Category: lake

Pemetic Mountain – Acadia National Park (ME)

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Special: Acadia Edition

This 2.9 mile segment hike starts from Bubble Pond, crosses Pemetic Mountain and comes out at Jordan Pond. You will either need access to two cars or the free Island Explorer Shuttle Bus.

Adam on the Pemetic Summit
Adam enjoys views from the Pemetic summit. Below: Christine climbs steeply up the trail; Views of Eagle Lake in the morning clouds; Adam walks across Pemetic in the direction of Jordan Pond; Jordan Pond.

Uphill Climb Foggy View of Eagle Lake
Adam Hiking Down Jordan Pond

Adam Says…

We had hiked up Pemetic Mountain as an out-and-back on previous trips up to Acadia National Park, but we decided that we wanted to try a different route this time to incorporate both sides of the mountain.

We started from the Bubble Pond parking lot early in the morning.  This lot has space for about 20 cars.  If you’ve been to Acadia before, you will know that there will be a lot more traffic than what this lot can accommodate.  The proximity to the carriage roads makes this a popular spot for cyclists to park.  By 10 a.m. this lot will likely be full and you will have to park elsewhere.

From the parking lot, we walked, taking a left, over the Bubble Pond bridge and down the carriage road.  Within about 200 feet you will see a sign for the trailhead to Pemetic Mountain.  The trail starts off with a steep grade through the deep woods, climbing up through exposed roots and rocky surfaces.  The rain had come down heavily the night before, so this made for some slippery footing.  After about .8 miles, the trail began to open up to a nice viewpoint where you could see across to Cadillac Mountain and down to the southern edge of Bubble Pond.  The trail begins to open up at this point as you will continue to rise until you climb above the treeline at the one mile marker.  In 1.2 miles, you reach the summit post of Pemetic Mountain, giving you panoramic views of the mountains, lakes, and ponds around you.

Bubble Pond Bridge
The Bubble Pond Bridge. Below: Bubble Creek was flowing heavily due to the previous day’s flooding rains; The first part of the hike is along the carriage trail;  The trailhead marker; Adam climbs over rocky terrain.

Bubble Creek Carriage Road to Trailhead  Trailhead Marker Rocky and Rooty Trail

From the summit, we decided to take a different path down and went down the South Pemetic Mountain Trail (you can also take the Northwest Pemetic Mountain Trail to form around a 4 mile loop with the Carry Loop).  This led across the open granite face of the mountain and we followed cairns along the way to ensure we were going the correct way.  The views on the way down this way were also spectacular.  At the edge of the exposed mountaintop, we reached a junction with other trails around the 2 mile marker.  We headed to the right towards the junction with the pond trail.  This put us back below treeline down a steep decline that was slicker than the way we went up.  We were both glad we brought our trekking poles to balance us on the wet granite trail.  At 2.4 miles, we reached the junction with the Pond Trail.  We took a right on this which descended until leveling out.  We crossed a small rockway bridge which took us right to the Jordan Pond House.

Lush Forest
The woods were beautiful. Below: Steep climbing; Tricky and complicated footing; The higher we climbed, the foggier it became.

Adam Climbing Complicated Footing Into the Fog

We went to the front of the house and caught one of the Island Explorer buses waiting out front which carried us straight back to the Bubble Pond parking lot and our vehicle.

Usually I am a little skeptical about bus systems and how convenient they are to use, but the Island Explorer system in Acadia won us both over for convenience and ease of use.  We used them earlier in the week to rent bikes and ride along the carriage roads.  They had a few bike shuttles running in the morning from the center of Bar Harbor.  We just lined up and we only had to wait about 15 minutes before the bus came to load up our bikes and took us to Eagle Lake.  I brought a bus schedule with me on this hike and there were buses coming by the Jordan Pond House about every 20 minutes that could take you back to Bubble Pond.    And if you start your hike early enough, you can be back at Jordan Pond to enjoy a nice lunch with popovers outside with your view of Jordan Pond and The Bubbles.  There is not much of a better reward for a great hike than that.

While we were relaxing at the top of Pemetic Mountain, Christine and I were ranking our favorite hikes in Acadia.  Over the years, we have done most of the hikes up here and there are so many great trails here.  But after much pondering, here is how I would rank my favorites:

  1. Cadillac Mountain South Ridge
  2. Penobscot Mountain/Sargent Mountain Loop
  3. Gorham Mountain
  4. Cadillac Mountain North Ridge to Dorr Mountain Loop
  5. Pemetic Mountain

Christine Says…

Before I share my thoughts about the Pemetic hike, I wanted to talk a little about the impact of inclement weather when hiking in Acadia.  Some years, we head to Acadia and have a full week of bluebird skies and seventy-degree days.  Those years are always glorious and memorable. Other years, the island seems to stay trapped under a stationary area of low pressure – with ongoing rain, fog and humidity. 2012 happened to be one of those years.  We had a few nice (though still hot and muggy) days, but more days ended up foggy and rainy.

Normally, if it rains on a hiking trip, you throw on your rain gear and press on.  However, with all the slick, exposed granite in Acadia, it can be a dangerous place to hike when it’s been raining. Evidently, the summer of 2012 was quite rainy and a very bad summer for hiker injuries in the park.  In the several weeks before we arrived, a man slipped, fell and broke his leg on Dorr Mountain, another woman slipped and seriously injured her back on Gorham Mountain, and sadly another young woman (an experienced hiker) slipped and fell to her death on the Precipice Trail.  Hiking in wet, rainy conditions is not something to be taken lightly on Acadia’s unforgiving terrain. If it’s raining, and you still want to hike, try the Carriage Roads instead.  They’re lovely and always safely passable.

Pemetic Summit
The Pemetic Summit.  Below: Adam climbs over granite as we approach the summit; A foggy view of Bubble Pond; A view of Jordan Pond from the summit; Adam enjoys the view.

Nearing the Pemetic Summit  Foggy View of Bubble Pond
Jordan Pond from Pemetic  Flat Granite on Pemetic Summit

The day before we hiked Pemetic, Mount Desert Island and Acadia received a lashing of bad weather. Streets flooded, ponds jumped their banks, and waterfalls poured off the mountainsides in places where there normally isn’t any running water. The rain lasted most of the day before finally slowing to a drizzle in the evening hours. In the morning, it was still wet and foggy, but the forecast called for the clouds clear off by mid-morning. It was our last day of vacation, so we wanted to get out there and do one last hike, even if it meant slogging through a bit of mud and taking our time to be careful on slippery terrain.

We decided to climb Pemetic Mountain, which is tucked into the space between Bubble Pond and Jordan Pond. We’ve hiked it before. I remembered it being steep, and covered with a tangle of roots and loose rock. I took a hard fall there a few years ago. I slipped on a layer of wet pine needles on granite and fell about ten feet onto a dead, and very spiky, spruce. One of the broken limbs stabbed through my shirt, into my back and left a puncture wound with a large surrounding bruise. Ouch!

Needless to say, we took great care climbing up this time, choosing our steps wisely and making sure footholds were secure. I remembered the trail being much tougher and steeper than it was, but I’m in better shape now than I was a few years ago. The wooded part of Pemetic is stunningly beautiful – lush and green. There are evergreens all up the mountainside, with their tall straight trunks leading to an umbrella-like canopy of green. The forest floor is colored in a patchy pattern of soft-red of pine needles and vivid green moss.

The Bubbles
A view of the Bubbles across Jordan Pond. Below: The trail downhill went through forest; The Island Explorer Bus.

Adam Hiking Down Island Explorer Bus

As we climbed, the woods became increasingly foggy. It was beautiful in a quiet, mysterious kind of way, but I worried that we would miss out on any views from the top. The first viewpoint we came to was at a small outcropping overlooking Bubble Pond. Banks of fog moved across the opening, sometimes we could see the pond and sometimes we could not. We took a short break for water and continued toward the summit. For a short stretch after the view, the trail dipped back into the forest until finally stepping out onto open granite for the final push to the summit. At the summit, we ended up having a decent view of Jordan Pond and Frenchman Bay beyond. There was still a lot of blowing fog and low clouds, but the openings between them were generous enough to make the view worthwhile.

We chatted with a few other hikers at the summit about different hikes on the island, enjoyed the views, and ate some trail mix. We took photos at the summit marker, looked for hikers across the way on Penobscot and Sargent, and then made our way down the opposite side of Pemetic. The granite dome of the mountain was impressive on the downhill hike – smooth and expansive, offering more views of the offshore islands. Eventually, we ended up back in thick, evergreen forest for the steepest part of our downhill climb.

At the base of the mountain we met the Pond Trail which took us slightly around Jordan Pond and then back to the Jordan Pond House. We contemplated getting popovers a la mode, but Adam really wanted to head back into town for lunch. We ended finishing our hike at just the right time! An Island Explorer Bus headed toward Bubble Pond was waiting for us to hop right on. It was such an easy way to hike Pemetic without doing one trail as an out and back.

By the time we finished hiking, every trace of clouds and fog had cleared off!  After lunch, we actually did a second hike – Gorham Mountain, which is one of our perennial favorites!

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 2.9  miles (makes use of the Island Explorer Shuttle)
    (Check out the stats from MapMyHike)*
  • Elevation Change – About 950 feet
  • Difficulty – 2.5 The hike up and down Pemetic Mountain is quite steep, but with the short distance isn’t too grueling.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.  The trail is well-maintained and clear, but the roots and rocks make all of the hiking in Acadia a little difficult.
  • Views– 5.  Panoramic views for miles on a clear day. 
  • Streams/Waterfalls – 3.  The parking area for the trail is alongside Bubble Creek.  The Pond Trail also runs alongside a small stream – and of course, Jordan Pond is lovely.
  • Wildlife –2.   We only saw a few red squirrels on the trail.  You may see some migrating hawks if you are lucky.  An occasional loon may be spotted in one of the ponds, but typically only around dawn.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.5.  The trail wasn’t that hard to follow as long as you followed the blazes or cairns. 
  • Solitude – 3.  With proximity to Bubble Pond for bike riding and Jordan Pond, this is a fairly popular hike.  Expect to see people lingering at the summit, but the mountaintop is so large that you should be able to stake out your own area for solitude.

Directions to trailhead:  From Bar Harbor, head west on US-233 for about a mile.  Enter Acadia National Park on the left and take a right onto the Park Loop Road.  Travel about 1.9 miles until you see the Bubble Pond parking lot on the left.  Head down towards Bubble Pond on the carriage road.  The trail head starts off on the left about 200 feet along the carriage road.

* MapMyHike is not necessarily accurate, as the GPS signal fades in and out – but it still provides some fun and interesting information.

Penobscot Mountain/Sargent Mountain/Jordan Pond Loop – Acadia National Park (ME)

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Special: Acadia Edition

This moderate hike includes two panoramic mountain summits and views along one of the most scenic ponds in Maine.

Sargent Summit and View
The summit of Sargent Mountain has a beautiful view. Below: The trail marker behind the Jordan Pond House; Adam enjoys the view from atop an erratic; Jordan Pond is beautiful!

Trailhead Behind the Jordan Pond House Nice View from the Erratic View Along Jordan Pond

Adam Says…

Hiking up Penobscot Mountain is one of our favorite hikes in Acadia National Park and we decided to save this hike for our last day there.  We had hiked up Penobscot a few times before, but this was the first time that we added on Sargent Mountain.

This loop hike begins at the Jordan Pond House.  Facing the house, if you walk behind the left side of the building, you will see the trailhead marker not far from the bathrooms.  The trail goes into the woods, crossing Jordan Stream with a small footbridge.   At .3 miles you come to an intersection with the Jordan Cliffs trail (another steep option for a loop from Penobscot), but continue on the trail.  At .5 miles, you will cross over one of the gravel carriage roads.  The trail continues up the Spring Trail at this point.  The Spring Trail consists of climbing up some rocks and does require you to pull yourself up through some tight areas.  There is also one area where you will likely need to squeeze your body between a few rocks.  This is the most challenging part of the hike up the trail, but before you know it, you will reach a nice viewpoint (with a stone makeshift bench) to relax from your climb up.  The tricky part from here is that your eyes are drawn to the viewpoint and you could miss the continuation of the trail.   Sitting on the bench and looking out, the trail continues behind your right shoulder.  There is a small path behind your left shoulder, but that leads to a dead-end.

Stone Bench Overlooking Jordan Pond
Adam enjoys the stone bench overlooking Jordan Pond. Below: Christine makes her way up the Spring Trail.

Climbing the Spring Trail Climbing the Spring Trail Climbing the Spring Trail

After you soak in the views, continue on the trail.  After a short climb, the trail begins to open up as you begin your hike above the treeline on the open mountain face.  The hike up from this point consists of following cairns along the way.  At 1.6 miles, you will reach the summit marker of Penobscot Mountain at 1194 feet.    From the summit, you can see Sargent Mountain ahead, which is only a mile away.  We took the path to the west, leading to Sargent Mountain.  The trail descends rather quickly and you come across the scenic Sargent Pond at 1.75 miles.  Take some time to enjoy the views from the pond and then continue on the trail.  At 1.9 miles, you reach the junction with the Sargent Mountain South Ridge Trail.  Take a right to join this trail and make your way to the peak.  You will come out of the woods and hike on the open mountainside (passing by junctions with the Hadlock Brook Trail and Spring Trail) until you reach the summit at 2.6 miles.  The summit of 1,373 foot Sargent Mountain provides panoramic views covering most of the areas to the north, which were not able to be viewed from Penobscot.  We took a while to enjoy the views here and then followed the east trail down the mountain.  This part of the trail reminded me of Scottish highlands as you hike through fields and rock.  After a few tenths of a mile, the trail then begins a steep descent back into the woods.  There were times that we scooted along our butts to make our way down the next section of rocks.  At 3.4 miles, we reached the junction with the Deer Brook Trail.  We took this left, continuing the steep descent down the rocky trail.  At 3.55 miles, you cross over another carriage road, pass by one of the carriage road arches, and at 3.7 miles you will reach the junction with the Jordan Pond trail.  You have a choice of going either way around the pond, but we took the right to view the western side of Jordan Pond.  This trail follows closely around the pond and consists of a lot of wooden boardwalks to keep people from damaging the ground below.  At 5.4 miles, you reach the Jordan Pond House again to complete your hike.

Christine Rolling the Erratic
Christine tries to roll the erratic uphill. Below: Beautiful Maine terrain; Adam at the summit of Penobscot; Blueberries were abundant.

Beautiful Trail Penobscot Summit Blueberries

This is a perfect hike to include on your trip to Acadia.  It has a combination of everything that I think this area of Maine has to offer – gorgeous panoramic views from the pink granite summits of the islands and ocean around; chances to take in some of the smaller ponds that are tucked between mountains; and challenging, rocky ascents that give you a grand sense of accomplishment.  On our descent down Sargent Mountain, we came across a few different groups of hikers that were hiking up the east face of Sargent Mountain.  We saw one family that was huffing and puffing their way in complete silence.  I had a feeling they were regretting their decision to hike up this way.  We saw another couple that were just beginning their hike up Sargent.  They said they like doing the loop hike up Sargent and Penobscot in reverse of the way we went because they can enjoy views the entire way down.   I think hiking up Sargent from the east face trail would be extremely steep and slow going, so I’m glad we hiked it this way.

One of the great things about doing this hike early in the day, is you can claim a prime parking spot for the Jordan Pond House.  This place is packed in the summers around lunchtime and you will likely need to wait for a seat.  But it was great to finish off the hike with a nice restaurant and enjoy a popover a la mode with peach ice cream and blueberry sauce.

We had a great week in Acadia and it always sad to leave.  This has always been our favorite vacation spot and I think the hiking and biking we have done in this area show everyone why we love it so much.

Christine Says…

Remember how I was talking about perfect Maine days in our write-up of Gorham Mountain?  Well, our last day of vacation this year was just one of those days.  The weather was so perfect; I was practically swooning over it.  At first, we were just going to do the 3.2-mile out-and-back to the summit of Penobscot Mountain.  I told Adam that I didn’t want the day to end, that I wanted to use every single bit of it, enjoying the views and making the most of my time in Acadia.  We decided to tack the summit of Sargent Mountain onto our hike (this included a climb down the East Cliff Trail, a short stretch of the Deer Brook Trail and a return walk to our starting point along the Jordan Pond Trail.

Sargent Pond
Sargent Pond is tucked between Penobscot and Sargent mountains. Below: Adam makes his way toward the Sargent summit; the Sargent summit marker; The view from Sargent

Adam Headed Toward the Sargent Summit  Sargent Summit View from Sargent

After an amazing pancake breakfast at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast, we headed over to the Jordan Pond House.  The trailhead lies in the woods behind the restaurant. The trail crosses Jordan Stream and immediately climbs steeply uphill to where it crosses the Carriage Road.  You see a trail marker, but you really don’t see trail.  That’s mostly because there isn’t trail, rather there is a steep scramble between boulders.  This steep pass is known as the Spring Trail.  It involves a few iron rungs and rails built into the cliff’s side.  Parts of the climb are extremely narrow and require four-point contact with the rocks.

After clearing the cliff, you step out onto a beautiful opening overlooking Jordan Pond from above.  The rock shelf even has a natural stone bench from which you can enjoy your view.  After leaving the opening, the trail goes back into the woods for a short stretch.  From there on out, it’s open walking along the granite to the summit of Penobscot.  This is a mountain that has a couple false summits.  You see a spot that looks like it’s the highest,  but it never is (until you actually reach the rock pile an summit marker.) 🙂

At the summit of Penobscot, we stopped to take in the panoramic view of Mt. Desert Island.  The view couldn’t have been more breathtaking and was made even more special by the ideal Maine summer weather.  It was 70 degrees and breezy with deep blue skies.  A solo hiker arrived at the summit a few minutes after we did and asked if we had any sunscreen for him to use.  I loaned him my pink tube of SPF50 for sensitive skin.  It was probably fortuitous that he came by when he did, because it reminded me to reapply sunscreen. It’s so easy to get sunburned when hiking in Maine because of all the open exposures along the mountaintops.  Also, the cool, breezy weather keeps your skin from ever really feeling hot.

After the Penobscot summit, the trail climbs downward into a small wooded area between the two mountains.  This is where you’ll find beautiful Sargent Pond.  We stopped there for a short while and watched dragonflies whizzing about.  We noticed a ‘No Camping’ sign posted right next to the pond.  Not surprising – I bet many people have tried to stealth camp at spots like this in Acadia.  Just for the record, Acadia has no real backcountry.  You can’t camp freely in the park, but there are two organized campgrounds – Seawall and Blackwoods.  Probably the closest you get to backcountry hiking and camping in Acadia is if you take a boat out to Isle au Haute where there are several oceanside primitive sites.

The trail climbs steeply uphill from Sargent Pond.  Eventually you clear the trees once again and begin the climb up Sargent.  Sargent’s granite surface is not quite as bare as other mountains in Acadia.  There seems to be more evergreens and low shrubbery along the way, although I’m not sure why.

Hiking down Sargent
Hiking down Sargent. Below: This carriage road bridge passes over Deer Brook.

Carriage Road Bridge

The summit of Sargent is marked the same way as Acadia’s other summits – a rock pile with a wooden sign in the middle.  We really liked the view from Sargent.  It was a little different from the other hikes we had done during this week.  It’s the only place that offered views looking out toward Trenton and Ellsworth.  The day was really clear, so we could see the airport and beyond.

At the summit, we looked at a trail map so we could decide how to make our return back to Jordan Pond House.  One option would have been to retrace our steps and go back the same way we came.  This would have been a perfectly nice option because we could have enjoyed the ocean views the entire walk down.  Instead, we decided to try out some new trails and make a big loop.

The first trail on our return loop was the East Cliff Trail. It was one of the rougher, steeper trails I’ve been on in Acadia.  Although there were occasional views of Jordan Pond, most of the way was scrambling down steeply across rocks and roots.  The trail was pretty overgrown and I gather it’s not one of Acadia’s more heavily used trails.  It was fine, though.

Eventually it met up with the Deer Brook Trail which was more gentle and followed a small stream downhill.  After crossing the carriage road, we climbed downhill past one of Acadia’s famous stone bridges to the junction with the Jordan Pond Trail.  We came out on that trail at the far end of the pond, almost directly across from the Jordan Pond House.

Shore of Jordan Pond - Looking at the Bubbles
The shore of Jordan Pond looking toward the Bubbles. Below: Boardwalks along Jordan Pond; Lovely Jordan Pond.

Boardwalks along Jordan Pond Lovely Jordan Pond

For a mile and a half,  the trail clings closely to the edge of the lake.  There are a few places where you have to climb from rock to rock.  There are also many boardwalks over swampy ground that only allow for single-hiker passage.   But, the trail is completely flat so it’s fast hiking.  We were speeding along this easy part of the hike with popovers on our minds.

When we finally got to the Pond House, we had to wait about 45 minutes for a table, but that was OK.  I got some cold water, found a bench and listened to a book on my iPod until our buzzer went off.  I was actually kind of cold at lunch – sweat and a brisk breeze can make even a nice summer day feel chilly.  I warmed up with a big bowl of chicken-orzo soup and two huge, steaming popovers.  For dessert, Adam and I shared a popover a la mode.  It was heaven in a bowl and a fitting end to our wonderful week in Acadia.

Popover a la Mode
Popover a la Mode! Peach ice cream and Maine blueberry sauce. Below: Another look at Jordan Pond; Lunch on the lawn; Popover and strawberry lemonade.

Another Look at the Pond Lunch on the Lawn Popover and Strawberry Lemonade

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 5.4 miles
  • Elevation Change – about 1200 feet total.
  • Difficulty – 4.  The ascent up the Spring Trail and the descent down Sargent Mountain can be steep and requires careful navigation.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.5.  The trail is well-maintained, but there are plenty of places to turn your ankle on the descents.
  • Views – 5.  There are amazing views throughout this hike as you make your way up to the summits of Penobscot and Sargent Mountains.
  • Wildlife – 1.  There isn’t a lot of wildlife in Acadia, but we did see a red squirrel and smaller birds (juncos and other finches) along the hike.  When birds of prey migrate through in the summer, you may see some different hawk varieties.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.  There are some tricky parts along this trail on the ascent up Penobscot and Sargent Mountains, but the trails are fairly-well marked. 
  • Solitude – 3.  You will likely see people at the summits lingering, but you should be able to stake out your own spots for solitude.  The Jordan Pond trail will likely have lots of people on it, so you won’t have much solitude on that section.

Directions to trailhead:  Park at the Jordan Pond House, accessed from the Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park.   While looking at the house, head around the left side and you will see the signs for the bathrooms.  Across from the bathrooms, you will see the trail marker for the Penobscot Mountain trail.

Gorham Mountain to The Bowl – Acadia National Park (ME)

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Special: Acadia Edition

This route combines one of our favorite short Acadia hikes to the summit of Gorham Mountain followed by a visit to a beautiful glacial pond called The Bowl, and a return walk along the Ocean Path, passing famous landmarks – Sand Beach and Thunder Hole.

Overlooking Sand Beach
Overlooking Sand Beach from Gorham Mountain. Below: Christine’s parents climb the Gorham Mountain Trail; Adam enjoys clearing skies and a view of the Bowl; Ocean scenery is spectacular along the Ocean Path.

Christine's Parents Hiking Adam Checks out the Bowl Walking the Ocean Path

Christine Says…

Even before I was an avid hiker, Gorham Mountain was always a hike I enjoyed.  By itself, the hike to the summit and back is less than two miles, requires very little climbing and offers magnificent views of the ocean, the rocky Maine coast and Sand Beach below.  If you walk the trail in late July or August, wild blueberries are abundant!

We decided to hike Gorham Mountain with my parents one morning during vacation.  We ate breakfast early and got to the trailhead before the crowds.  I really can’t stress enough how crowded Acadia trails get during the peak hours of 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.  I always suggest that people hike early or late, or rely on the Island Explorer bus (it’s FREE!) for transportation around the island.

On this particular trip, we actually drove separately from my parents because we wanted to extend our hike beyond the Gorham summit, and they did not.  The day before this hike had been overcast and a little drizzly and unfortunately, some of the gloomy weather was still lingering for our hike.  I was a little disappointed, because the lack of sunshine and blue skies always makes the ocean vista a little less colorful and sparkly.  I always prefer to hike Gorham on a ‘perfect Maine day’.   I would define ‘perfect’ as a sunny, 75 degree day with wispy or puffy clouds sitting in a deep blue sky.  There would be a light breeze and I would hear gulls crying and the sound of lobster boat motors in the distance.  There is nothing I love more than hiking Gorham on a day like this.

Even with the heavy clouds, the hike was still lovely and I enjoyed the company.  We hiked alongside my parents until we came to the junction of the Cadillac Cliffs trail.  At this point, hikers can choose to stay on the easier Gorham trail, or take a little extra challenge and scramble along the boulder-strewn cliff trail.  There aren’t any views from the Cadillac Cliffs trail, but climbing through caves and over enormous boulders is pretty fun.

Cadillac Cliffs
Cadillac Cliffs.  Below: Scenes along the Cadillac Cliffs Trail.

Cadillac Cliffs Boulders Cadillac Cliffs Cave Cadillac Cliffs Trail Christine Climbing Back up to Re-Meet Gorham

We met back up with my parents a few tenths of a mile later and made our final climb to the summit.  The views are spectacular all along this section of trail.  In fact, the views right before the summit are probably nicer than the actual summit.

We enjoyed the summit as a group for a while before Adam and I continued on our own.  The Gorham Mountain trail climbs downward, passing some interesting cliffs, before eventually joining The Bowl trail.   The Bowl trail climbs rather steeply uphill to a beautiful mountain lake.    The lake is surrounded by boardwalks and benches, and is one of the few bodies of water in Acadia where you can swim.  Many of the larger bodies of water are used for drinking water and swimming is prohibited.

There were a fair number of people sitting alongside the lake when we arrived.  We sat on a bench and almost immediately heard a child cry “Ohhh… that’s an eagle!”  Sure enough, we arrived just in time to see a bald eagle go gliding across the lake’s surface.  Talk about great timing!

The Bowl
The Bowl is a beautiful glacial pond you’ll pass along this hike. Below: Christine checks out the interesting cliff face on the hike down from the Gorham Mountain summit; Trail marker at the junction for the Bowl trail; Thick crowds at Thunder Hole.

Cliff on hike down Bowl Junction Crowds at Thunder Hole

While we sat at the lake, the clouds really cleared off quickly and the day turned into that perfect Maine day I described a few paragraphs ago.  So beautiful!

We hiked back down the Bowl Trail, past the junction to the Beehive trail and down to the Park Loop Road.  The trail comes out right above Sand Beach, which is a great place to pick up the Ocean Path.  The Ocean Path is a flat walking trail that runs between the ocean and the road.  It’s very crowded almost all the time, and if you’re a faster hiker, you’ll have to dodge slowpokes.

From the Ocean Path, there are a ton of small side trails that lead down to the rocky coastline.  There are so many places to sit and enjoy the view!  The walk along the path goes on for about 1.3 miles and eventually passes by Thunder Hole.

When we passed Thunder Hole, it was so crowded we couldn’t even get down to the viewing platform without waiting in line.  We’ve seen Thunder Hole so many times so we didn’t stay long.  Besides, it wasn’t thundering at all.  The tide was so high that the sea cave stayed full of water regardless of the wave action.  There just wasn’t any force to create the sound the spot is named for.

The Gorham Mountain parking lot is just a tenth of a mile or so past Thunder Hole, so we were back at the car after a few more minutes of walking.  We headed straight to lunch in town – lobster rolls at the Portside Grill!

Adam Says…

Whenever we talk about going to Maine, one of the things we plan on every trip is a hike up Gorham Mountain.  In fact, a few years ago when we came up to the park and knew we had a whole week of rain ahead, we quickly got in a hike up Gorham.  As Christine mentioned, just going up Gorham Mountain is a short hike, so it is easy to fit in when you have a break in the weather.

View from the Gorham Summit
The View from the Gorham Summit looking toward Otter Point. Below: Christine’s parents enjoy the view; The rock pile marks the summit of Gorham Mountain.

Christine's parents enjoy the view Rock Pile at the Gorham Summit

You can find the parking lot to the trailhead on the right shortly after the Thunder Hole parking lot.  The trail starts off with lots of roots and granite to navigate and can be a little slippery if a storm has recently come through.  The trail consists of a gradual uphill climb and is a popular trail for people of all hiking levels.  At .2 miles, you reach the junction with the southern part of the Cadillac Cliffs trail.  This is definitely a more challenging side trail, that includes some rock scrambling.   If you want to try the Cadillac Cliffs trail, do it on the way up since it could be more treacherous going down.  The Cadillac Cliffs trail doesn’t really provide any great views, but it does have a small cave to go through and some interesting rocks to scramble.  By the time you reach the northern junction at .5 miles, you will likely need to catch your breath.  Rejoin the Gorham Mountain trail by taking a right at this junction.  You will continue to climb upward and will see lots of places to take in the views along the way.  At .9 miles, you will reach the 525 foot Gorham Mountain summit.  On the way up the mountain, you typically get views of Sand Beach and Great Head, but from the summit, you can also see Otter Cove, Day Mountain, Pemetic Mountain, and Cadillac Mountain.  We continued on the trail from the summit.  At 1.5 miles, you reach a junction with The Bowl Trail.  Take a left and climb up the steep terrain through the woods until you reach The Bowl at 2.0 miles.  From The Bowl, you can also see close glimpses of the summit of The Beehive and there is a trail that connects with it.  We took in the views around the lake and then went back down The Bowl Trail, towards the Park Loop Road.  At 3.2 miles you will reach the Park Loop Road.  Cross the road and proceed on the Ocean Path, heading past Sand Beach.  You will likely see tons of cars and people along the road between this point and Thunder Hole.  You should reach the Gorham Mountain parking lot around 4.4 miles.

Sand Beach from the Ocean Path
Sand Beach from the Ocean Path. Below: If you look at the larger version of the Beehive photo below, you will see the long queue of people climbing the mountain; Adam enjoys the bench at the Bowl.

The Beehive Adam Sitting at the Bowl

We had a funny moment when we first started the hike.  A family was coming back from the summit and spotted us with their trekking poles.  One little girl was asking why we were all using two ‘canes’ to walk.  The parents had responded that we were “professional hikers”.  We got a few laughs out of that.  If only we could get paid to go hiking (or at least pay for some of our hiking gear).

There are many things about this hike that make it one of our favorites.  The blueberries are ripe during July and August and are plentiful on this trail.  I think I picked the largest, juiciest blueberry ever during this hike.  We always enjoy looking over Sand Beach.  You can see the dots of people on the beach, but not many in the water due to the temperature.  Walking back on the Ocean Path, you could hear the screams of children as they were being hit by the freezing waves.  You can also count on being able to see a lobster boats in the area, bringing up traps, or a large sailboat rounding the harbor.  You may also be able to catch a little rumbling from Thunder Hole, but the largest rumblings typically occur in the fall after a storm.

This area has also been where two recent movies have been filmed.  You can see Sand Beach in The Cider House Rules and nearby Otter Cliffs was used in Shutter Island.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 4.4 miles
  • Elevation Change – 500 feet to the summit of Gorham and another shorter climb to the Bowl
  • Difficulty – 2. This is an easy family hike, suitable for most fitness levels.
  • Trail Conditions – 3. Trails in Acadia are always rocky and rooty and can be slick when wet.
  • Views – 5.  Breathtaking!
  • Waterfalls/Streams/Lakes – 4. The Bowl is a beautiful glacial pond.
  • Wildlife – 3.  We saw an eagle – that counts for something!  We’ve heard that people occasionally see whales off in the distance, but we never have.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4. Pay attention to the cairns and markers at trail junctions, and it’s hard to get lost.
  • Solitude – 0.  This is an extremely popular area.  No matter when you hike it, you will see people.

Directions to trailhead: The trailhead is located in the Gorham Mountain parking lot on the Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park.   The parking lot is about .5 mile south of Thunder Hole.

Cadillac Mountain South Ridge – Acadia National Park (ME)

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Special: Acadia Edition

The seven-mile South Ridge trail takes you to the highest mountain on the east coast – Cadillac Mountain.  At over 1500 feet, it is also one of the first places sunlight hits the U.S. each morning,  The views from this hike are panoramic and breathtaking!

A View of the Porcupines from the Cadillac Summit
A View of the Porcupine Islands from the Cadillac Summit. Below:  The marker at the trailhead; A view of Cadillac Mountain from along the lower part of the trail; Geodetic Marker at the summit.

Trailhead Marker Cadillac Mountain Along the Route Geodetic Marker

Christine Says…

We’ve driven to the top of Cadillac Mountain.  We’ve also walked up the 4.4 mile North Ridge trail a few times.  But this is the first time we’ve ever hiked to the summit via the South Ridge route.  At seven miles (plus some additional length for the side trip to Eagles Crag and walking the summit path) this route probably qualifies as one of Acadia’s longest hikes.  It’s also become one of our favorite Maine hikes.  It was fantastic!

The trail starts off in the deep coolness of the evergreen forest.  Everything is green – covered with moss and ferns.  The thin island soil leaves gnarled roots and rocks exposed along the trail.  You have to constantly watch where you’re stepping so you don’t catch a boot toe and trip.  Planked boardwalks traverse the boggy, marshy places along the trail.   This part of the trail is one face of Acadia, with the other being expansive, open domes of granite.

Root-Covered Trail
The lower trail is covered with roots and rocks. Below: The view from Eagles Crag; Abundant blueberries along the trail; The first open views on the climb up.

View from Eagles Crag Abundant Blueberries First Open Views

The first trail junction you come to marks a short side-loop across the Eagles Crag.  The trail is quite a bit steeper here and leads out to an open rock ledge overlooking the ocean.  We hiked early in the morning, so the view looked directly into the sun, rendering the ocean silver and shiny.

On the return arm of the side-loop, we reentered the woods for a short while.  Near the trail junction where we met back up with the South Ridge trail, we found one of the densest patches of wild blueberries we’d ever seen!  I stopped to pick and eat some berries before we pushed on.  Yum!  Blueberries are at their peak in late July and early August, so our trip was timed perfectly for enjoying the fruit.

Near this point of the trail, the forest started thinning out and becoming patchier.  There were still trees, but they were broken up by open rocky sections.  Eventually we left the shade of the trees completely and stepped out onto the pink granite that Acadia is so famous for.  The trail was blazed blue, but we also had cairns guide our way.  The granite was punctuated by abundant patches of blueberry bushes and water filled glacial potholes.  The view behind and to the side of us was SPECTACULAR!  We found ourselves stopping time and time again to take in the majestic views.  I’ve been to a good number of national parks.  They’re all beautiful in their own way, but there is something really special about Acadia.

There were some sections of rock that required climbing and scrambling, but the way was never really steep or difficult.  We climbed one especially large rocky pass and found ourselves looking down into a small forested ravine tucked between two mountains.  The trail climbed downward into the trees and past a lovely glacial pond called ‘The Featherbed’.

The Ocean and the Featherbed
The Ocean and the Featherbed. Below: Another look at the Featherbed; Trails in Acadia are marked by cairns and blazes; Christine hikes up toward the summit.

The Featherbed Cairns and Clouds Christine Climbing

After the pond, we began the climb up Cadillac in earnest.  The first little bit after leaving the pond was quite steep with some mild rock scrambling.  Once we regained the ridge, the trail became moderate again.  The sun was bright.  The sky was deep blue and painted with wispy clouds.  The ocean below was sparkling and so beautiful.  I must have said to Adam a couple dozen times “It’s so gorgeous! This is a perfect Maine day!  We are so lucky!”

Along the ridge, we began to see distant glimpses of cars making their way up the auto road to the Cadillac summit.  But we didn’t come close to the road at all until we were almost to the top of the mountain.  Once drawback of the shorter 4.4 mile North Ridge is its proximity to the road for much of the hike.  We really enjoyed staying away from the road this time.

Near the summit, we passed through one more section of forest and came out on a gravel road behind the gift shop located at the summit.  It’s always kind of bizarre to hike several miles along pristine, quiet trail only to summit a mountain with auto access.  More than a few people looked at us strangely with our Camelbaks and trekking poles.

Even though it was still pretty early, the summit was packed with people!  Adam got cold drinks from the gift shop and I walked around the summit path to take a few photos.  The view from Cadillac offers a great look at the town of Bar Harbor and the outlying Porcupine Islands in Frenchman Bay.

With the thick crowds and the notion of a big lunch, we didn’t linger too long at the summit.  On the way down, we passed quite a few people heading up the trail.  I was really glad we had started around 7:30 and had been able to enjoy a bit of solitude.

The hike down was bright and hot under the mid-morning sun!  I had slathered myself with SPF 50, but I missed one spot between my ponytail and my backpack.  I ended up with a strange sunburned triangle on my back. 😦

We really enjoyed the views the whole hike down!  I was kind of bummed when the trail eventually descended back into the woods.  The shade was nice, but losing the view was not!

When we got back to the car we debated whether we should go back to our room and shower, or head straight to lunch in town.  In the end, hunger won out and we ate lunch covered with sweat and grime.  We went to one of our favorite lunch spots in town – Rupununi.  They have the best Buffalo Chicken sandwiches and clam chowder.  We got a great seat out on the patio, the food was delicious and I didn’t even care that I was filthy!

Adam Says…

A trip to Acadia National Park almost requires you to visit Cadillac Mountain.  However, most people drive to the top of it rather than try hiking up.  Their are also some insane bikers that bike up the mountain, but we’re not in that kind of shape.  Since Cadillac Mountain is the highest summit in the park, we used to feel intimidated about trying to hike up.  Several years ago, we hiked up the north ridge since that seemed to be the easiest route.  We remembered the north ridge hike being a great hike, so this time we decided to try a different route.

View of Eagle Lake
A view of Eagle Lake.

To start the hike, we parked on Route 3, almost directly across from the entrance to Blackwoods Campground.  You take a few steps up and then the trail begins.  This first section is just about the only part that is completely in the woods.  At .8 miles, you reach a junction with the Eagles Crag trail.  We took a right and went on the Eagles Crag trail, which joins back on to the South Ridge Trail at 1.2 miles.  The Eagles Crag trail was probably the toughest climbing on the trail, but it does take you out of the woods to some nice views to the east of Otter Cove and Gorham Mountain.  In retrospect, we feel that it really isn’t necessary to do Eagles Crag, since you will quickly see tons of views right after you rejoin the trail.  But, if you want more views and/or some more challenge, go for it.  When you rejoin the South Ridge Trail at 1.2 miles, the trail begins to open up to more views in a short distance.  You will need to pay attention to the cairns on the trail since there are no tall trees to mark trail paths.  The views on this trail are completely amazing!  You have to turn around to see the great views on the way up.  We found ourselves taking pictures from a gorgeous spot and then going another .1 mile and finding even better views behind us.  At 2.4 miles, you reach a summit of a small hill where you can see the small pond, The Featherbed, below.  You climb down this small hill and then reach The Featherbed and a junction with the Canon Brook Trail at 2.7 miles.  Stay straight on the South Ridge trail as you begin your next ascent to reach the summit.  At 3.2 miles, you reach a junction with the West Face Trail to the left, but stay straight.  The trail is steeper up this last section of the trail.  There are a few areas where you will climb up some rocks (even using one iron rung handrail), but we didn’t find it to be overly difficult.  Through this section, you are likely to hear or see people along the Auto Road heading up Cadillac Mountain.  At 3.7 miles, you will reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain.  Go back the way you came.

Hiking in the Open
Adam hiking along in the open.  Below: Trail junctions are well-marked in Acadia; The building at the summit; Another view of the Porcupine Islands from the summit;  Views on the hike down.

Trail Markers Summit Building
Cadillac Summit and Porcupines View Hiking Down

You feel like you are making an accomplishment when you hike up Cadillac Mountain.  While many of these people are driving to the top, you feel like you really earned the views.  The actual summit marker for Cadillac Mountain is not as easy to find.  As you’re coming up the South Ridge trail, you may walk right past it.  I like to get a picture of each summit we make.  Unlike most of Acadia that marks the summit with a large wooden summit marker, Cadillac Mountain only has a USGS marker in the rock.  To find it, walk behind the gift shop by about 100 steps where the gravel ends.  To the right, you will see a greenish-looking marker on a rock.  This marker has an arrow, that points about 20 feet to another marker on another rock.  This is the true summit marker.

We took a little time to hit the bathrooms, buy some cold drinks (that is always welcome when you are finishing a hike), and take in the views.  From Cadillac Mountain, you can see just about all of Mount Desert Island and on a clear day, the views are spectacular.  Many people drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain to see the sunrise.  This is the second earliest place where you can see the sunrise on the east coast (only to be beaten slightly by Maine’s own Mount Katahdin).  While Christine was off taking some photos, I relaxed and talked to a family that just arrived from New York.  They were impressed that we hiked up it and I told them about some other things they should do during their week of vacation.  I could tell the father of the family was ready to tackle it all, but I could see some of his family wasn’t as enthusiastic.  After talking with me, they were going to try and hike up Cadillac Mountain that afternoon.

Cadillac Mountain does have some interesting history.   The area was named after Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, a french explorer and trader.  This area was well-explored and controlled by the French and Antoine was given this area (now known as Bar Harbor) with this mountain (then known as Mount Desert).  When I was attending a ranger program while I was trying to achieve my rank as a “Acadia Senior Ranger”, I learned about how this man was much-hated and was basically run out of this area for misappropriation of money.  He then left this area and founded what became Detroit.  The Cadillac car is named after this man and the seal is his family crest.  It is funny that this country holds the car in such high esteem, when the man was a criminal (once called “one of the worst scoundrels to set foot in New France”).

If you are interested in geocaching, you can find a geocache near the top of Cadillac Mountain that is located near the beginning of the north ridge trail: Cadillac Mountain Cache.

As Christine and I were reflecting on all of the hiking we have done in Acadia, I will say this is my favorite hike to do in the park.  You truly don’t get any better views than on this hike up the south ridge of Cadillac.  There were times that I even felt tears welling up due to the awe-inspiring, panoramic landscape.  The north ridge trail also has great views along, but several times you are walking very close to the Auto Road and you are limited to views on one side of the trail.  With the vast expanses on the south ridge trail, it can’t be beat.  If you are up for doing a longer hike in Acadia, make this the one to do!

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 7.4 miles
  • Elevation Change – approximately 1300 feet
  • Difficulty – 3.  The hike is steadily uphill but is quite moderate.
  • Trail Conditions – 3. The trail is occasionally root-covered and has a lot of open granite.
  • Views – 5.  It doesn’t get any better than this!
  • Waterfalls/Lakes/Streams – 4.  The Featherbed is beautiful and you get lots of distant views of the bay and ocean.
  • Wildlife – 1.  Maybe some red squirrels and (if you’re lucky) hawks on Eagles Crag.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4.  Just follow the markers, blazes and cairns, and you can’t go wrong.
  • Solitude – 1.  We started early and didn’t see many people on the trail, but the summit is always very crowded.

Directions to trailhead:  Located on Route 3, about 5 miles south of the Jackson Lab.  Look for the signs for Blackwoods Campground and park directly across the road from the entrance to the campground.  You will see a break in the woods with a few steps that starts your trail.

Carriage Road Bike Ride – Witch Hole/Eagle Lake/Jordan Pond – Acadia National Park (ME)

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Special: Acadia Edition

The bike ride along this loop gives you beautiful lakeside views in the interior of Acadia National Park.

Eagle Lake from the Carriage Roads
A view of Eagle Lake from the Carriage Roads.  Below:  The Duck Brook Bridge entrance to the Carriage Roads; There are lots of water lilies in Acadia’s ponds;  Adam bikes along the shore of Jordan Pond.  The rocks lining the trail are affectionately known as ‘Rockefeller’s Teeth’.

Duck Brook entrance  Water Lilies Rockefeller's teeth

Adam Says…

This is truly one of our favorite places to bike!  If you are ever near Acadia, I would recommend taking a bike ride around Eagle Lake.  While there are 45 miles of carriage roads in Acadia National Park, the loop around Eagle Lake is by far the most popular.

The carriage roads were donated and built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., emulating the carriage roads his father created in Ohio and New York.  While the Park Loop Road provides access to much of the circumference of Acadia National Park and ocean views, the carriage roads provide great access to the interior, providing glimpses from the top of mountains and around the lakes and ponds.

I recently had a co-worker, Kristen, that was going to Maine to visit some family property.  Having been to Acadia many times, I planned out an ambitious day for her and her sister to capture the things I enjoy up here.  She wasn’t able to do everything I suggested, but she did the Eagle Lake/Jordan Pond section of the trail.  They rented bikes in Bar Harbor and decided to bike from town to reach the carriage roads.  There is a large hill from Bar Harbor to reach the entrance to the Eagle Lake parking lot.  Her sister was yelling up ahead to her, “KRISTEN!  I DON’T THINK I CAN MAKE IT!”  I should have been explicit in telling her to rent a bike rack and park near the carriage road entrance. Some people bike to the carriage roads from town, but I think it is best to park closer or you’ll burn up all your energy before you get to enjoy the actual ride.

Biking toward eagle lake
Adam on his rented comfort bike, passing under the Eagle Lake bridge. It was quite different from the mountain bike he normally rides.  Below: Christine’s parents take a break after a long uphill stretch along Eagle Lake.  This is the spot we took a wrong turn!

Parents at junction

We started our ride, by parking on Duck Brook Road.  Right before the roadside parking, you pass a beaver dam on New Mill Meadow.  Park your vehicle near the bridge that begins your journey.  The carriage road intersections are all numbered on wooden posts (that also serve as posts to provide you some overall direction) and have this trail started at Post #5.  We took a right after crossing the bridge to make our way around Witch Hole Pond.  The trail does tend to go uphill during this part of the section about 100 feet.  In 1.1 miles you will take a left at Post #3.  You will begin to see some up close views of Witch Hole Pond.  At 1.3 miles, you take a left at Post #2.  The trail continues to loop around Witch Hole Pond.  At mile 2.3, you will reach Post #4, bearing right and seeing views of the small Halfmoon Pond.  At mile 3.4, you will reach Post #6, going under a bridge and close access to the Eagle Lake parking lot.  Most people start their bike ride here, so expect lots of people around this bridge.  After going through the bridge, you will arrive at Post #9 at mile 3.5.   The trail goes along the western side of Eagle Lake, but goes up during one of the tougher sections of this loop ascending over 200 feet.  At mile 5.5, you will come to Post #8.  Take a break if you would like here, for the toughest part of the first section is over.  At Post #8, take a right (this is where I failed to follow the map closely which caused us to retrace our steps and made us go uphill).  At mile 5.7, you will reach Post #10.  Take a left at this junction to make your way.  The trail does ascend slightly.  At mile 7.0, the trail begins to open up to views of Jordan Pond and the Bubbles to your left.  At mile 7.9, you reach the Jordan Pond House and Post #14.  Bear left at this intersection for about .3 mile passing by Post #15 and Post #16.  Cross the Park Loop Road carefully and then you will see the large Jordan Pond Gatehouse.  Bike carefully through the gate.  At mile 9.8, you reach Post #17, near Wildwood Stables.  Take a left here and your climb begins again.  Once the trail levels out, you will pass by Bubble Pond on your right.  At mile 12.9, you reach Post #7.  Take a right at this junction and you will begin to enjoy the best views of Eagle Lake.  The trail continues along the eastern side of Eagle Lake.  At mile 15.1, you will reach Post #6 again.  Take a right and go under the bridge.  At mile 16.2, you will reach Post #4.  Take a right here and at mile 17.3, you will reach Post #5 to complete your loop.

As there are a lot of intersections, I would recommend picking up a map of the trails.  While you can purchase them from many places in Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park, they do have some decent carriage road maps that are free.  These are typically in some of the boxes attached to the post intersections near some of the entrances to the carriage roads.  I did spot these boxes at Post #5 and Post #8.

Lunch on the Lawn
Lunch on the lawn at Jordan Pond is not to be missed.  Below: Views of Jordan Pond and the Bubbles.

Jordan Pond and Bubbles The Bubbles

If you do your planning well, you can include a stop near the halfway point at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant.  This is a must-visit restaurant while in Acadia. Get a seat outside and enjoy popovers as you take in the scenes of Jordan Pond and the Bubbles.  The menu has been expanded since the last time we had been here, so we were thrilled to try some new things.  Christine really enjoys their lobster quiche and I like their cranberry walnut chicken salad sandwich.  While the prices are a little high, you do have one of the best views for a restaurant.  There are plenty of places nearby to lock your bike and there is a gift shop that sells everything from hiking gear to pottery to Gatorade.  They even sell Jordan Pond coffee and popover mix.

I have two favorite sections of scenery along this trail – the view near the rock slide approaching Jordan Pond and the eastern side of Eagle Lake.  This is a bike ride that almost invites you to take your time by soaking in the great views of the lake, taking your time to pick wild blueberries near Witch Hole Pond, or listening for the cry of loons on Eagle Lake or Jordan Pond.

Christine Says…

Biking Acadia’s Carriage Roads is always one of the Maine activities I look forward to most on our trips!  It’s funny, when I visited Acadia as a child and teen, I never tried the carriage roads by bike.  Instead I preferred to run.  Looking back, I don’t know what I was thinking!  Sure… the carriage roads are great for walking and running, but I can’t imagine a better way to see them than by bicycle (Unless I was given the option to go on horseback; but unless you arrive at Acadia with your own horse, the closest you can get is taking a chauffeured horse carriage ride.)  The car-free carriage roads in Acadia meander through the woods, passing ponds and lakes.  If you’re lucky, you’ll spot beavers or loons swimming.  You get occasional glimpses of the ocean.  You breathe in the clean, evergreen-scented air.  And best of all… you can bike right up to the Jordan Pond House and indulge in popovers with butter, popovers with strawberry jam, popovers with soup, popovers with salad and even popovers a la mode!  Don’t even get me started on how much I love popovers a la mode.  They’re one of my raison d’êtres.  I’m not even kidding – ask Adam!

Sometimes we bring our bikes on the long drive up to Maine, but this time we drove our small car to save gas money, and ended up renting bikes at the Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop.  The folks there are really friendly and knowledgeable and their bikes are all expertly maintained.  We tried renting a carrier for our car, but none of them worked with our particular hatchback.  Thankfully, my parents were vacationing with us and were able to haul our bikes to the start point of our ride.  Technically, you can ride your bike from the shop to the carriage road entrance, but it’s an arduous uphill ride along a very busy road.  Biking the few extra miles from the shop to the trails takes a lot of the enjoyment out of the ride, so we avoid it any way we can.

On this particular day, we decided to follow one of our absolute favorite routes.  Starting at Duck Brook Bridge, we biked around Witch Hole, then around Eagle Lake, past the north shore of Jordan Pond to the Jordan Pond House.  After lunch, we continued the route past Wildwood Stables, along Bubble Pond and the opposite shore of Eagle Lake.  A few final miles along the other side of Witch Hole returned us to our car.

Jordan Pond Gatehouse
Even though the Gatehouse sits in the park, it’s still privately owned. Below: A horse carriage on its way from Wildwood Stables to Jordan Pond.

Horse team

It’s a fabulous route that shows off a little bit of all of Acadia’s best scenery.  There are some substantial hills along the route, and it’s not uncommon to see people walking their bikes uphill instead of riding them.  I remember the first time I biked the carriage roads many years ago, the first steep hill along the first side of Eagle Lake about killed me!  Despite the fact I was beet red and out of breath, I was determined NOT to walk my bike.  I did have to take a water break or two, but I never had to get off and push my bike uphill.  Nowadays, I’m in much better shape (even though I’m almost 20 years older) and biking the hills is no sweat at all!  In fact, I must brag that I biked easily past dozens of people headed uphill.  🙂

The trail marker at the far end of Eagle Lake is one of the only places that directions get confusing along the ride.  The trail branches off in several different directions at this point.  As (bad) luck would have it, we biked following our instinctive directions instead of looking at our detailed map.  We ended up going the wrong way for almost two miles – mostly along a steep, beautiful downhill coaster of a descent.  This meant we had a tough uphill slog once we finally realized we were going the wrong way.

I suppose we could have kept on going in the wrong direction – most of the trails eventually cross one another and we would have ultimately arrived at the Jordan Pond House.  However, I really enjoy the ride along the north shore of the pond, so we decided to retrace our ride.  My parents decided to stay the course (my mom didn’t want to bike back uphill) and meet us at the Pond House.

The uphill turned out to be less painful than I imagined and after about 15 minutes, we were coasting downhill along the edge of Jordan Pond.  I enjoyed the sparkling water, the first glimpse of the Bubbles, passing the big rock slide and knowing I’d soon be eating popovers.

The ride along Jordan Pond goes really quickly.  At Jordan Pond, the first thing we always do is get our name on the waiting list for a table on the lawn.  If you visit the Pond House, you can almost always get an indoor table immediately, but you DO NOT want to do that.  The best place to sit is outside on the lawn at one of the picnic tables overlooking the water and the Bubbles.  I always start my meal off with lemonade.  It’s fresh-squeezed and comes unsweetened with a tiny pitcher of simple syrup, so you can sweeten the drink to your personal taste.  The regular lemonade is good, but the strawberry lemonade, loaded with fresh strawberry puree, is even better.  As soon as you finish placing your order, a waiter will come around with a basket of piping hot popovers.  They’re served with butter and homemade strawberry preserves.  On this particular day, I ordered the lobster quiche, which has always been a favorite of mine.  I also couldn’t refuse a second popover, even though it cost a little extra.  Because we were biking and I didn’t want to feel over-full, I had to pass on the a la mode (for now).

After lunch, we refilled water bottles and took a few minutes to digest lunch while browsing the Acadia gift shop.  We also stopped to chat with the Friends of Acadia who were working on fundraising and recruiting new members.  We joined a few years ago and are happy to support our favorite National Park.

After leaving the Jordan Pond House, we crossed the Park Loop Road and passed by the privately owned gate house.  We happened to time our departure perfectly to pass a team of draft horses pulling a buckboard up the hill.  They’re such huge and beautiful creatures!

The ride along this section is wooded and doesn’t pass anything remarkable.  You can take a side road to get down to Wildwood Stables and Day Mountain, but we continued on toward Bubble Pond.

Bubble Pond from the Carriage Roads
A look at Bubble Pond from the Carriage Roads

Bubble Pond is a gorgeous spot.  We’ve seen loons there and I’ve even taken a photo of the pond that was featured on the cover of Boston Magazine’s 2011 Summer Travel issue.  This year, the view was as lovely as ever, but the experience was marred by a couple changing the diaper of their caterwauling toddler.  They had the child laid out on a rock on the pond’s edge… the edge of the pond that is a source of public drinking water.  Ewww!  I know babies need changing, but for God’s sake… take the diaper-changing activities off the trail and away from the water source.

After passing the end of Bubble Pond, you go over a neat arched bridge, cross the Park Loop Road again and make the final push back toward the opposite shore of Eagle Lake.  As the trail gets closer to the lake side, you get some really lovely lake and mountain views.  You also pass one of the most popular kayak launch spots in the park.

Shortly after passing the launch, you arrive at the Eagle Lake parking area.  This area is another parking option for accessing the Carriage Roads, but it’s usually horrible congested.  We continued past this spot to bike the remainder of the trail along Witch Hole and back to our car.

Witch Hole
Witch Hole is very pretty – full of lily pads and beaver dams.

It was a fantastic ride – one that I know I’ll want to do again and again!  After we wrapped up the ride, we headed back to the hotel to get cleaned up before dinner.  Sometime between the end of the ride and leaving for dinner a heavy fog rolled over the island.  It’s really amazing how quickly clear blue skies can turn to thick, cottony fog in Maine!  It’s part of the island’s charm, I suppose!  We enjoyed the foggy evening at one of our favorite lobster pounds, Thurston’s (in Bernard).  If you’re on MDI and want a classic Maine lobster experience, don’t miss Thurston’s!

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 17.3 miles.  We added about another 4.4 miles due to our misdirection.
  • Elevation Change – Approximately 500 feet.
  • Difficulty – 2.  There are some uphill sections which will have you switching to lower gears, but it is doable for most people.  Take breaks whenever you need one or walk your bike up the steeper sections.
  • Trail Conditions – 4.5.  The only thing better is pavement.  The carriage roads have small crushed gravel, which is good for just about any type of bike.  I would recommend a hybrid or mountain bike though due to the gravel.
  • Views – 3.5.  Most of the views are of the lakes, so you can’t see for miles and miles in most parts, but the lakes and ponds are gorgeous.
  • Waterfalls/Streams – 4.  You get great views of Witch Hole Pond, Eagle Lake, Jordan Pond, and Bubble Pond.
  • Wildlife – 1.  You may see an occasional loon or gull in the lakes, but not much else other than a red squirrel.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.  There are lots of turns on this trail, but bring a map and follow the signposts and you should do well.
  • Solitude – 0.  This is an extremely popular spot for bikers, walkers, runners, and even horses.  

Directions to trailhead: Head west on 233 out of Bar Harbor.  After about a mile outside of town, take a right on Duck Brook Road.  Travel for about two miles until you reach the roadside parking near the park service building.

The Bubbles – Acadia National Park (ME)

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Special: Acadia Edition

We’ve taken a detour from our normal coverage of Virginia hiking and biking!  For the next five posts, we’ll be doing a special edition covering the trails of Acadia National Park in Maine.

The Bubbles hike consists of two small mountains that overlook Jordan Pond.  One of the key features on this hike is a large glacial erratic hanging on the edge of the south Bubble.

Adam and Bubble Rock
Adam pretends to support the giant glacial erratic known as Bubble Rock.  Below: The first viewpoint along the trail up the South Bubble;  A view of Jordan Pond from the South Bubble; You can see how precariously the erratic hangs on the side of the mountain; When you visit the Jordan Pond House you get a great look at the Bubbles from a distance.  The two small mountains have such a distinct shape (photo from another trip).

The First View Jordan Pond from the South Bubble
Precarious The Bubbles from Jordan Pond

Adam Says…

We had an extraordinarily tough drive up to Maine this year.  We left on a Friday with plans to stay in Sturbridge, MA for one night and then finish the trip to Maine the following day.  We were counting on a lot of weekend and rush hour traffic around Boston, so we thought breaking this into a two-day drive was a good idea.   Well, the drive on the first day should have taken us around 8 hours and ended up taking us over 12 hours.  We ran into an over two-hour delay near Allentown, PA and Connecticut traffic is always ridiculous.  On Saturday, we had a better day of driving to get to Mount Desert Island  We were very eager to stretch our legs when we got there.  When we vacation, we are not ones to idly relax; we like to pack in as much as possible.

We have hiked up the Bubbles a couple of times in the past, and have always enjoyed it.  Since this is a short hike, you should be able to fit it in a narrow time period.  From the Bubble Rock parking lot, start off on the Bubble Rock trail.  At .1 miles, you will reach a junction with the Jordan Pond Carry Trail.  We went past this and just continued straight on the trail.  In about .3 miles, you reach a junction where the North and South Bubble trail split.  Take a left at this junction and continue the path up to reach the top of the South Bubble.  Take in the views and then go back the way you came.  At the previous junction, then follow the path to the North Bubble summit.  You can this take this path back to the junction and then just take a left to head back to your vehicle.

South Bubble View
Another view from the South Bubble. Below: Trails are very well-marked throughout Acadia; Adam scrambles to the top of the boulder pile to reach the summit marker on the South Bubble; The sun came out a bit more by the time we climbed the North Bubble.

Trail Sign  Adam scampers up to the top of the summit marker A View from the North Bubble

When you reach the summit of the South Bubble, take in the views of Jordan Pond and also take some time to find Bubble Rock (not to be confused with Balance Rock, which is located along the Shore Path in downtown Bar Harbor).  It was amazing to see all the people that try to push on the rock in hopes that they can personally move a multi-ton granite boulder.  There was one family that we enjoyed watching that had a couple of younger boys with them.  One of them held a stick like a spear and seemed to have a little violent streak running through him.  He kept wanting to throw his stick at things.  We overheard him telling his family, “When I see things, I want to chuck my spear at it SOOOOO BAAAAAD!”  I’m curious to see how his deviant behavior develops over the years.  From the Bubble Rock, you can also get some views of the Park Loop Road below.  This hike pays off with stunning views despite little effort.

We also enjoyed talking with a couple at the North Bubble.  They were taking part of a quest to visit all of the U.S. National Parks.  They had been to lots of places over the last few weeks and had come from Canada a few days before Acadia.  They took some pictures of the two of us and we returned the favor.  They said they were sending their pictures to their friends that were cursing them at all of the things they have been able to do.  I guess once you make your friends envious, you have to keep it up.  I will say that the North Bubble is a little steeper to climb up, but the views from both of the Bubbles are great.

We hope that you enjoy our reviews of Acadia National Park hikes.  We have been going there for years and I think you will see that over the next few blog entries that this is a place that you should put on your “must visit” list!  There is a reason that nearby Bar Harbor, ME was once called “Eden”.  This area really feels like a paradise to both of us.

Christine Says…

We rolled onto Mount Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park, in the early afternoon after an easy six hour drive from Massachusetts.  It was a beautiful afternoon with a cold front pushing out the last of the dark, gray storm clouds and humidity from the day before.  We were really eager to start enjoying the park, so instead of going to our hotel, we immediately headed to the Acadia Visitor Center.  We changed into hiking clothes, bought our park pass and set out to do the short hike across the north and south Bubbles, overlooking Jordan Pond.

The hike is short and easy/moderate, so it’s very popular with families and novice hikers.  Even so, most of the traffic had cleared out earlier in the day, so we were able to find a parking spot right at the trailhead.  Anyone who visits Acadia knows how rare that is!  Acadia is one of the smallest and most congested national parks, so we always try to plan our activities at non-peak times to avoid crowds.

The trail climbs from the parking lot.  It starts off smoothly, but soon you’re scrambling over roots and up granite ‘stairs’.  It was a little wet from storms the night before, so we had to be careful of our footing.  There aren’t many footing surfaces more slippery than wet granite!

The first viewpoint we came too came atop a rocky shelf, mostly overlooking the mountains, but with a little snip of water visible.  After snapping a few quick photos, we made our way to the summit of the South Bubble.

The View from the North Bubble
The View from the North Bubble. Below: Christine and Adam enjoy views along the hike.

Christine Enjoys the View Adam enjoys the view

Of the two Bubbles, the south peak is quite a bit more popular due to the presence of ‘Bubble Rock’ – a glacial erratic that sits precariously on the side of the mountain.  It looks like it could go rolling down the mountainside at any moment.  It’s always fun to sit and listen to people plotting to push the boulder off its perch.  Some people think it would take a group pushing effort; others contemplate the lift power of a lever.  Personally, I think when the boulder falls; it will be solely Mother Nature who moves it.  I hope it doesn’t happen in my lifetime, because I like the boulder right where it is!  Another fun tradition is to take photos of your hiking buddies pretending to hold the boulder up.

If you hike past Bubble Rock, the trail leads over to an open view of Jordan Pond below.  It’s a lovely spot!

To get to the North Bubble, you simply retrace your steps back to a trail junction marking the path north.  The trail up the North Bubble might be slightly steeper, but it’s still a short and easy hike.  We spent a bit of time atop the peak, enjoying the view and luxuriating in the cool, breezy Maine air.  Being in Maine always makes me feel so happy.

We hiked back down the way we came and were back at our car quickly.  Even though the hike was nothing long or challenging, it was still a perfect way to kick off our week in Acadia!

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 1.7 miles
  • Elevation Change – approximately 1050 feet.  You first go up about 500 feet up to the South Bubble, go back down 200 feet and then up another 550 feet to the North Bubble
  • Difficulty – 2.5.  These trails are very short, so most people should be able to do them.  The South Bubble is fairly easy with the short distance and I would give about a 2 in difficulty.  The North Bubble is definitely more of a steep trail and is closer to a 3-3.5 in difficulty.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.  The trail is very well-maintained and traveled.  However, some of the footing can be slick in the rain on the granite.  The North Bubble does have some steeper sections which make the footing a little more treacherous.
  • Views – 4.  Great views from both Bubbles.
  • Wildlife – 0.  We didn’t really see anything, but you may be able to see birds soaring above or relaxing on the lakes below.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.5.  This path we took was more like a T, since you split off in different directions.  Almost all of the trails in Acadia lead to other options to combine into loops with other trails.   
  • Solitude – 1.  Due to the distance, this is an incredibly popular hike.  You will very likely have several hikers to share in the views if you go over the summer.

Directions to trailhead: On the Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park, keep following the road until you reach the Bubble Rock parking lot.  This is just south of the Bubble Pond parking lot, so don’t be confused by the name.  The trailhead starts from about the middle of the parking lot. 

West and East Rattlesnake (NH)

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Special: New Hampshire Edition

Introductory Guide to Visiting the White Mountains

This fun, four-mile loop hike offers gorgeous scenery and amazing views with not much work.  The trail takes you across the summits of two small mountains – known as East and West Rattlesnake – overlooking the Squam Lakes.

Adam and the Rain Storm
Adam watches a rain storm pass over the Squam Lakes.  Below: The trail has many steps built into it.

Old Bridle Path

Adam Says…

Since we had already done a bunch of hikes to waterfalls over the last few days, we decided it was time to do a hike with some views.  We waited around in the morning due to rain and an overcast sky, but we caught a break shortly after lunch and decided to head out to the Rattlesnakes.  As Mark Twain said, “If you don’t like the weather in New England, wait a minute.”

We started the trail up the Old Bridle Path, which takes off from the marked parking lot for West Rattlesnake Mountain.  This area includes a lot of crossing trails that are all yellow-blazed, so you will need to pay attention to signs to be sure you are going the way you want.  The hike was a continual uphill with lots of steps built into the trail.  We found this part of the trail to be very well maintained and you will see lots of people on this section of your trip.  At .75 miles, you will come to a fork.  The right goes out to a nice overlook, but the left is where you will continue the trail.  At .9 miles, you will reach the summit of West Rattlesnake Mountain.  Look on the ground to find  a USGS marker to mark the elevation.

From the summit, we then took the Ridge Trail which leads to East Rattlesnake Mountain (one option is to take the Pasture Trail to the East Rattlesnake Trail, but that has a lot of elevation loss and gain.)  The Ridge Trail descends about 300 feet of elevation into a thick quiet wood.  Here is where the mosquitoes were unleashed on us since the breeze was non-existent to blow them away.  At 1.3 miles, you will reach a junction with the Col Trail, but continue on the Ridge Trail until 1.7 miles when you reach the East Rattlesnake Mountain summit.

First Viewpoint
The first viewpoint from high up comes along a small spur trail. Below: The Armstrong Natural Area sign provides some historical information about the area; Several trails intersect in this area; Watching the rain storm pass over the Squam Lakes.

Armstrong Natural Area SLA Sign West Rattlesnake

We headed back from the summit and at 2.1 miles, we took a right on the Col Trail.  The Col Trail descends a few hundred feet and was very overgrown and poorly maintained in several areas.  At 2.8 miles, it leads to a fire road.  Take a right on the fire road.  At 3.0 miles, you will reach Route 113.  Taking a left on the road, you will head back to your car to make this a four-mile loop.

Looking back, we might have decided to do this as an out-and-back hike and not ventured onto the Col Trail.  Walking on roads is never as fun as trails and it seems that the road goes on forever.

Both summits give you expansive views of the Squam Lakes and you can likely see several mountains surrounding you.  I was amazed at how many people were on West Rattlesnake Mountain and we only saw one other person at East Rattlesnake Mountain.  So, you can easily escape the crowds if you want with just a little longer hike.

There are a number of geocaches in the area for anyone interested:

Christine Says…

On this trip to New Hampshire, we spent far more time hiking to waterfalls and ponds than we did hiking to mountaintops.  We decided to save our summit hikes for days that offered clear views of the valleys below.  Unfortunately, we had a lot of hot, humid days that put the high peaks of the White Mountains into the clouds.  I know some people just like the workout and the act of hiking, regardless of whether or not there is a view.  I do too, but only to an extent. I can’t help but feel a little let down when a great view is covered in clouds and fog.

The morning we planned to hike the Rattlesnakes had been forecast to be sunny and pleasant.  However, in keeping with the theme for New Hampshire’s changeable weather, we woke to soggy clouds and pop-up showers.  The radar map indicated clearing as the day went on, so we sat and waited at the house.  When the sun finally broke through the clouds, we hopped in the car and raced off the trailhead.

The hike was easy and pleasant to the top of West Rattlesnake, and the views couldn’t have been nicer.  They reminded me a lot of the views we had from the Mt. Morgan – Mt. Percival hike.  (You can actually see the Rattlesnakes from above on that hike.) Both hikes overlook the Squam Lakes, but Mt. Morgan – Mt. Percival goes to higher mountains and offers a loftier view. If I were pressed to choose, I would say the Rattlesnakes view is nicer, but only because it’s a little closer to the lake.  The Squam Lakes Association does a fantastic job managing and maintaining the trails in this area.

East Rattlesnake
The view from East Rattlesnake is pretty and offers quite a bit more solitude. Below: The trails are nicely marked and expertly maintained by the Squam Lakes Association; Adam walks along the fireroad that joins the Col Trail to Route 113.

Col Trail Fire Road

Atop West Rattlesnake, we were able to sit on a sunny rock ledge and watch a leftover rain squall pass at a distance across Squam Lake.  The clouds were so dramatic and it was interesting to see the gray sheet of rain pass over the water.

We decided to continue along the trail and visit East Rattlesnake as well.  Although it’s less popular and has a smaller rock ledge, the other Rattlesnake offers views just as nice as its “sister”.  We had a couple options for hiking over to East Rattlesnake.  At first, we considered hiking the Pasture Trail so we could check out Five Finger Point.  A friend of mine from Flickr mentioned one of his favorite swimming spots was on the point, so I thought it might be fun to go check out the spot.  But, in the end, we decided to take the shorter route across the Ridge Trail.  The bugs ate me alive!  This trail was the one place in New Hampshire that my liberal application of DEET didn’t seem to deter the mosquitoes.  Two weeks after the hike, I still have a few marks leftover from bites I got on that hike.

On the return from East Rattlesnake, we wanted to get out of the woods and away from the bugs as quickly as possible.  Instead of doing the hike as an out-and-back, we followed the Col Trail back to the road and finished a loop with a mile of walking along Route 113.  The road walking wasn’t particularly fun or scenic, but at least I was away from most of the bugs.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 4 mile, loop
  • Elevation Change – About 800 ft.
  • Difficulty –2.5. The walk up to West Rattlesnake is very easy.  The hike up East Rattlesnake is a little tougher.
  • Trail Conditions –3.5. The trail is very nicely maintained.
  • Views – 5. Stunning views of the Squam Lakes.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 0. None to mention.
  • Wildlife –0. Unless you count mosquitoes and biting flies.
  • Ease to Navigate – 4. Although several trails cross in the area, everything is clearly marked.
  • Solitude – 1. On West Rattlesnake, you won’t get any solitude.  East Rattlesnake is quieter.  We saw only one other person there, while we saw close to 20 people atop West Rattlesnake.

Directions to trailhead:

From I-93, take Rt. 3 east to Holderness. From Holderness, follow Rt. 113 (a slow, curvy road) northeast for about 5.5 miles. Just past Pinehurst Road, park in the small lot on the right side of the road. The Old Bridle Path starts at the far end of the parking lot.

Greeley Ponds (NH)

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Special: New Hampshire Edition

Introductory Guide to Visiting the White Mountains

The Greeley Ponds trail is a popular hike that leads to a pair of beautiful ponds surrounded by the White Mountains.

Upper Greeley Pond
We didn’t have great weather for our hike to the Greeley Ponds. It was very muddy and overcast, but the ponds were still really pretty! Below: There were several small stream crossings along the hike; We saw Indian Pipes growing along the trail; the terrain in this area is very wet and dark, making it a perfect place for mosses and mushrooms.

Stream Crossing Indian Pipes Mushrooms

Christine Says…

We got up early to take a scenic drive and do some hiking along the Kancamagus Highway.  We decided to check out the trail leading to the Greeley Ponds.  This hike intrigued me, because it is so different from anything we have in Virginia.  Ponds and lakes are not terribly common in the Blue Ridge, so I thought a hike leading to two ponds surrounded by mountains sounded really perfect.

The trail did not disappoint!  The woods in New Hampshire are so thick and green and different.  I love the abundant evergreens in the New England woods. Everything is so fragrant, lush and moss-covered.  Old fallen trees become nurseries for tiny mushrooms and tree seedlings.  Streams trickle in seemingly every direction.  Even the birds are different – singing unfamiliar songs up in the trees.

The Greeley Ponds Trail is relatively easy – with only about 500 feet of elevation gain over 2.5 miles. The things that slow you down are the roots, rocks and mud.  You have to watch your feet with every step.  We found our trekking poles to be very helpful.  Many places along the trail are traversed using wooden planks and split logs. There are several small streams to cross along the way, hopping from rock to rock.  Some of the trail system is a little confusing because cross-country skiing trails cross the hiking trail in many places.  The key is to look for yellow blazes.

At the 1.7-mile mark, the Upper Greeley Pond comes into view.  There are several places to climb down to the shoreline and take in views of the pond.  Although Upper Greeley is the smaller of the two ponds, I found it the prettier of the two. I loved seeing the towering mountains all around the pond.

Lower Greeley Pond
Lower Greeley Pond has a lot of dead trees at one end, giving it a swamp-like appearance. Below: Trailhead sign along the Kancamagus Highway; New Hampshire’s “Hike Safe” Signs are posted at all trailheads. Hike Safe (http://www.hikesafe.com) was developed by the state to help hikers become safer in the outdoors; Adam checks out the trail map illustrating skiing and hiking trails.

Greeley Ponds Trail Sign Hike Safe Trail Maps

Lower Greeley Pond is just several tenths of a mile past the end of Upper Greeley.  There is a big stand of what appears to be dead hemlocks at the end of the pond.  It gives the pond a swamp-like appearance. The lower pond also has fewer places to enjoy a shoreline view.

We turned around for our return hike a little past the end of Lower Greeley Pond.  Although, if you want a longer hike, the trail continues, following the Mad River all the way to Livermore Road.

We didn’t see a soul on the hike out to the ponds, but passed numerous groups of hikers on the return trip.  Greeley Ponds is clearly a popular hike in this area.

Adam Says…

The Greeley Ponds Trail is close to the western side of the Kancamagus Highway, so it was our first stop along the way.  The trail has a small parking lot that tends to get crowded during the busy summer.  This is a fee area, so you’ll need to deposit $3 in an envelope and display your pass.

The trail wasn’t difficult, but due to the recent rain, it was a little muddy and slick in spots.  I also felt overwhelmed by mosquitoes and had to flail around and swat them at every step.  It reminded me of the quote from Lord of the Rings when Merry asks, “What do they eat when they can’t get hobbit?”.  Well, my answer to Merry is “me”.  The bug repellent held many off, but other than taking a DEET bath, you’ll likely find a bite or two without multiple applications along the hike.  Christine asked if I would rather have the flies and mosquitoes in New Hampshire or the gnats and ticks in Virginia.  Maybe it’s because of what I’m experiencing now, but give me some ticks and the threat of Lyme Disease over these pesky creatures.

Mossy Trail and Boardwalks
Much of the trail was traversed by boardwalks and planks. Below: The trail intersects a couple other trails; Adam enjoys the view from a small, sandy beach at Upper Greeley Pond.

Trail Marker Adam takes in the view at Upper Greeley

The yellow-blazed Greeley Ponds Trail goes for 1.3 miles until it reaches a junction with the East Osceola Trail (you could add this to your hike if you want for an additional three mile out-and-back hike). At this junction, you will see the sign stating you should reach the Lower Greeley Pond  at 1.7 miles.  The trail intersects several times with a blue-blazed trail, but this is a cross-country skiing trail to the ponds (Hikers stay off the ski trails in the winter, so they can avoid leaving footprints over the cross-country ski tracks).  Both will get you to the same place, but you’ll notice the yellow-blazed trail will be a shorter route.  Once the pond comes into view, you can see a short off-trail path to a beach-y area with good views of the pond.  Going back on the trail, you continue along the bank and can continue to get different views.  Staying on the main trail, you will reach the Upper Greeley Pond around the 2 mile marker.   There are a few good views of this longer pond for the next few tenths of a mile and then you can return the way you came.

There is no camping allowed within .25 mile of the Greeley Ponds, but we did see some illegal campsites around the area created by people that weren’t respectful of the ecosystems around the area.

The area around the ponds, especially the Upper Greeley Pond seems like a great area for birdwatchers.  We were treated with songs from warblers and the knocking of woodpeckers.

There are a few geocaches along the trail:

The hike exhibited a lot of different features of the area’s forests –  dense pines and birches, gorgeous ponds, and erratic boulders along the way.  The minimal elevation change makes this a good hike for families as long as you can maintain good footing on wet surfaces.  We saw a few groups with dogs along the trail, so it is even four-legged friendly. (Please note…dogs are not allowed on the ski trails in the winter)

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 5 miles
  • Elevation Change – 500 ft
  • Difficulty – 2. The hike has a very gradual uphill.
  • Trail Conditions – 2. Like most trails in New Hampshire, this one is rocky, muddy and covered with roots.
  • Views –2. Some nice views of the mountains at the ponds.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 3.5. Ponds aren’t really lakes or streams, but they do qualify for a high rating for water features.
  • Wildlife – 2. Lots of bird species near the ponds.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.  Pay attention to the yellow blazes and you won’t get lost.
  • Solitude – 2. This is a popular and well-traveled hike.

Directions to trailhead:
Take I-93 Exit 32 at Lincoln and go east on Route 112/Kancamagus Highway about 10.5 miles to the marked Greeley Ponds parking lot.

Beards Mountain

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Beards Mountain is a hike within Douthat State Park that provides lake and mountain views at various stages of the trail.

View of Douthat Lake from Beards Mountain
A view of Douthat Lake from the trail. Below: The trails in Douthat State Park are clear and well-marked.

Trail Signs

Adam Says…

This was our first trip to Douthat State Park and we were quite impressed.  The park contains over 40 miles of hiking trails.  The origin of the name “Douthat” is from a land patent given to Robert Douthat from the Governor Robert Brooke.  Part of this land makes up the park today.  The best guess as to how to pronounce the name I found was “dow-thut”.

Like most state parks, you have to pay $3 on the weekends to enter.  We went to the park office first to talk to someone about the two hikes we were contemplating – this one and Blue Suck Falls.  The Blue Suck Falls hike is close to 10 miles, so we opted for the shorter hike on this particular day.  Before we started, I wanted to check out two new programs that state parks are now offering.  The Trail Quest Program is something created to replace the state park passport program.  This program allows you to track the state parks you have visited online and there are some pins given as rewards based on how many you visit.  I started the passport system a while ago, which I have enjoyed, but I think this program is also a great idea.  The second opportunity is now all of the Virginia state parks are sponsoring geocaches.  Each park has a multi-stage geocache that leads you to a wildlife card for each park.  When you collect a number of these cards, you can also get some prizes.

View from the Trail
Most of the views along the hike were peeks through the trees. Below: Another glimpse through the trees; the stream along the Beards Gap Trail was made up of interesting terraced rocks; another view of Douthat Lake

Due to the tricky network of trails, I would recommend picking up a map at the park office.  The hike up Beards Mountain starts to the right of the park office entrance by taking the blue-blazed Beard’s Gap Trail.  This trail starts off relatively flat and crosses a creek a few times (it was dry when we crossed) before it starts an uphill climb with several switchbacks.  While I normally don’t enjoy switchbacks, this trail was well planned and it really takes the difficulty out of the elevation gain.  At 1.2 miles you will reach a trail junction and a hut that was created as an eagle scout project.  Take a left on this trail to join the yellow-blazed Mountain Top Trail.  At 1.7 miles, you will reach a junction of three trails.  You will see the Buck Hollow Trail and the Mountain Side Trail to the left, but you will just head straight continuing on the yellow-blazed Mountain Top Trail for the toughest climb of the trip.  At 1.8 miles, you will take a sharp right on a switchback and be able to see Douthat Lake below through the trees.  There are better views ahead.  The hike continues to climb up, leveling off around 2.0 miles, until you see a marker for the forest boundary around 2.5 miles.  At the marker, you will take a left to stay on the yellow-blazed Mountain Top Trail.  Around 2.7 miles, the trail begins to descend steeply.  Around mile 3.1 the woods will open up to reveal a very nice view of Douthat Lake below.  Around mile 3.4, as you are descending, you will come to another junction of trails.  Take a left on to the Mountain Side Trail.  This will continue be a fairly level trail that will eventually give you a third lower view of Douthat Lake around the 3.7 mile marker.  After the view, you will have a slight ascent back up to the familiar junction with the Mountain Top Trail.  At this junction, you will take a right down the blue-blazed Buck Hollow Trail.  Around the 4.7 mile marker, you will see a branched path that is marked as an Overlook Trail.  We did not go down that path this time, but it adds an extra .5 mile on to your trip.  Around the 5.4 marker, you will reach a junction and take a left on the white-blazed Wilson Creek Trail and you will cross a small bridge.  Shortly after rounding the corner, you will see a water tower that is on a gravel road.  Just cross the road and stay on the white-blazed trail.  The trail will eventually pass a few staff houses and a stone chimney around 6.9 miles.  Just travel the last .1 miles to reach the park office and your vehicle.

While we felt the views weren’t exceptional, we did really enjoy this hike.  We had a perfect hiking weather day with a cool breeze to keep from sweating profusely and to keep the bugs away.  We definitely plan on returning to visit and explore this park some more.  Most of the people that come here seem to come for fishing, picnics, and camping but I do think the trails we saw were very enjoyable.  While it was a longer hike, it wasn’t too tough to handle if you’re in decent shape.

Christine Says…

Beards Mountain was an enjoyable hike for a blustery spring day.  For a seven-mile hike, it was relatively easygoing. Most of the steep climbing was in the first third of the loop, which allowed for very pleasant downhill or level walking for the last two-thirds of the hike.

This was by far the windiest day I’ve ever been out in the woods – gusts were easily 45-50 mph.  The wind was really roaring through the mountains, catching on all the newly leafy trees.  Any time I looked up, I could see the treetops swaying and swirling dramatically above our heads.  Every now and then, we would hear branches snap – but thankfully none fell close to the trail.  It was nearly impossible to talk over the wind, so Adam and I hiked in silence most of the way.

Hiking Upward gave this trail a five-star rating for views, so I was really hoping there would be a pretty overlook to stop and eat our picnic lunch along the way.  Unfortunately, all of the views were merely small openings in the trees along the trail.  None of the viewpoints really had an off-the-trail space to sit and take in the view.  We ended up eating lunch along the ridge of Beards Mountain, near the National Forest border marker.  We love Hiking Upward, but have found that our opinions sometimes differ on what makes a five-star view.  For me, a top rated view has to be panoramic, unobstructed, offer a deep view into the landscape beyond and have a nice place for a couple people to sit and enjoy the vista. The views on this hike were nice, but I wouldn’t give them top marks.

Snake Along the Trail
We saw so many reptiles along the hike. Below:  The Visitor’s Center is both the start and end point of the hike.

Visitor Center

The descent on this hike was long and followed a (usually) gentle grade.  The one thing that made it tricky was the dryness/looseness of the soil and the narrowness of the trail.  There were a couple spots along the Mountain Side Trail that had precipitous drops on the downhill side.  For some stretches, the trail was only 12-18 inches wide – not even wide enough to use trekking poles.  Every now and then, a rock would slip off the edge of the trail, and bounce endlessly down the steep mountainside.   It made me think that someone could get hurt pretty badly if they took a wrong step.  On these sections, I just kept my eyes straight ahead on the trail and my feet.  If I looked downhill, I felt dizzy.

I think in early June, a lot of this loop hike will be extremely gorgeous!  I noticed a lot of the trail was lined with mountain laurel.  When it blooms in a few weeks, it should be amazing.

All in all, I was really impressed with Douthat State Park.  The trail system there is pretty expansive and well-maintained.  I’ll look forward to visiting the area again sometime.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 7 miles loop
  • Elevation Change – around 1400 feet
  • Difficulty – 3.  Some sections are tougher than others, but we still felt it was fairly challenging.  The first couple of miles are the toughest.
  • Trail Conditions – 3.  The trails were in decent shape, but some were a little overgrown and there were some areas affected by landslides that made for a narrow trail and careful footing.
  • Views – 3.  The views are nice, but they are obstructed.  You won’t find overlooks with expansive views on the trail, but you do see pretty mountainous scenery through the trees throughout your hike.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 1.5 There are some streams that might be really beautiful in times with lots of rain.  The water was down to a trickle when we visited.
  • Wildlife – 2. We saw a couple of snakes on the trail, a few fence lizards, and some different bird species.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.  The trail is well-marked, but there are a lot of intersections and different trails to make this a loop.
  • Solitude – 3.  We were surprised since it was a state park, but we only saw one hiker and a couple of mountain bikers on the trail.

Directions to trailhead: Take I-64 to exit 27 near Clifton Forge, VA heading north on state route 629.  Continue on this road until you enter the park.  Pay your fee at the gate and park at the park office just ahead on your right.  The trail starts to the right of the park office entrance.

South Valley Trail

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The South Valley Trail is a part of the 35 miles of hiking trails in Prince William Forest Park.  It is a nice stroll that takes you along the Quantico Creek.

Quantico Creek in the fall.
Even though the foliage was past peak on our hike, there were still some pretty spots along Quantico Creek.

Adam Says…

We went up this past weekend to visit Christine’s parents.  Her dad’s birthday is on Halloween and he usually likes to do something active to help celebrate.  He suggested a possible bike and hike in Prince William Forest Park.  We were expecting a lot of rain that weekend, so we decided to just do a hike.  While it was raining a little before we got there, we managed to do the hike with only a light drizzle at the end of the hike.

The sign marking the South Valley Trail
The South Valley Trail runs in a large loop around the park.  Pictured below: The hike starts off on Mawavi Road; A bridge over Quantico Creek;  Adam checks out evidence of beaver activity.

Walking down Mawavi Road The arched bridge at the end of the lake Evidence of beaver activity in the area.

Many people do not realize that Prince William Forest Park is part of the National Park Service.  The land was given this protection to find a new use for the land under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.  It was used as a training school for the military during World War II, but was turned back over to the Park Service in 1946.

While the overall South Valley Trail is about nine miles, we decided to do the portion that highlighted the South Fork of Quantico Creek.  Her dad dropped a bike off at parking lot “I” and then we proceeded to lot “G” to start our trip.  Christine’s father used the bike as a shuttle at the end of the hike.  Upon reaching lot “I” at the end of the hike, he biked back to the car and then returned to pick the rest of us up.

We began by walking on Mawavi Road.  In about .4 mile, it intersects with the South Valley Trail.  We took a left on this trail.  The trail runs along Quantico Creek for the majority of the rest of this hike.  Shortly after joining the South Valley Trail, you will see a very narrow lake.  There are a couple of cabin camps on the opposite side of the lake, which are often used by Boy Scouts.  In 1.6 miles from the start, you will reach a junction with the High Meadows Trail.  Continue straight on the South Valley Trail until you reach the Scenic Drive.  Take a right and head down the road to your other vehicle at parking lot I, just about a tenth of a mile ahead.

Quantico Creek was dammed to create a lake.
Part of Quantico Creek has been dammed to create a lake. There is a group camp on the lakeshore.

We were expecting to see more color in the leaves this year, but it seems that things near the creek were a little past peak.  We did see lots of signs of beavers in the area, but we didn’t see any actual beavers.  The bridge and lake were interesting to view along the way, but this was more of a nice stroll through the woods than a momentous hike.  The grade during this hike was a mix of hills and flats, so most people could attempt this hike without much difficulty.  What amazes me most about this area is that it doesn’t seem to be heavily used.  You would think with the proximity to D.C. and the hordes of Northern Virginians, that it would be crawling with people.  But, we’ve been here several times and there doesn’t seem to be that many visitors.

Christine Says…

I’ve hiked along the South Valley trail many times over the years.  When I was a Girl Scout, we camped in the park frequently.  We took many day hikes along this trail.  As an adult, we’ve hiked it as a family several times.  In fact, it was the first trail we hiked after my younger brother returned from his first tour of duty in Iraq.   Like Adam said,  the South Valley trail is nothing spectacular.  There are no grand vistas or thundering waterfalls.  Instead, it’s simply a place to enjoy a quiet and peaceful walk through the woods.

There wasn't much foliage left, but this tree was pretty.
There wasn’t much colorful foliage left on the hike.  Pictured below: A pretty spot along the creek.

Quantico Creek in the fall.

The foliage was about a week or two past peak when we hiked this year.  There were a few ginkgo and beech trees still holding onto golden leaves, but most of the trees were bare or brown.  The last time I hiked this area was fall of 2007.   Even though it was much later in the season, the color lingered until almost December that year.  The photos below were taken on November 17, 2007.   I guess this is even more evidence that fall came and went early this year.

The foliage along this hike was much prettier in 2007.
The foliage along this hike was much prettier in 2007. Pictured below: A couple more shots from fall 2007.

The foliage along this hike was much prettier in 2007. The foliage along this hike was much prettier in 2007.

The terrain of this hike is very easy.  Since Prince William County doesn’t really have mountains, the park lacks tough grades and long climbs.  I would describe the trail as crossing rolling terrains.  You’re almost always walking uphill or downhill, but ascents and descents are never steep or long.  Quantico Creek is a lovely and lazy waterway along the trail.  There are a few places where the water forms small rapids and cascades, but most of the time it’s just a quiet, smooth ribbon of water through the woods.

The morning in Prince William Forest was a nice way to spend some time as a family.

Trail Notes

  • Distance – 3.1 miles
  • Elevation Change – Negligible
  • Difficulty – 1.  Not much uphill the way we traveled.
  • Trail Conditions – 4.  The trail is narrow, but in great condition.
  • Views –0. No views to really see.
  • Waterfalls/streams – 3. You will constantly get views of the stream nearby, but the water is usually fairly still.
  • Wildlife – 1. You’re likely to only see deer around here.  However, gnawed trees lead to the belief that there are beavers in the area.
  • Ease to Navigate – 3.5. A few turns, but easy to follow.
  • Solitude – 3. It’s Northern Virginia, so expect some people, but you should still have decent solitude.

Directions to trailhead:
From I-95, take exit 150 on to 619 heading west.  The Prince William Forest Park entrance is on the right.  Once you pass the gate, take a left at the first fork.  Once you pass parking lot C, take your next left.  To do the trail as a shuttle as we did, leave a vehicle or bike at lot I and then proceed to lot G.  Walk down the Mawavi Road to start the trip.