Executive Summary

We will depart Caldwell airport after work and fly to Bar Harbor, Maine. On our way to our B&B we will stop at a lobster pound for some seafood and lobster (very inexpensive). We will rise early in the morning to the smell of fresh baked muffins and have a home made breakfast to start our day. Saturday is a day of bike riding. We will explore the hills, valleys, and lakes of the famous Acadia National Park, stopping at the Jordan Pond House in the early afternoon for pop-overs and tea. This has been a traditional jaunt over the past several decades of presidents, world-famous people, and Club members. Saturday night we will eat seafood in the quaint town of Bar Harbor and then explore the local night life. Sunday is a day of hiking and ocean kayaking. There are numerous trails that yield awesome vistas of the fjords and local coast. Ocean kayaking provides a different perspective of the area and takes about four hours of moderate paddling. We will depart for Caldwell in the early evening, arriving home about 9 PM. Throughout the summer we plan two-, three-, and four-day weekends to Bar Harbor.

Highlights

Weather in the summer is typically in the 80's during the day and 60's in the evening.

Acadia National Park with over 44,000 acres includes mountains, glacial lakes, streams, a fjord, beaches, forests, islands, and miles of rugged majestic coastline. It is most excellent for biking the Carriage Trails and a refreshing swim in the mountain lakes. Loop Road Through Acadia Park provides a plethora of awesome vistas and attractions.

Hiking the Precipice Trail up Champlain Mountain provides most excellent vistas of Bar Harbor, Cadillac Mountain, Frenchman's Bay, and Acadia National Park. Our hike descends along a ridge to another mountain where we will have a refreshing swim.

Ocean Kayaking involves kayaks that are wider and more stable than river kayaks. You will see abundant marine life and bird life and, most often, have the wind and current at your back.

Wildlife includes the harbor seal, red squirrel, white tailed deer, beaver, red fox, coyote, and river otters. The stately moose and black bear are occasionally spotted.

Bird life includes the puffin, bald eagle, osprey, songbirds, ducks, shorebirds, and birds of prey. These are most often spotted during ocean kayak tours or hiking along the shore.

Lobster is a famous feature of Maine and is very inexpensive. The lobster pounds offer excellent ambiance for a lobster treat.

Awesome Activities

Carriage Trails in Acadia National Park offers the best biking in New England. These trails are 12-foot wide, hard-packed gravel trails that wind through the mountains, valleys, and along lakes of Mount Desert Island. There are over 50 miles of carriage trails, 16 granite bridges, and two beautiful gate houses. The trails were originally designed for horse-drawn carriages by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in the early 1930's. Motorized vehicles are prohibited. Some of the trails are relatively easy while others climb the mountains for awesome and incredible vistas of the island and rugged coast of Penobscot Bay. A favorite route passes Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond enroute to the Jordan Pond House. The distance is about 10 miles each way and is slightly hilly. The biking enthusiast will enjoy a mountainous, longer route that provides spectacular views of the interior and coastal areas of the island. Blueberries and blackberries can be found in abundance.

Coastal Kayaking provides 4 to 5 mile, half-day tours along the coastline with short stops to observe the wildlife. Remote area tours take the whole day and cover 6 to 8 miles. Awesome and incredible island camping takes 3 to 5 days and goes to secluded island campsites. All equipment is provided and all you need is personal items, a sleeping bag, and pad. You will paddle a Klepper Expedition Kayak equipped with foot-controlled rudder pedals and basic sailing equipment. Meals are provided along with all the clams, mussels, and mackerel you can catch. Each tour can be customized for the group. The guide will maintain radio contact with their Bar Harbor base. This is definitely way-cool!

The wildlife that lives in the area includes bald eagles, osprey, porpoises, seals, occasional whales, and numerous shore birds. Places to visit include Frenchman's Bay, Blue Hill Bay, and Somes Sound which is the only true fjord on the North American Atlantic coast. Kayaks are large, stable, two-person kayaks equipped with rudders. Experience is not required. You must be healthy and reasonably energetic. We will paddle at a relaxed pace. You should wear shorts or a swim suit (warmer weather) or a light pair of cotton trousers, wet suit booties (can be rented). Capsizing is highly unlikely. The guide will provide a dry bag for items such as wallets, cameras, and lunch. Before departing, you can get a bag lunch at Cottage Street Bakery and Deli across the street from the shop. The area is selected based on conditions of wind, weather, tide, and frequency of wildlife sightings. Their cancellation policy requires 24 hours.

They provide guide; sea-kayak, paddle, life vest; dry bag for personal gear; and, land transportation. You bring hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen; sneakers, sandals, or wet suit booties; lightweight wind breaker, sweatshirt, or jacket; water, juice, and food snacks; and, lunch on full day tours.

Jordan Pond House was built in 1847 and founded as a restaurant in the early 1870's. It had a distinctive character with birch bark dining rooms and massive fieldstone fireplaces. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and over 100 species of flowers make the Jordan Pond Flower Gardens a collidescope of color. The tea lawn is surrounded by the garden with a magnificent view of the Pond nestled between the mountains. The culinary attraction to the restaurant includes hand squeezed lemonade, fresh pop-overs and home made jam, and a perfect selection of seafood delights for the weary tourist.

Loop Road circumscribes Acadia National Park and provides excellent access to the variety of attractions within the Park. Thunder Hole is a rock cavern located on the ocean where the surf is funneled against the rock to create a thunderous crash. Sand Beach offers a brisk swim in a small bay flanked by the cliffs of Great Head and the rugged pink granite coast along Ocean Drive. Cadillac Mountain is 1,531 feet with excellent views of Bar Harbor, Frenchman's Bay, and Acadia National Park. There are four excellent hiking trails between 1.4 miles and 3.5 miles long. Sunset and sunrise from Cadillac Mountain are most excellent. Champlain Mountain has an excellent hike, the Precipice Trail, that switch-backs up the face of a cliff. Then, a short distance along a ridge to the Beehive offers an excellent swimming hole to cool off. This trail had been closed in the past because a Paragon Falcon decided to build a nest. The views are most spectacular!

Bar Harbor is on the Northeast corner of Mount Desert Island nestled at the foot of Cadillac Mountain. It features quaint shops with locally made clothing, crafts and souvenirs, outdoor art shows, folk and contra dances, concerts, and impromptu music at the parks. The town has a unique character and is a photo opportunity in itself. There is a fine selection of restaurants with excellent seafood. Treasures that I have found in Bar harbor are the local art and craft. The hand-built furniture, paintings, stained glass lamps, and pottery are a personal favorite. There are several clothing outlets and craft shops that offer excellent value.

Checklist

Pack your gear in a soft, compressible bag and pack light. The list below offers some ideas of things you may wish to bring.

Your hiking boots and Gortex shell should be waterproof and serve also as rain gear.

Getting There

The Maine coast is spectacular and definitely worth the visit at least once a year.

Commercial Air Carriers fly from Newark into Bangor International Airport 45 miles from Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor Airport is serviced by Continental Express.

By Car it is readily accessible on the Interstate highways and you should allow about 10 hours driving time.

Adventure Club Flights depart from Caldwell Airport and take under two-hours.

Adventure Costs

The cost of mountain bike rentals are about $18 and a top-of-the-line mountain bike (with "rock shocks") is $25. Kayaking is about $50 for a half-day tour.