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Arcadia National Park - Maine

o3jeff

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Thinking about planning a vacation up there to do some hiking. Any must do things or hike recommendations?
 

kbroderick

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Thinking about planning a vacation up there to do some hiking. Any must do things or hike recommendations?

My suggestions:


  • Get to Winter Harbor and the Schoodic Peninsula to get away from the tourist-heavy scene on MDI.
  • Go at off-peak times if possible; Sand Beach is great, but the park loop road can be crowded. Visiting MDI after Labor Day is a whole different ballgame than doing it in mid-July.
  • Get up early to enjoy the sun rising over the Atlantic. If you're lucky enough to stay on the water, this is easier and the views are just incredible.
  • Enjoy some lobster.
 

bigbog

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Kbroderick is on target...off-peak is prime...but anytime in hot weather is fine....some day other than a Saturday, catching the breeze coming off the water or .....and even in(kayak)...thinking you do o3j...y/n?
Hiking boots..not to be forgotten.

$.01
 
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o3jeff

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Kbroderick is on target...off-peak is prime...but anytime in hot weather is fine....some day other than a Saturday, just to find some smooth rocks in a secluded portion of a cove(many) to catch the breeze coming off the water.....and even in(kayak)...thinking you do o3j...y/n?

$.01

No Kayak, yet... Looked into them last year but figured I don't have enough time to do all my hobbies already.
 

bigbog

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Yeah...even the beginning plastic canoes aren't cheap these days....but something on one's feet that'll give you great traction on rock is a definite :thumbup:.. Schoodic Pt ...and the whole Peninsula is ripe for hanging out on the rocks during a hot spell in summer.....and yes,(see following by D.Metsky)...two true hikes...
The area version of the Chart Room is good for prices and food...kinda quiet and if temps are ok, there are tables outside.

$.01
 
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David Metsky

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It helps to get the name right - it's Acadia. :)

If you like scrambling and steep somewhat scary pitches the Beehive and Precipice trails are the classics. They are fairly short but very steep and involve some metal steps pounded into the rock faces. Most folks who are active have no problems scrambling up the ledges but it's not for folks who are afraid of heights. You can combine them with a few other trails (no map here at work) to make a good dayhike, but they're more like half-day hikes by themselves. Try to get to the parking areas early on the weekends, they fill up. You can also do the 4 peaks hike which is a solid day hike that gets you some great views and lots of variety.

There's some great hiking on the Western Lobe of the park, much more quiet than the Bar Harbor side. And while you're there, stop in at Beal's Lobster Pound in Southwest Harbor; ain't nothing better.
 

wa-loaf

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It helps to get the name right - it's Acadia. :)

Yes, was going to say!

If you like scrambling and steep somewhat scary pitches the Beehive and Precipice trails are the classics. They are fairly short but very steep and involve some metal steps pounded into the rock faces.

If you head up early in the season the Precipice is often closed for breeding falcons.

Let me know when you are going. I can show you a few routes to avoid having to pay to drive the park road to get to Sand beach and Thunder Hole.
 

deadheadskier

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Off Island, but Cleonice in Ellsworth is a fantastic restaurant if you're looking for good eats. Better than anything on the island IMO.
 
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I spent a week out in Bass Harbor (western side) last October (and have been camping on MDI multiple times before). On non-hiking days, I would recommend getting off MDI via boat and heading (with bikes) on the state ferry to Swans Island, or taking one of the for-hire nature cruises to Frenchboro and out around the other islands. The scenery is spectacular, and the quiet of Swans Island is pretty fantastic. Being out on the water and the outer islands offers a different perspective on the area. I personally recommend bassharborcruises.com. Eli is a BH native and a great naturalist/guide.

For hiking, my favorite is the loop you can do starting from the Jordan Pond house. You go up over Sargent and Penobscot mountains, then down to the pond and past the bubbles, then over the long ridge of Pemetic mountain. A majority of this hike is above the trees. You can also bail out when you get down from Sargent, too, and just walk back along the pond.
 

Bumpsis

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Just check in with park rangers at the park visitor center and pick up the hiking and biking trail map of the park and the island ($ 4.95 in 2011). It's very deatiled and really helpful in planning your hiking/biking activities. If you're camping in one of the commercial camp grounds, I would recommend the Somes Sound campground. A bit cramped for my taste but the loaction is great, right on the western side of Somes Sound. They have kayak rentals right at the camp and they offer actually decent boats in which you can cover some good distance. Being on the western side is really much nicer.
Oh, the best T shirts are sold by the Acadia National Park (ANP) in their visitor center, in case you're into such souveniers. The best Lobster Pound that we found (most affordable) is located just a mile up the road from the Seawall Campground (ANP campground). You can get a great lobster dinner for half of what you pay in any of the local restaurants, but you have to stop in at the lobester pound and reserve it in the morning.
One last recommendation. Acadia seems to be a home to a very tasty blueberry that I have not seen anywhere else. It's really different from the typical blueberries that you find in the stores and it just tastes great. It looks darker than a typical blueberry and many people won't touch it because they don't see it as edible. I think they are out and ready to be picked in first two weeks of August. Our hikes would get frequntly delayed becuse the kids and I would just pick berries.
 

bigbog

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.....One last recommendation. Acadia seems to be a home to a very tasty blueberry that I have not seen anywhere else. It's really different from the typical blueberries that you find in the stores and it just tastes great. It looks darker than a typical blueberry and many people won't touch it because they don't see it as edible. I think they are out and ready to be picked in first two weeks of August. Our hikes would get frequntly delayed becuse the kids and I would just pick berries.

Yeah....that's what you get with something grown wild , naturally in the out-of-doors, on the bushes....the higher ground seems to produce good growing environments, from there on up into Washington Country(bigtime harvesting in early August). Seems even supermarkets up here are all filled with hot-house grown from NJ, Mexico, and other places overseas:eek: (not hitting on NJ). The good old mass-marketing, cheaper bottom-dollar. Quite a difference in taste is right. Think something about the more natural acidity in the soil adds the right stuff... Blueberry picking up here in early August is like apple picking in NYS and MA later on towards Fall(used to be Fall..lol).
 
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Skimaine

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Yes, getting a slice of wild Maine blue berry pie is a must. A scoop of Gifford's vanilla ice cream is highly recommended.
 

Bumpsis

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The woods on Mt. Desert Island also produce some really great tasting wild mushrooms if you're into this kind of thing. It is possibe, in right spots to bag a king bolete (Boletus Edilus). Nothing better than sauteing some freshly picked boletes in butter at your camp site.
 

o3jeff

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The woods on Mt. Desert Island also produce some really great tasting wild mushrooms if you're into this kind of thing. It is possibe, in right spots to bag a king bolete (Boletus Edilus). Nothing better than sauteing some freshly picked boletes in butter at your camp site.

Are there poisonous mushrooms around there too? Hate to grab the wrong ones!
 
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