Acadia National Park
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On August 10, 2015, Kennedy and I visited Acadia National Park in Maine while on our Explore America East Coast Road Trip (M-E.A.E.C-15).
Maine is a beautiful state which I had visited two times before this adventure, but this was my first trip where I had the opportunity to visit Acadia National Park. For many years, I have had a crush on Maine and after visiting Acadia National Park and other places in the area, that crush has blossomed into love...or lust...or both. |
Living in Louisiana also made visiting this park more interesting, especially since I lived just outside of Lafayette, Louisiana at the time of this trip. Although Maine and Louisiana are approximately 1,500 miles apart, they do share quite a few similarities, such as:
- Acadia National Park was originally named Lafayette National Park, until its name change in 1929
- That area of Maine was inhabited by the Acadians
- Acadia Parish (same as a county) is just west of Lafayette, Louisiana
- Lafayette, Louisiana is part of an area called Acadiana
- Louisiana has a large French influence that can be tracked back to Maine
- Louisiana is known for Crawfish
- People in Maine eat large Crawfish they call Lobster
But wait, theres more! Not only does Louisiana and Acadia National Park share several connections, but Acadia National Park and myself share some too:
- My last name is Baker
- There is an island called Baker Island located in Acadia National Park
- Baker Island has a lighthouse which was established in 1828
- I love lighthouses...and 1828!
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Acadia National Park is the oldest National Park east of the Mississippi. It occupies most of Mount Desert Island and some of the smaller islands in the area. It is located just outside of Bar Harbor, which is a great little town.
It is difficult to identify which National Park is my favorite as they all offer something different and unique. Having said that, Acadia National Park ranks amongst my top picks. Some of those include: Glacier National Park, Olympic National Park, and Mesa Verde National Park. |
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Of course that is a very condensed list and truth be told, I have yet to visit a National Park and not be impressed with something there. I am very thankful for our National Park system and the foresight so many men and women had so long ago to help preserve and protect the natural beauty within America.
Like I mentioned, each National Park has something unique and something unique to Acadia National Park is the ability to observe the nations first sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, which is the highest peak on the north eastern seaboard standing 1,527 feet (465 meters) tall. This typically occurs between the months of October - March with slight time deviations to the right or left. Unfortunately, I have not experienced this, but it is on my ever growing list of things to do.
Like I mentioned, each National Park has something unique and something unique to Acadia National Park is the ability to observe the nations first sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, which is the highest peak on the north eastern seaboard standing 1,527 feet (465 meters) tall. This typically occurs between the months of October - March with slight time deviations to the right or left. Unfortunately, I have not experienced this, but it is on my ever growing list of things to do.
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We started the adventure at Beaver Dam Pond off of Park Loop Road. This is a very simple area, which is somewhat plain compared to the rest of the park. However, it did offer its own beauty because of how quiet and peaceful it was there.
We pulled into a parking spot and briefly explored the area on foot. Before moving on, I climbed atop the FJ for a picture. We had some interesting looks from people. I guess they were not used to seeing a guy standing on his vehicle. |
From there we went to Sand Beach, which was an unexpected stop. I will admit, neither one of us stayed there long. We were the only two people on the beach in boots, jeans and t-shirts. We clearly were out of place and unprepared for the beach. This was a first for us though, we normally are not the ones who are over dressed for an occasion.
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Ok, moving on from that bad joke and onto the rest of the story. We loaded up in the FJ and continued our journey, searching for our next destination, which we quickly found south of Sand Beach.
While traveling on Park Loop Road, we observed a walking path on the side of the road and decided to pull over to see where it would take us. Following the trail through the trees, it lead to a rocky area that I assume would normally be under water in high tide. |
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This place was desolate and free from the large crowds of tourists in other locations. I found this place very interesting and spent a lot of time here exploring and taking pictures. It was wet, rocky, void of color, and had a faint odor to it, but the area was infused with beauty all over.
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As we walked around, we would find small pools in the rocks that were filled with bright green Algae. In some of these pools, you could find small fish swimming around, waiting for the tide to roll back in...and no, that was not an Alabama football pun. I live in Louisiana and would become an outcast if I did such a thing.
It seemed like this area is more known by locals than tourists because its not on the map, but you can tell its visited by a lot of people. |
This was also a great area to sit and appreciate the view. Off in the distance you could see small islands and areas where large rock formations protruded up through the water. There was also plenty of birds putting on shows for us as they dipped down for food. Immediately in front of me, I watched as the water came in and broke over the rocky shore I was sitting on.
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Another thing I found fascinating was the piles of stones. These could be found in several places in this area, but most commonly the main entrance from the walking trail.
It is hard to tell in the picture, but they go all the way down to the water. Someone with a lot of time and OCD put in a great deal of work stacking those rocks. I attempted to do the same, but my rock stacking skills are apparently horrible. The only thing I was able to accomplish was cursing a lot when my stack fell over. #notarockstacker |
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From there we went to Thunder Hole, which is described as:
"a small inlet, naturally carved out of the rocks, where the waves roll into. At the end of this inlet, down low, is a small cavern where, when the rush of the wave arrives, air and water is forced out like a clap of distant thunder. Water may spout as high as 40 feet with a thunderous roar! Hence the name: Thunder Hole." -acadiamagic
"a small inlet, naturally carved out of the rocks, where the waves roll into. At the end of this inlet, down low, is a small cavern where, when the rush of the wave arrives, air and water is forced out like a clap of distant thunder. Water may spout as high as 40 feet with a thunderous roar! Hence the name: Thunder Hole." -acadiamagic
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This an awesome place and experience. We patiently waited until the tide was just right to create the thunderous noise in which its name is derived from. I was surprised just how loud it can be and judging by other peoples expressions, they were too.
This area can become very crowded, very quick and the parking lot can fill up extremely fast. That is what happens when more than 3 million people explore Acadia National Park each year! |
In my opinion, it was well worth the walk, wait, and crowds to see and hear what nature created. Down below, past the picture Gallery you will see a video of Thunder Hole. Unfortunately, due to poor sound quality on my part, you can not notice the roar of Thunder Hole that well.
After hearing the thunder roll (maybe a Garth Brooks pun), we drove to Otter Point. Just like the rest of the park, this was another amazing place. Depending on where you are, you can see part of Otter Cliffs to the north. It was very peaceful as we were really the only people here at that time.
After hearing the thunder roll (maybe a Garth Brooks pun), we drove to Otter Point. Just like the rest of the park, this was another amazing place. Depending on where you are, you can see part of Otter Cliffs to the north. It was very peaceful as we were really the only people here at that time.
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I told Kennedy, "this is where I will build my home". He was quick to burst my bubble by spouting off crap facts like:
And just like that, my dreams were shattered and I had to cancel my house warming party. |
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We walked back to the lot where the FJ was parked and pulled out the map for Acadia National Park. Daylight was beginning to slip away and we knew our time here was nearing the end. We did not know where our next and possibly final stop should be. According to the map, there was still a lot to see and we needed to narrow it down to just one thing, so we relied on the knowledge of Google.
After much deliberation, we decided our next destination on this tour would be Cadillac Mountain. Once we arrived and parked, we realized we chose wisely as this offers breath taking views of the area. The sights and sounds from this vantage point are amazing. You really get to see all the beauty Maine has to offer from here. Again, depending on the time of year, you can see the nations first sunrise, which would amplify this entire experience so much more.
After much deliberation, we decided our next destination on this tour would be Cadillac Mountain. Once we arrived and parked, we realized we chose wisely as this offers breath taking views of the area. The sights and sounds from this vantage point are amazing. You really get to see all the beauty Maine has to offer from here. Again, depending on the time of year, you can see the nations first sunrise, which would amplify this entire experience so much more.
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While walking around we located a directory that helped us identify points in the terrain. I took a picture of it on my phone and continued on with my journey. I moved further down to see the area from different perspectives and I used that picture as a reference of what I was looking at.
There is a gift shop at the top of the mountain that has souvenirs and snacks. We were going to fill up on food here, but decided to wait and get a proper Maine dinner later. I did stock up on patches though! |
Appreciating the landscape from Cadillac Mountain was a nice touch to conclude our day here at Acadia National Park. Although the park was very busy that day, it did not seem like it. Sure, parking lots were full and there were large groups in certain areas, but I did not feel overly crowded. This is far from being one of the largest National Parks in the United States in terms of its geographical footprint, but it is ranked in the top 10 most visited National Parks.
In my opinion, it does a good job managing the park size to visitor ratio and dispersing people throughout the area to help visitors have a more pleasant experience. Having said that, I have only been here once and maybe it was less crowded that day than it normally is. The only way to be certain is for me to go back several more times!
In my opinion, it does a good job managing the park size to visitor ratio and dispersing people throughout the area to help visitors have a more pleasant experience. Having said that, I have only been here once and maybe it was less crowded that day than it normally is. The only way to be certain is for me to go back several more times!
After a long day walking, climbing, and running, it was time for food. Since we were in Maine, it only made sense to get fresh lobstah and chodah (AKA, lobster and clam chowder). After leaving Acadia National Park, we cruised into Bar Harbor. We drove around the town sight seeing, commonly known as, just looking for parking. Once we parked, we walked around the area searching for a restaurant. We decided on Stewman's Lobster Pound. We were both very happy with the food and cold beer there.
Upon finishing supper, we got back on the road and drove to York, Maine. If you have not visited Acadia National Park and have the opportunity, do yourself a favor and go!
To learn more about Acadia National Park, please click here: Acadia National Park
Sources: NPS.gov | Wikipedia.org | Newengland.com
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Gallery
*Explore America East Coast Road Trip, 2015*
Video of Thunder Hole
Bourn Adventure Postcards
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Not only do we document our travels, but we also sell rad stickers, patches, and other products as a way to help others show off their adventures! Going to the mountains? We have a patch for that! Going camping? We have a sticker for that! Sun beating down on your head? You guessed it; we have a hat for that!
Since we launched our store in 2012, we have shipped products all over the United States and to more than 15 countries. We are blessed to have so many people around |
Click on the picture to see our other postcard adventure!
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the globe rocking Bourn Adventure Gear. We wanted a way to personally thank them for their order.
Our solution was to create Bourn Adventure postcards. This allowed us the opportunity to give each order a personal touch while continuing to share adventures from all over the world. We breathe new life in our postcards by periodically changing destinations and showcasing new locations. Each postcard series is assigned a number and runs for a limited time. Once that particular postcard is gone, it is done!
We selected the Acadia National Park to be featured as our BA 2019 postcard series #8 and just like the postcard before it, it was a big hit! Customers have told us of conversations generated by the postcards hanging on their refrigerator or in their office. Hearing that something so simple could spark curiosity and encourage adventure brings a smile to our faces.
To place an order and get your Bourn Adventure postcard, please visit our retail site: Bourn Adventure Gear
Our solution was to create Bourn Adventure postcards. This allowed us the opportunity to give each order a personal touch while continuing to share adventures from all over the world. We breathe new life in our postcards by periodically changing destinations and showcasing new locations. Each postcard series is assigned a number and runs for a limited time. Once that particular postcard is gone, it is done!
We selected the Acadia National Park to be featured as our BA 2019 postcard series #8 and just like the postcard before it, it was a big hit! Customers have told us of conversations generated by the postcards hanging on their refrigerator or in their office. Hearing that something so simple could spark curiosity and encourage adventure brings a smile to our faces.
To place an order and get your Bourn Adventure postcard, please visit our retail site: Bourn Adventure Gear
