Acadia National Park

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Hello all,
I hope this finds you all well. As you have probably seen from my Instagram pictures, I am visiting Acadia National Park in Maine. I am always thankful to Teddy Roosevelt for recognizing that National Parks are a necessity not just a nice to have. I appreciate that he sought to save large tracts of land that contain amazing landscapes and fill us with wonder. For me, nature is where I find God. Nature makes me understand that I am connected to something bigger than myself and can be moved to tears at the grandeur of a particular landscape that makes me know that a higher power exists. The rocky coast of Maine has always been a favorite area of mine.

Mt. Desert Island is the area Acadia National Park resides and evidently Teddy Roosevelt had vacationed there as a child and would visit the area to hike as an adult. I love the beauty of the rocky coastline and wonderfully well maintained hiking paths throughout the park. I went up to the top of Cadillac Mountain known for being the first place that the sun touches at sunrise in the United States during certain times of the year. I enjoyed the vistas over looking the harbor.

John D Rockefeller Jr. and his family built 45 miles of carriage roads in Acadia National Park that were designated as motor free byways throughout the mountains to enjoy the natural beauty of this area. Today you can walk, ride your bicycle or take a horse drawn carriage during the good weather months and cross country skiing and limited snowmobiling in the winter time. I walked along the Parkman Mountain Carriage Road. The walk was a steady incline the whole way up the mountain but was made easy by its gentle slopes and masterful use of switchbacks. I found two waterfalls on this mountain walk.

Over the weekend on a different day, I walked around Jordan Pond. A well maintained 3.3 mile trail that hugged the pond. The first .3 of a mile was a stone dust path which then turned into a log pathway provided by the National Park Service.

After about a mile the terrain turned to big boulders for an eighth of a mile, then turning once again to a stone dust path. I was able to enjoy a loon (one of the prettiest birds I had ever seen) nesting and a green frog chilling in the sun posing for pictures. Jordan Pond also has the Jordan Pond House where the restaurant hosts high tea and they make great pop overs. The restaurant also serves a good lunches. One the last day I walked along on coast line trail to Thunderhole enjoying the ocean in all its glory. This year (2016) is the 100th anniversary of Acadia National Park. If you find yourself in New England, plan to visit Acadia National Park and all it’s beauty.

What is your favorite Acadia National Park story?

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