Little Help with Acadia Trail Rec

[BISCUT]

Headed to Acadia at the end of August for a few days. First day arrival should be around noon. 7 and half hour drive for me. Set up camp (staying at ocean side KOA tent site); lobster, clam, muscle, corn, chicken apple sausage clam bake time. Bottle Chianti and sunset at Cadillac Mt if mother nature provides!

Looking for some suggestions for day 2. I am hopeful for an early am hike time and location to hit a sunrise at summit. Looking for suggestions on this! After this hike it will be the Precipice (highly probable closed due to the falcons but....I'll call and find out) or the shorter Beehive and a must do swim at Sand Beach. Not that the time in the water will be more than a few minutes. Doubt I have 10 minutes in me at that water temp. Then some relaxing discovery on the park loop road.

While looking to stay on the eastern side of the Island I'm wide open to suggestions anyone might have.

Thanks for the help!

 

[jfb]

You could consider renting a bike and riding along the carriage trails in the park.

 

[ChrisB]

...While looking to stay on the eastern side of the Island I'm wide open to suggestions anyone might have.

Thanks for the help!

No cruise ships in Bar Harbor this summer. Very good.

I've bicycled and run up the Cadillac road at various times over the years. Might be a nice early AM experience.

Popovers at Jordan Pond can be fun.

Swing by AMC Echo Lake camp for a warmer swimming experience after Sand Beach.

 

[BISCUT]

You could consider renting a bike and riding along the carriage trails in the park.

No bikes for this quick trip. Have been Mt biking a lot in NE Kingdom.

 

[BISCUT]

Hitting Cadillac Mt for a sunset day 1 so don't want to do that early am day 2.

Lake sounds good but I remember leeches last time I was there....maybe different now?

 

[jfb]

No bikes for this quick trip. Have been Mt biking a lot in NE Kingdom.

If you do a little research, you'll find that the carriage roads at Acadia are something very special. It's a national park for a reason.

 

[BISCUT]

If you do a little research, you'll find that the carriage roads at Acadia are something very special. It's a national park for a reason.

No need for research. I've been on many of them in past trips to Acadia. I agree with you but the bikes are staying home for this trip.

 

[jfb]

Rock climbing at Otter Cliffs would be enjoyable, if the weather cooperates. Easy access for top roping.

 

[BISCUT]

I appreciate the responses but I'm asking about a possible sunrise hike....times to hit the summit in time for a sunrise. Anyone know of one to recommend?

 

[jfb]

Right near Sand Beach: https://acadiamagic.com/great-head-trail.html

Gorham Mountain: https://peakery.com/gorham-mountain-maine/, https://www.citrusmilo.com/acadiaguide/gorhammountain.php

 

[BISCUT]

Right near Sand Beach: https://acadiamagic.com/great-head-trail.html

Gorham Mountain: https://peakery.com/gorham-mountain-maine/, https://www.citrusmilo.com/acadiaguide/gorhammountain.php

Thanks jfb. That looks like a really good idea. Sandy Beach at sunrise, early start on the Beehive and link it to Gorham Mt trail to the park loop road by Thunder Hole. Slow walk exploring everything back to the car at Sandy Beach. Catch a sunset at Bass Harbor later in the evening. Sounds like a good day to me! This one is on the list of potentials.

 

[CaptCaper]

Headed to Acadia at the end of August for a few days. First day arrival should be around noon. 7 and half hour drive for me. Set up camp (staying at ocean side KOA tent site); lobster, clam, muscle, corn, chicken apple sausage clam bake time. Bottle Chianti and sunset at Cadillac Mt if mother nature provides!

Looking for some suggestions for day 2. I am hopeful for an early am hike time and location to hit a sunrise at summit. Looking for suggestions on this! After this hike it will be the Precipice (highly probable closed due to the falcons but....I'll call and find out) or the shorter Beehive and a must do swim at Sand Beach. Not that the time in the water will be more than a few minutes. Doubt I have 10 minutes in me at that water temp. Then some relaxing discovery on the park loop road.

While looking to stay on the eastern side of the Island I'm wide open to suggestions anyone might have.

Thanks for the help!

We stayed many times at Blackwoods campground. From near the checkin booth we've picked up the trail that takes you over to the beehive then on to camplain,etc. parking on rt 3 at blackwoods entrance and walking down to trailhead is one way or the shuttle to blackwoods. That's a relaxing quiet trail for a while until near beehive. From rt3 and blackwoods entrance the you can take s.cadillac trail to eagle craig and to cadillac . you probably already know that. We've also had a good hikes going up to bubble mt then over to north bubble. scrambling up the side of bubble is fun. Mt Dorr is a good hike up the side with the laddlers.

 

[chipc]

Beat me to the punch with Gorham for the sunrise. (Dorr would also be good as noted.) You might also look into Great Head from other side of Sand Beach and while little more intricate to get to, Cedar Swamp Mt (about 2 miles up the Sargent South Ridge) is open and less busy.

 

[Kyle D]

Jordan Pond area is well worth the visit. I highly recommend making a loop over Sargent and Penobscot Mountains and around Jordan Pond. A 5ish mile loop makes a great half-day hike.

 

[JustJoe]

You should be good with the Precipice. Trails closed due to the Peregrines is March 15 -August 15. Gorham would be a great peak but being so easy, I'd imagine it thought of by many for a sunrise hike. I'd say Champlain but you'd be hitting that when you do the Precipice. Depending on how early you want to start, Dorr would be a good one. Most anything east of that other than Cadillac will be blocked by both Cadillac and Dorr.

 

[BISCUT]

You should be good with the Precipice. Trails closed due to the Peregrines is March 15 -August 15. Gorham would be a great peak but being so easy, I'd imagine it thought of by many for a sunrise hike. I'd say Champlain but you'd be hitting that when you do the Precipice. Depending on how early you want to start, Dorr would be a good one. Most anything east of that other than Cadillac will be blocked by both Cadillac and Dorr.

Thank you Sir!

 

[JustJoe]

Thank you Sir!

Change what I said to "Most anything west". I'm compass dyslexic.

 

[BISCUT]

Change what I said to "Most anything west". I'm compass dyslexic.

Looking at the map I got what you were saying. Good advice. TX

 

[BISCUT]

Returned home from a few days at Acadia. We were blessed with great weather and a long but really easy ride from NY to ME as well as the ride home. What is a 7hr ride ended up 6hr 20 min. Even hit Freeport for an early dinner at Jameson Tavern (one of my all time favorites) on the ride home.

It was my girlfriend's first time in ME so we did Beehive to Gorham Mt summit to Park Loop Road the first day. Did Great Head loop and enjoyed some time at sand beach. Hit Seal Harbor and Cadillac Mt Trails. Drove back up to Cadillac Mt. for sunset time. Always a great view.

I was really surprised by the large number of MA plates. From what I read I thought it was 14 day quarantine for MA. Lots of NY too. I did read NY was not on the 14 day quarantine list. It was really nice to have some really good food in Bar Harbor. Glad they had restaurants open inside and outside; whatever you're comfort level was/is. Happy to say my first Lobsta bake in over a decade came out excellent!

The KOA campground on the ocean is excellent and very clean.

 

[psmart]

Gorham Mountain is a good choice for a sunrise walk. Also consider Beech Mountain. You can go half way up the fire tower for a slightly better view. You'll be watching the sun rise above the eastern half of the island, but it's still a good vantage point that is lightly used by sunrise watchers.