French explorer Samuel de Champlain gets credit for naming I'lle des Monts Desets, or Mount Desert, (pronounced Mount de-SERT) in 1604 when he sailed by and saw the bare granite cliffs backed by mountains of lush forest descending to the Atlantic. Today the island, which is home to the nation's first national park east of the Mississippi River, Acadia National Park, is anything but deserted. Struggle through the congested roads of Bar Harbor on a hot summer day, and you'll vow to leave the car behind and enjoy the secluded parts of this coastal jewel that make it so popular. From the summit of 1,530 foot Cadillac Mountain to the small antique stores near Somes Sound, the only fijord in the United States, you'll find plenty of activities to keep you busy for weeks. Why not try a kayak trip along the protected coves just west of Bar Harbor? Maybe explore the numerous public gardens sprinkled throughout the park proper. Take a leisurely 3 mile hike around Jordan Pond, and then enjoy the beauty while dining on tea, popovers topped with strawberry jam. Explore the mansions of the wealthy from New York City and Boston, who built elegant summer palaces on the island. For more information, click here to go to the Acadia National Park website.
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Northeast Harbor's Asticou Gardens explodes with color in late spring and early summer when its many varieties of azaleas, rhododendrons and laurels burst into bloom. Asticou, originally designed by famed landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, is one of many public gardens on Mount Desert Island worth a visit if you have an interest in flowers, and even if you don't! Credit for its still being there today belongs to innkeeper Charles Savage of the Asticou Inn, who went into action raising funds to save it in 1956, when bulldozers threatened it. Make sure to see the elegant Japanese sand garden with its granite outcrops, stone lanterns, pink paths and calming pond. It's hidden off the main garden, so ask if you can't find it. |
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Acadia National Park's Loop Road offers a 20-mile capsule experience for those unable to walk or simply short on time. Much of this distance runs along the shoreline which produces some of the highest surf in the State. Otter Cliffs, a giant headland, is a primal meeting place of land and sea, colored spectacularly with the regions trademark pinkish granite. Stop at a pullout or walk the entire route on blufftop trails, and you may see a humpback whale breeching or sight an eagle crossing the bay. Don't miss Thunder Hole, particularly when the surf is thundering. |
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Jordon Pond is only several miles from the thundering Atlantic, but the tranquil lake seems like its many miles from anywhere. The full three-mile hike around the lake takes you to the foot of "The Bubbles," two unusual mountain shapes that provoke considerable geologic debate as to their origin. Several hundred feet of the trail disappear, leaving you huge granite boulders to maneuver over, and then back again to strong wooden boardwalks keeping your feet dry and the land intact. The last mile is a handicapped accessible easy stroll through a beautiful wooded area. End your hike and regain the calories lost at the Jordan Pond House, the only full-service restaurant within the park with the century-old tradition of afternoon tea, popovers and strawberry jam. |
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