Amazing Acadia and the Rockbound Coast of Maine

The Trip

This outing will feature hiking in Acadia National Park, kayaking in Frenchman Bay (just off Bar Harbor), and visiting a protected area on an offshore island, which we will access via Maine State Ferry.

On the last day of the outing, participants may choose among several options, including additional easy hikes in the park,riding a bicycle on the carriage roads of the park (either or both with a leader), or other activities that can be done on one's own, such as taking a whale watch trip, shopping in Bar Harbor or visiting a museum. The cost of these other activities is not covered by the trip price.

Established in 1929, Acadia was the first National Park east of the Mississippi River. While many parks were created to protect a single natural feature, Acadia's claim to fame is its wide variety of ecosystems, including ocean, sandy and rocky beaches, mountains, lakes, streams, wetlands, forests, and meadows all found within 45,000 acres. Acadia is one of the 10 most visited national parks in the country, receiving over two million visitors per year. We will visit both the Mt. Desert and the Schoodic Peninsula portions of Acadia Park. More information is available online at www.nps.gov/acad/

Day 1: Check into the lodge between 3:00-3:30 p.m. Trip orientation meeting at 4:30 p.m. Dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Days 2-6: The following activities will be scheduled for these trip days. The exact date and time of each activity will depend on the weather and other considerations:

• Visit main section of Acadia National Park. Jordan Pond hike (3.3-mile loop; rated Easy), hike to The Bubbles (3 miles round-trip; rated Moderate). Visit famous Jordan Pond House for popovers.
• Kayak trip on Frenchman Bay, lunch on an island.
• Ferry ride to Winter Harbor. Explore Schoodic portion of Acadia National Park. Possible hikes: Alder Trail and Schoodic Head Trail (2.5 miles round trip; rated Moderate) or Schoodic Head Trail to Visitor’s Center (3.5 miles one way; rated Moderate). Catch shuttle at Visitor’s Center to return to ferry.
• “Free choice day” with the following options:
• Bike ride with the trip leaders on the carriage roads of Acadia National Park (cost of bike rentals not covered by trip price)
• Hike on easy trails with the leaders
• Take shuttle or drive to parts of park not visited
• Take a guided trolley ride around the park
• Visit a museum (there are several excellent ones)
• Go on a whale-watching trip
• Go shopping in Bar Harbor
• Take ferry ride to an offshore island; hike on land trust property with guide.

Day 7: Trip ends after breakfast. Check out of lodge.

Getting There

Bar Harbor Airport is host to Cape Air, which flies once a day from Boston. Bangor International Airport is served by Delta, US Airways, and Allegiant Airlines. From there, it is necessary to get transportation to Bar Harbor. If participants do not want to rent a car, they can reserve a space on the Bangor-Bar Harbor Shuttle, which runs from the Bangor airport to downtown Bar Harbor. The website for the Bangor-Bar Harbor Shuttle is: http://www.barharborbangorshuttle.com/

It is also possible to fly to Portland, Maine, which is served by many more airlines (Air Canada, Air Tran, Continental, US Airways, Delta, Jet Blue and United) and then take a bus to Ellsworth and then taxi to the motel in Bar Harbor. You are, of course, more than welcome to drive your own car.

Trip leaders will provide transportation for participants flying into the Bar Harbor airport to the motel. The trip price does not include transportation from the airport in Bangor or other airports. Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.

Accommodations and Food

Accommodations will be in an economical, but highly rated motel in Bar Harbor. The motel has a pool and a hiking trail/bicycle path that accesses the carriage roads of Acadia Park. Included in the room rate is a continental breakfast, which consists of cold cereals, instant oatmeal, bagels, muffins, juice, milk, coffee and tea. Each room is equipped with a refrigerator, so trip participants may store additional food that they may want for breakfasts, lunches, or snacks.

After breakfast each morning, we will make our own pack lunches with fixings supplied by the trip leaders. Every effort will be made to accommodate, as much as possible, personal needs and preferences with regards to food (e.g. vegetarians, meat eaters, gluten free, lactose intolerant, etc.) Dinners will be enjoyed at a variety of local restaurants, and of course, lobster will always be available! In addition to the complimentary breakfasts, the cost of lunches, snacks, and three dinners are included in the trip price. Two will be at restaurants chosen by the leader. One will be a “pizza party” held at our motel. Three dinners are not included in the trip price in order to give trip participants the opportunity to spend as little or as much as he/she would like and even to share the cost of meals, if so desired. There is an extensive list of rated Bar Harbor restaurants online. Participants may also choose to dine with the leaders (at restaurants chosen by the leaders) for these non-covered dinners.  

The free “Island Explorer” shuttle makes regular pick-ups and drop-offs at this motel, so there is really no need for participants to have their own cars.

Trip Difficulty

The hikes on this outing range from easy to moderate in difficulty, and there will always be a choice provided between an easy trail and a moderate trail. "Easy" generally means relatively flat and reasonably short in length (less than five miles); however, this does not mean that the trail will be completely level and without walking hazards like rocks and exposed tree roots, so care must be taken even on the easy trails. Moderately strenuous trails contain some steep sections and can involve "rock scrambling" (climbing over large rocks). Trails labeled "difficult" tend to have significantly longer steep sections, involve more rock scrambling and can be five or more miles in overall length. One of the most challenging trails in the park, the Precipice Trail, contains sections that are so steep that there are metal ladders embedded in the rock face, which must be climbed. This trail, if open, will be offered on "free choice day" by the leader for any participants who are interested. While the mountains in Maine are low in elevation compared to those in the West, trails can be steep and are generally without switchbacks.   

Equipment and Clothing

A packing list will be sent to trip participants in advance of the outing. In general, it is wise to bring rain gear, as thundershowers are certainly possible and fog can be damp. Daytime temperatures in mid-September can range from the low 60s to the mid 80s, so a variety of clothing is necessary. Plan to dress in layers! Nighttime temperatures are usually "good sleeping weather" (generally in the 50s).

For hiking excursions, you should bring a small backpack that can accommodate your lunch and a water bottle. Also bring a jacket, hat, gloves, and rain gear. It can feel a lot chillier than it actually is when out on the water or if it is foggy. However, having said all this, your leader feels that Maine has the most beautiful summers in the entire country!

Please bring washable/reusable plastic containers that can accommodate your sandwich and other lunch items. Sierra Club tries to minimize the amount of trash that is generated by trip participants, so we will not be supplying plastic baggies or paper bags for lunches.

References

• Berrill, Michael and Deborah. A Sierra Club Naturalist's Guide: The North Atlantic Coast Cape Code to Newfoundland. Sierra Club Books.

Conservation

In recent years, the coast of Maine has experienced a dramatic boom in development. Preservation of natural coastal habitats is a critical issue. In response to this need, several land preservation groups such as the Maine Coast Heritage Trust have been acquiring parcels of undeveloped land by either donation or purchase. In addition, this group has assisted communities and individual land owners in designing conservation easements for properties to protect them from future development.

In response to the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Cross Island have been nominated for wilderness status; two of only four areas on the East Coast nominated for wilderness designation. Sierra Club has an active chapter in Maine; information will be available on their activities in the state.

We will have guest speakers from the Maine Coast Heritage Trust and from Friends of Acadia to talk about the work of their organizations in conservation and other issues on the coast of Maine and in Acadia Park. 

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.