Travel

Acadia National Park, A Great Fall Destination

When blazing red, glimmering gold, and burnt-orange leaves cover trees and crunch underfoot, Acadia National Park becomes paradise for the hard-core foliage enthusiasts and leaf-peepers seeking solitude. The park is located on Mount Desert Island, the northeast coast of US and offers great opportunities for hiking, climbing, sea road and mountain biking, kayaking, sailing, fishing, canoeing, trail running, relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Who said fall is not a great time to travel?

Acadia National Park in Fall

Acadia National Park, the first National Park created east of the Mississippi, is the only US park made up entirely of land donated to the government. The park is home to many plants and wildlife, and the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Rockefellers, Morgans, Astors, Vanderbilts and Pulitzers all flocked to Maine's Mount Desert Island to enjoy the splendours of the area for decades on end. The park is open year round giving a unique perspective season by season. Fall and spring are the favourite, but no matter what time of the year you decide to visit Acadia National Park there will be an amazing landscape just waiting for your arrival.

Acadia National Park has craggy coastlines bordering the Atlantic Ocean, salty marshes, cobble stone beaches, sprawling meadows, densely lush forest and deep valleys carved out of majestic mountain ranges. The geography of Acadia National Park is amongst the most diverse in US and just to add a bit more spice to it, no matter where you are you can still smell traces of the ocean throughout the park.

The quiet side of Acadia National Park

Eagle Lake lies entirely within the national park and has no development along its shores. The slopes of Pemetic and Cadillac mountains rise from the south end of the lake and are home to lot of ospreys that you can actually see getting into the water to catch fish. You can walk or ride your bike completely around Eagle Lake on a carriage road or you can rent and explore it from your own kayak or canoe. Fishing is allowed too but a license is required.

Acadia National Park has two primary campgrounds: Blackwoods Campground and Seawall Campground. They are located in the woods giving a rustic and outdoorsy feel and they are both within a 10 minute walk of the ocean. Camping at Acadia National Park is a great way to truly experience the park and all it has to offer, but you have to be aware of the frequent climate changes that might occur in any season. Campground facilities include comfort stations, picnic tables, fire rings, dump station, cold running water, and water faucets, seasonal showers and camping supply stores.

Completely surrounded by the park, the town of Bar Harbor, formerly called Eden, is a busy destinations with tourists. This great little town has something for everyone: hotels for most every budget, shopping, dining, museums and other educational institutions, helpful folks and small businesses.

The Precipice Cliffs of Champlain Mountain contain the best multi-pitch climbing on the island. For biking, try the Carriage Roads and the Park Loop Road.

Carriage Road leading up to Parkman Mountain, Acadia National Park

The Carriage Roads are the most popular. There are more than 45 miles of carriage roads that get off the beaten track and are splashed with the famous stone bridges of Maine that offer great opportunities for picture taking. The Carriage Roads were developed by John D. Rockefeller from 1913 to 1940 and are confined to the eastern part of the island. The surface of the road is broken rock, which means you are going to need to bring your mountain bike for these trails. Built for horse-drawn carriages, there roads are also great for hiking, jogging, walking, or horseback riding.

The Park Loop Road is exactly what it sounds like. This is the primary road built for the park that visits all the camp grounds and all the sights. This road is a great opportunity to see some different scenery around the park. There are about 25 miles of roads, making it for a great day trip.

Seawall waves, Acadia National Park

- Just To Clarify...
Reader Sherry asked some questions in her comment yesterday on the blog. Oh, and Sherry, the park we visited yesterday was a National Park, not a Provincial Park. The campsites in this particular National Park are all unserviced, but each park is different...

- Savage Oakes Winery Near Union, Maine
...

- Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Wooden walkways at Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia Plitvice Lakes National Park is a watery wonderland, one of the most popular Croatian tourist destinations and one of Europe’s best back-to-nature experiences. Part of the UNESCO World...

- 100 National Parks To Waive Entrance Fees This Weekend
More than 100 national parks all over USA are waiving entrance fees this weekend, August 14-15. The idea is to encourage people seeking affordable vacations to visit national parks and national refuges. Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain,...

- Aruba's Arikok National Park
Nature & Conservation at Arikok National ParkThe protected area of National Park Arikok was officially established in 2000. Arikok National Park is a 34 square kilometers (7907 acres) of natural area, located at the north-eastern part of Aruba which...

Travel