Day 14 Last day in Acadia

So much for my idyllic vision of Acadia as an isolated wilderness in northern Maine.  In fact, it’s a very busy place, even in the middle of September.  The brochure tells us that it is within one day’s drive of 25% of the population of North America (not just the US), and the traffic is crazy.  

Two miles up and two miles down.   

We had to get to the parking lot of our trail head fairly early in the morning to get a parking spot and saw lots of folks later in the day circling again and again to find a place.  The barber who cut my hair this morning said three million cars drive past her shop on Highway 3 every season. LL Bean funds an extensive seven route shuttle system in the park and on the island - one right to our campground. 
 

Nonetheless, we found isolation and beauty everywhere.  Monday was the day to hike the North Ridge trail to the top of Cadillac Mountain.  It was a trail rated “moderate”, but it was long and steep.  It took us two hours to hike the two miles to the top, and after a lunch break, another two hours back down again.  Beautiful views, pretty conifer forests, and the good feeling of accomplishment at the end made it all worthwhile.  

Trail is marked with blue painted slashes.   

There are many trails rated “strenuous”, but most of them include almost vertical ascents, with steel ladders and handrails driven into the granite cliffs.  Needless to say, it was early to bed that night and a good sleep under the wool blanket with the temperature down into the high forties.

Lunch at the top tasted great.   

Tuesday was the biking day.  In the 1920’s and 30’s, John D. Rockefeller Jr. took the park as his personal mission and  was instrumental in purchasing the land and developing it into what it is today.  His vision was carriage roads throughout the park, where folks could take horse drawn carriage rides almost like Central Park in NYC.

They still offer carriage rides, but the carriage roads are also used by bikers and hikers.  We rode about eight miles before lunch, and another 10 or so in the afternoon.  The roads were designed to take advantage of the natural beauty of the island, and offer great vistas of the forest and the shoreline, as well as beautiful keystone arch bridges all along the way.  We were surprised at all of the hills, so the ride was strenuous but exhilarating, and we topped it off with a stop at Jordan Pond House for tea and popovers with strawberry jam, which has been the tradition for over 100 years.

Today was laundry and grocery shopping, with a quick stop at the LL Bean outlet store in Ellsworth about 15 miles east.  Hardly worth our time with mostly clothing, some boots, and lots of water bottles. Still fun. This afternoon was highlighted by a ranger-led hike along the shoreline.  

Lobster traps were evident everywhere with their distinctive brightly colored buoys.  Apparently the lobster population is thriving - over 125 million pounds harvested last year.  The state manages the fishing with slot limits (like the MN walleye rules), and it has really paid off.  In addition, the cod population is at all-time lows because of over-fishing Baby lobsters are a cod’s favorite food.  The cold water off the Maine coast is ideal for the lobsters as well. There is some concern about a recent report that water temps in the Gulf of Maine are rising much faster than other places in the world.

Just to be sure there were some left, tonight we had a great lobster dinner at a restaurant in Bar Harbor overlooking the ocean, for an early bird special of $15.95 each.  Unfortunately, that price did not include the wine or the blueberry pie and coffee for dessert.  A great meal, and we donned our bibs and did a creditable job of getting the meat from the claws and the tail.  

Lunch and later in the day tea at Jordan Pond Tea House. 

  

Tomorrow, it’s off to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Goal: St. Andrews tomorrow night.

Random thought for the day:  Lobster is $5.95 a pound at a local grocery.