unforgiving, mechanistic pounding surf."
"Acadia is called the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast” because it protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats with high biodiversity, clean air and water, and a rich cultural heritage."
"Each year, more than 3.3 million people explore seven peaks above 1,000 feet, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads with 16 stone bridges."
In June of 2017, I was one of the 3.3 million people that traveled here to explore the beauty and enchantment that is Acadia.
When visiting a National Park, I find the best way to access the park and reach the full potential of my visit is to camp. Camping is less expensive than a hotel plus you can hike until your hearts content, with proper night gear, and easily find yourself back at your campsite when the day is complete.
We (my boyfriend Dean and I) camped at the Blackwoods Campground for 4 nights. Reservations are highly recommended at most National Parks due to the high demand. It is no fun driving for many hours only to find out that you have nowhere to sleep. If perhaps you are lucky to find an open spot, there is no guarantee for the next night. Do yourself a favor and make reservations if at all possible.
The campground was nice. Tent camping only with no RV hookups. One must remember these parks were built before "glamping" was a thing. There was a facility with flush toilets and sinks and each campsite had a fire ring. The mosquitoes were a bit annoying so a fire was welcome. What about a shower? There was a privately owned facility close to the campground which sold firewood and operated coin showers and laundry. It was kept clean, the water was hot and it was open 24 hours - one can't ask for much more when camping. Nothing beats a hot shower after a long day of hiking!
There are many trails and peaks to explore. A map is a necessary purchase in order to pick which trails are best for your level of expertise and to see which areas of the park you would care to explore. If you will be using the map all day, folding and unfolding can take a toll on the quality of the map, I suggest purchasing the National Geographic map which is tear proof and waterproof. We had to carefully tape ours with duct tape after using it for a couple days. Lesson learned: pay a couple more dollars for the nice map!
Being avid hikers in relatively good shape, we usually plan on hiking all day and into the night. We find a starting place, look for a stopping place and then connect the trails from that point. Being that many of the trails connect and intersect with each other, one can simply make a large loop and never see the same scenery twice. Having this choice is a great asset when hiking because you can seemingly double the fun!
Almost every trail in Acadia takes you up a mountain to an incredible view. The peaks are not high, compared to other peaks in the world, but still offer amazing panoramic views of the Atlantic ocean and surrounding landscapes. The Beehive Trail was one of my favorites. You are climbing a beehive shaped structure, using ladders made of rebar . If heights are not your thing, then I do not recommend this trail.
If the trail is not heading up a mountain, it is heading down to a pristine body of water. The lake pictured below is one of many located inside Acadia. Some are marked as no swimming because they are a drinking source for the local communities. However, there are others you can go swimming in and I highly recommend it. It was hot during the day and taking a dip in the inviting, cool waters offered a much needed recharge.
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If swimming in the ocean is more your thing, Acadia has an area known as Sand Beach. We heard it can get crowded and the parking area fills up early on nice days. We only hiked to it and across it to access another trail. We did not swim but it looked nice enough. The facility at Sand Beach offers a water filling station. This was much needed as we drank much more water than expected.
In my humble opinion, I feel like Acadia is an underrated Park. I follow a few pages devoted to National Parks on other social media platforms and it is rare to see others speaking of Acadia. The parks in the American West seem to garner all the attention. Don't get me wrong, the American West is beautiful and I certainly enjoyed the parks I visited. There was something special about the accessibility of the trails in Acadia coupled with the never ending views around every corner that have me eager to plan my next adventure to this spot in Maine.
Thank you for taking the time to read about my travel to Acadia National Park in Maine. Have you been or plan on going?
Source used: https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
All pictures are my own.