Two Day Getaway to Acadia National Park
Located in Bar Harbor, Maine, Acadia National Park is home to over 47,000 acres of protected land filled with 120 miles of hiking trails and a variety of wildlife. I come from a small town where hiking is limited to flat terrains that are not very strenuous and I was ready to try hiking somewhere that would be more of a challenge. Not only did Acadia provide some of the most incredible views I have ever seen, but it also introduced me to a different type of hiking, and I can not wait to go back! The following blog will cover everything I was able to fit into my two-day visit to the park. I hope this aids you on your journey to Acadia, or inspires you to go! Read until the very end to see a video explaining the entire trip :)
Day 1: Jordan Pond
Parking
After spending the night in Portland, Maine we drove 2.5 hours to the park and arrived right at noon. We parked right next to Jordan Pond (coordinates: 44.321547, -68.251892), but ended up waiting 30 minutes for a parking spot. I cannot stress this enough - get to the park early! We chose to go to one of the busier lots on our first day as a way to introduce us to the park, but the parking was crazy right around lunch time. We knew that we might encounter parking issues because we arrived at a busy time, but once we found a spot it was totally worth it! We took a quick trip to the Gift Shop to grab a trail map, and ended up purchasing the Hiking Mount Desert Island Pocket Guide for under $10 and it totally saved us from getting lost and explained what to expect at each hike.
Jordan Pond Shore Trail
We wanted to start out on an easier hike with a stunning view, so we took the shore trail around Jordan Pond. The full loop stretched out to be over three miles long and hosted boardwalk, bridges, and some climbing over rocks. This trail was definitely more family friendly and we encountered a lot more families with younger kids here as opposed to any of the other hiking spots. The first half of the trail is wide enough to go single file on each side if people are going in both directions, but the boardwalk only allows for single file in one direction. This hike branches off onto several more difficult hikes including North and South Bubble which are easily identified as the two mountains right next to each other that are visible on the Shore Trail. Keep an eye out for birds and frogs on this hike as the pond is home to many.
North + South Bubbles
After looping the Jordan Pond, we decided we were ready for a more challenging hike and went back on the Shore Trail until it branched towards North and South Bubbles. This trail can also be reached through the Bubbles Parking lot, but we decided that we would rather do part of the Shore trail again instead of moving the car in case we couldn't find a spot. This hike was ranked moderately strenuous in our pocket guide and it definitely lived up to that title! The hike is not very long, but it is a steep climb up a lot of rocks so I would recommend having your hands free to use for balance. The trails are well-marked with blue spray paint, and we were able to get to the peak by following the paint. Near the very top is the most difficult part where you have to climb up a very narrow slit in a rock, so just be aware that you may not fit comfortably if you have a huge backpack on (you may need someone to pass it up to you). The view from the very top was incredible and this hike was far less crowded than the Shore Trail. We were the only ones at the peak when we went and got to enjoy the view all by ourselves! Climbing down was less physically demanding, but we definitely had to take it slow because of how steep it was.
Acadia Gateway Motel Check-In
After our bubbles hike, we checked into our motel to break up the day. We stayed at Acadia Gateway Motel for two nights and loved it! The room was affordable and met all of our expectations. The check-in process was quick and a kind gentleman working the front desk showed us where to park and welcomed us to the motel. We even had our own porch which was a wonderful part to the motel that we didn't expect! Everything was very clean and orderly and we had no problems.
Dinner at Margaritas Mexican Restaurant
We dined at Margaritas Mexican Restaurant in Ellsworth which was a short ride away from our motel. The food was delicious and the service was great! We recommend the Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Tacos and the Quesadilla Extravaganza.
Sunset at Hadley's Point
Hadley Point was only a 15 minute ride from our motel, so we decided to visit this beautiful spot for sunset. There was plenty of parking at a gravel lot, and lots of families were at the beach enjoying the view as well. Some people even started campfires on the beach and it was overall a really relaxing environment to watch the sun set.
Ice Cream at Udder Heaven
As ice cream lovers, we just HAD to try out some of the ice cream spots in Acadia and this place did not disappoint. Udder Heaven was only 5 minutes from Hadley Point and it was a super popular spot! When we got there, there was a line wrapped around the front of the building, but the line moved quickly and we were able to get our ice cream in no time. There were a variety of flavors and specialty sundaes that looked so yummy. After ice cream we called it a night to get ready for an early wake up the next morning!
Day 2: Thompson Island, Great Head + Champlain Mountain
Thompson Island Picnic Area
We woke up at 5AM to get to Acadia bright and early before the crowds started roll in around 8AM. We decided to start at Thompson Island to see if we could see any wildlife, especially birds. We parked at the Thompson Island Picnic Area and there was only one other car there. We walked out to the picnic benches right on the water and waited patiently for some wildlife. As a photographer and birder myself, you can only imagine my excitement when I was scanning the area with my 600mm lens and I saw a bald eagle perched in the tree next to us! This moment was truly surreal as we sat back and watched the beauty of this wild bird which I have only ever seen in captivity. While sitting and watching the eagle, we also saw three Great Blue Herons flying over the water. It was truly a magical start to our morning and I would highly recommend for bird lovers to stop at this area.
Parking - Sand Beach
After Thompson Island, we drove to Sand Beach and parked at the lot right next to it (44.330185, -68.183989) which is where our car remained for the rest of the day. We had no problems with parking at 7AM but after we returned to the lot from our first hike, the parking lot and right side of the entire road was filled with cars. The parking lot is directly across from Sand Beach which was a beautiful spot for swim and beach lovers. The lot has changing rooms, public restrooms, and outdoor sinks and spray-down areas to get rid of any sand.
Ocean Drive + Thunder Hole
We started our walk on the ocean drive path which took us all the way from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs. The walk is around 1.3 miles long from one end to the other and you can see the beautiful water on your left for almost the entirety of the walk. This trail is very easy with no climbing or rocks involved, and has tons of lookout spots branching off of it. About half a mile into the ocean drive path is Thunder Hole which is a small inlet where waves crash against the rocks and cause a thundering sound! The water can slash up to 40 feet high depending on the conditions so be careful bringing your camera into the splash zone. The inlet is lined with steps to get down and is hard to miss! We walked all the way down to Otter Cliffs which provided more scenic views of the ocean lined with trees and cliffs.
Beehive Trail + The Bowl
After the Ocean Drive path, we went back to the Sand Beach lot and got ready for the Beehive Trail! We read that this hike was a more strenuous one that could require more physical work, so I decided to swap out my heavy camera bag for a more functional hiking backpack with snacks and a water. We entered the beehive trail right across from the parking lot and started our journey upwards. Unfortunately, we were stuck behind a slow-moving group of 6+ people, so we couldn't climb at the speed we wanted and had to wait at each incline for the family to make their way up the mountain. Once we got high enough to see the view I honestly didn't even mind the waiting because I was able to take in all of my surroundings. The top of beehive was 520ft in elevation and only took around 45 minutes to climb to the top. There were several ladders and bridges that were installed to help with climbing to the top. I would not recommend this hike to people who are afraid of heights or are unbalanced/not physically able for difficult hiking. To return to Sand Beach we descended using The Bowl trail which was less steep and it took us to another hike surrounding a pond which was very similar to Jordan's Pond. Once we reached The Bowl, instead of heading back to Sand Beach, we spontaneously decided to take the South Ridge Trail to reach Champlain Mountain peak.
North + South Ridge + East Face Trails
We took South Ridge trail to get to the summit of Champlain Mountain, and it was an incline extended over 2 miles - I'm not going to lie, it was exhausting! After the peak, we took North Ridge into East Face Trail which ended at Park Loop Road. We honestly should have thought our spontaneous decision to stray from The Bowl a little more as we ended up too far away from the parking lot and had to walk 2 miles along the road back to Sand Beach which I would not recommend (the roads don't have sidewalks). The entire Ridge Trail, however, was a great workout and got us to the summit of 1000ft which provided unforgettable views of the Atlantic and the islands around Acadia.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
As a last stop at Acadia, we drove to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in Ship Harbor which was around 40 minutes from Sand Beach. You could walk right up to the lighthouse from the parking lot, but the better photo spot is located off a short trail to the left of the building. A series of stairs lead to some rocks where you can climb out and take a stunning photo of the lighthouse. The rocks are surrounded by water so just be careful if you have an expensive camera!
Overall Impressions + Recommendations
Spending two days Acadia National Park was a wonderful introduction to a new level of hiking, and I would love to go back for a longer period of time where I can explore even more of the park. As a first time visitor, I definitely made some mistakes like not preparing food for lunch to bring on the hikes, assuming every parking lot has bus stops (PSA: not every parking lot has bus stops), or relying on cellular service too much, but I would love to do it all again after having learned from these mistakes!
Here are some quick tips I have for anyone looking to visit the park:
Try to arrive at the park before 8AM to avoid any parking stress and to enjoy hikes without the crowds
Purchase a trail map or familiarize yourself with the trails before you arrive at the park
Have a plan for the day to maximize your time spent, but be prepared to make adjustments if trails are too crowded, parking doesn't work out, or other external factors get in the way! It is not a bad idea to have a Plan B for each day
Don't risk losing your camera or other expensive equipment. Some hikes require free hands and a light load on your back, so plan on being able to stop at your car to drop off your valuables before going on these trails
Map out food ahead of time! Acadia does have restaurants, but popular ones like Jordan Pond's House can have waits of 1.5+ hours which may not be worth the wait for some people. Bring a cooler or plan ahead for food. It is crucial to have enough energy to spend the day out hiking
Bring more water than you think you need. You don't want to run out of water in the middle of the hike! Some parking lots like the Sand Beach and Jordan Pond Gift Shop have public restrooms and water bubblers to fill up bottles
Cell service is not guaranteed. I barely had service for most of my trip, so be sure to download anything you may need before you get to the park (including directions!). I also saw some people using walkie-talkies to communicate.
We brought a tripod from amazon which allowed us to take a bunch of photos together, and it helped us capture our trip!
Bring single bills or purchase an E-ZPass for tolls, there are a lot in Maine.
Weather can change in an instant, so try to check the forecast as frequently as you can! You may want to purchase a device like a barometer which predicts the weather based on atmospheric pressure (no service required)
Bring sunscreen and bug spray
Each part of the park has different views and trails to offer, so try to organize your visit based off of different areas so you do not have to spend a portion of the day driving
Joe's Guide to Acadia was the most helpful resource I found while looking into each trail and it helped me prepare for the trip as a visual learner!
Need a pitstop? We spent a night in Portland, ME
We had a 5 hour drive to Acadia National Park from home, so we ended up stopping in Portland, Maine for one night to break up the drive. While in Portland we ate at Flatbread Pizza which was located right on the water and it had some of the best Pizza EVER. I ordered the Cheese & Herb flatbread which was absolutely delicious. We loved this restaurant so much that we stopped at it again on the way back home! After we ate, we walked around Exchange St. which hosted a variety of unique shops and street vendors. It was a great place to visit as an in-between on our trip.
During the rest of our time in Portland, we visited Jewell Falls which was a very nice hike, but it was super buggy! We forgot to put on bug spray and ended up with a ton of mosquito bites the next day, but I was able to take some beautiful photos of the trail and water!
We also stopped at Portland Head Lighthouse in Fort Williams which is supposedly one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine. The lighthouse was beautiful and although it was foggy when we went, we were still able to admire the view and the rocks that we could climb around it!
We stayed at Motel 6 which certainly wasn't luxurious, but it did the job. The staff was friendly and the room was clean, but I couldn't help but notice the motel smelled like smoke which was not very pleasant. The motel was in a good location in Portland and allowed access to inner Portland with a quick car ride. Our stay in Portland was quick, but we were able to squeeze in some great sightseeing while we were there!
Visit Soon!
If you haven't been to Acadia yet, add it to your list of places to go. I cannot believe that it took me this long to visit the park after living in New England for 20 years, but better now than never! I hope that this blog aided you in planning your visit or you inspired you to look into going. Visit the official Acadia Website to learn more about this incredible park.
