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Log inHike Acadia in spring, avoid the crowds
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Hike Acadia in spring, avoid the crowds
by Outspoken on Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:17 pm
Hike Acadia in spring, avoid the crowds
By CAREY KISH
Portland Press Herald
Make a springtime visit to Acadia National Park, and there's a good chance you'll have your favorite trail pretty much to yourself (and maybe a hiking friend or two, of course). It's a fine time to wander about the peaks of pink granite and gnarled pitch pines, saunter through spruce-scented forests beside streams rushing with spring run-off, and scramble on cliff edges above the heaving blue ocean.
The Hulls Cove Visitor Center and the entire Park Loop Road open April 15, signaling the start of the visitor season, but the heavy-duty crowds are still several months off yet, according to Heidi Shingleton, Outdoor Goods Buyer for Cadillac Mountain Sports in Bar Harbor.
"Acadia trails are normally heavily traveled, but in springtime before Memorial Day you might not see another person," said Shingleton, "You can be alone, find solitude and hike the best of the trails with no one else around."
BEAUTIFUL TIME TO VISIT
Spring in Acadia can mean wet trails, even some lingering ice and snow, but well-prepared with good boots you can access the majority of trails, notes Shingleton. There's a lot of animal activity happening now, and hikers who make the effort (quietly!) may be rewarded with a glimpse of deer, otters, beavers, birds.
"It's an absolutely beautiful time to be here," said Shingleton, who spends a good deal of her free time recreating in the park.
There are 125 miles of hiking trails in Acadia, so Shingleton was kind enough to winnow down the myriad of choices and recommend a short list of hikes to get you going. I've been on all of them and found each most rewarding. I'm figuring you will, too.
An easy walk high in scenic value is the Ocean Path. Begin from the parking lot at Sand Beach and stroll south on the wide gravel path hugging the shoreline. There's plenty for hikers of all ages and abilities to enjoy as you walk past Newport Cove, Thunder Hole and Monument Cove. Have a good sit-down at precipitous Otter Cliffs, listen to the crashing waves, breath deep the salt air, and marvel at the incredible beauty that is our Acadia.
The Gorge Path is a moderate hike of 3 to 5 miles depending on route choice. Start up along tumbling Kebo Brook and its many waterfalls. At the impressive notch between the steep walls of Cadillac and Dorr Mountains you can make for either of the peaks, with loop options back to the car. Or venture south to enjoy the cascades along the A. Murray Young Path before retracing your steps.
For a strenuous six-miler, take the Park Loop Road to the Jordan Pond House. Head out for Penobscot Mountain via Jordan Cliffs, an airy path with sweet views north to The Bubbles. Continue on to tiny Sargent Mountain Pond and ahead to the broad summit of Sargent Mountain. Go easy on the return by descending the Deer Brook Trail to Jordan Pond and follow either scenic shore back.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=180987&ac=Outdoors
Photo courtesy Carey Kish
By CAREY KISH
Portland Press Herald
Make a springtime visit to Acadia National Park, and there's a good chance you'll have your favorite trail pretty much to yourself (and maybe a hiking friend or two, of course). It's a fine time to wander about the peaks of pink granite and gnarled pitch pines, saunter through spruce-scented forests beside streams rushing with spring run-off, and scramble on cliff edges above the heaving blue ocean.
The Hulls Cove Visitor Center and the entire Park Loop Road open April 15, signaling the start of the visitor season, but the heavy-duty crowds are still several months off yet, according to Heidi Shingleton, Outdoor Goods Buyer for Cadillac Mountain Sports in Bar Harbor.
"Acadia trails are normally heavily traveled, but in springtime before Memorial Day you might not see another person," said Shingleton, "You can be alone, find solitude and hike the best of the trails with no one else around."
BEAUTIFUL TIME TO VISIT
Spring in Acadia can mean wet trails, even some lingering ice and snow, but well-prepared with good boots you can access the majority of trails, notes Shingleton. There's a lot of animal activity happening now, and hikers who make the effort (quietly!) may be rewarded with a glimpse of deer, otters, beavers, birds.
"It's an absolutely beautiful time to be here," said Shingleton, who spends a good deal of her free time recreating in the park.
There are 125 miles of hiking trails in Acadia, so Shingleton was kind enough to winnow down the myriad of choices and recommend a short list of hikes to get you going. I've been on all of them and found each most rewarding. I'm figuring you will, too.
An easy walk high in scenic value is the Ocean Path. Begin from the parking lot at Sand Beach and stroll south on the wide gravel path hugging the shoreline. There's plenty for hikers of all ages and abilities to enjoy as you walk past Newport Cove, Thunder Hole and Monument Cove. Have a good sit-down at precipitous Otter Cliffs, listen to the crashing waves, breath deep the salt air, and marvel at the incredible beauty that is our Acadia.
The Gorge Path is a moderate hike of 3 to 5 miles depending on route choice. Start up along tumbling Kebo Brook and its many waterfalls. At the impressive notch between the steep walls of Cadillac and Dorr Mountains you can make for either of the peaks, with loop options back to the car. Or venture south to enjoy the cascades along the A. Murray Young Path before retracing your steps.
For a strenuous six-miler, take the Park Loop Road to the Jordan Pond House. Head out for Penobscot Mountain via Jordan Cliffs, an airy path with sweet views north to The Bubbles. Continue on to tiny Sargent Mountain Pond and ahead to the broad summit of Sargent Mountain. Go easy on the return by descending the Deer Brook Trail to Jordan Pond and follow either scenic shore back.
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=180987&ac=Outdoors
Photo courtesy Carey Kish
"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."
Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
