Acadia National Park and Boston

3 Sept 2015

Our first trip to Maine. Really excited. The proposed itinerary is dinner with Family in Boston today evening, Acadia National Park from Friday to Sunday, explore Boston on Monday and return home early morning Tuesday. Let us see how well we stick to our itinerary (we have almost always improvised)

19 th September 2015

So finally managed to sit down to write this trip up. This has been a busy month. 

Day 1 - Friday 4th September

The dinner at Carlisle (a suburb of Boston ) was a nice family affair. We left from Carlisle to pick up our friends at Boston Logan airport. The drive back was a breeze compared to the traffic jam that we endured earlier that evening to get out of Boston. We stocked up on some food and beverages since we were planning to drive through the night and have breakfast atop Cadillac Mountain at sunrise. We had rented a Dodge Durango and I was pleasantly surprised at how big the vehicle was and pretty powerful too. The drive from Boston to Acadia was uneventful (particularly for me since I made good use of the spacious luggage space to catch some sleep). Since we left the airport a little later than we would have liked to we were racing against time to catch the sunrise. By the time we reached Trenton we were still 30 mins away from Cadillac mountain and the sun had already started to rise, so we decided to stop at one of the nice overlook along the the Desert Narrows to watch the sunrise. It was a beautiful sunrise with the water glistening in gold and clouds shaded in purple. The air was a little nippy and reminded that some of us who did not have a jacket needed to get one asap.

After spending almost 30 mins watching the sunrise we made our way to the nearest Walmart and shopped a little bit for necessities. Since it was the perfect time for breakfast and we had not reached Cadillac mountain in time for sunrise anyways, we decided to have a proper breakfast at Bar Harbor. A quick yelp search directed us to Jeannies Great Maine Breakfast. Since it was still Friday and the labor day weekend crowds had not rolled in just yet , downtown Bar Harbor was pretty quiet and we could easily find a parking spot right across the restaurant.  The breakfast was fast and delicious, more so since we were hungry after an overnight drive. We gobbled down the food discussing what our plan for the day should be. We quickly decided to hike the Dorr Mountain Ladder trail so that we could get a feel of the area and prep ourselves for perhaps a little more challenging hike for the next day. 

The Dorr Mountain trail was pretty relaxed and we encountered the much talked about iron rungs only twice on the trail hiking via the ladder trail. It is a nice trail with pretty views of the ocean all along. I couldn't believe how blue the Ocean looked and the light was just perfect for taking pictures  without getting a lot of glare from the ocean which usually spoils the picture.It is just about 1000 feet elevation gain and I would consider this trail as moderate difficulty, if that. We reached the summit of Dorr Mountain in about 1 hour at a very leisurely pace. We spent some time soaking in the views and taking pictures. There is an option to continue the trail to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain but we did not pursue that since we were anyways planning to drive up to the summit. The descend was quicker and we were done with the trail by 12.30 pm. Since we still had almost half a day left we decided to explore the Jordan Pond area before proceeding to the beach.

Dorr Mountain Ladder trail

Summit of Dorr Mountain

Driving towards Jordan pond we saw the parking area for the Bubble rock trail access. Since it was pretty crowded we decided to stop and check it out. We hiked the short trail to access bubble rock which is a huge rock precariously balanced on the ledge, apparently deposited in place by Glaciers back in the time. This point has a very nice overview of Eagle lake. As usual people were trying to do stupid things at the rock while I was contemplating what would happen if the rock was indeed displaced by the pressure applied by people leaning and trying to pretend they were pushing the rock. On our way back we missed a fork and by a happy coincidence found out that there is another trail that leads down to Jordan pond and has a fantastic overlook of Jordan pond and the ocean in the background. The overlook is just steps away from the fork to the trail back to Bubble rock parking lot. Later we drove to Jordan pond which is just a mile or so further south. We walked along the pond trail for a little bit looking at the reflection of the famous bubbles and dipped our feet in the pond for a little bit. There were quite a few ripples on the lake so couldn't actually capture the reflection of the bubbles. This is a nice leisurely stroll. Then we returned to the Jordan Pond Tea house to have some popovers and finger food.

Balance Rock

Jordan Pond from South Bubble

North and South Bubble in Jordan Pond

To end the day we drove around the ocean side of the park on the road parallel to the ocean path. Initially we had decided to hike the ocean path but after the long day we decided that we will take the easier way out and just stop at viewpoints on the way. We made stops at the sand beach, thunder hole and tinker cliffs viewpoint. The beach is pretty and very picturesque with  a nice contrast provide by the red rocks to the blue water. The thunder hole kind of disappointed us since the ocean was pretty calm and hence we did not get to see the thunderous waves that it is known for. By the end of the day we were so exhausted that we ended up skipping dinner and just heading out to the hotel to have some of the food we had packed.The Day's Inn we were staying at is a pretty nice location, just minutes away from Bar Harbor and right by the ocean. The rooms are standard and good value for money. We turned in at around 9.30 after a hectic day determined to wake up early in the morning to catch the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain next day (I know, pretty early by trip standards even for that)

Day 2 - Saturday 5th September

The next day started with a beautiful sunrise which was viewed from the summit of Cadillac mountain by a lot of people while we were bundled up in our beds. The closest we got to watching the sunrise was when we saw the glimpses of the fleeting sunrise hues over the ocean from our hotel window. Our hungry stomach pretty much dictated the agenda for the morning and we were invariably drawn to quaint downtown Bar Harbor for breakfast. Today was a different story altogether. The downtown was packed with tourists who had come in the previous night, parking was hard to find and all the businesses were bustling with activity. We managed to find a table at 2 Cats breakfast restaurant, another gem of a place. It was vibrant with the chatter of tourists, servers rushing to fill empty coffee cups and a generally happy air all around. The food was again good and I noted that the Jalapenos here are good with a kick (I had noticed the same thing the day earlier at Breakfast when I got my veggie omelet loaded with Jalapenos). With our tummies full and spirits lifted with some earthy coffee we decided to take on the Precipice Trail, one of the crown jewels of the park.

The trail starts with ominous warnings about its strenuousness and historical fatalities. It doesn't waste time in getting into a vertical climb. We were greeted by some iron rungs about 5 minutes into the trail. These rungs are not too bad but a good test of your ability to continue the trail further. If you are not able to climb these then this is a good time to turn back as the trail has several of these and similar scrambles ahead.  The trail is pretty well marked with blue blazes on the rocks / trees. Immediately after the first set of rungs you run into a short boulder field, which reminded me of the boulder fields at St Helen's, although this one was much shorter and not so challenging. We missed the trail briefly and ended up climbing the whole boulder field instead of taking the short turnaround which circumvents the boulder field to continue on the trail. This probably added around 10 mins to our hike, so that should give you the idea about the size of the field. The trail gets progressively better in terms of views as you climb higher and higher.  It is pretty well maintained and if you are comfortable climbing iron rungs then I must say that there are very few places where there is any serious chance of you getting hurt or killed unless you are acting really stupid. I thought there was just one point on the entire trail where it could be safer if there were a couple of support bars but other than that I think the trail was thrilling without serious dangers. The junction where the orange and black path meets the precipice trail is a good spot to relax, take some pictures and get ready for the final climb.

Precipice Trail

Junction of Precipice Trail / Orange - Black path

Precipice trail

Once you reach the top the views are spectacular and the sense of accomplishment you get after completing the trail make them even more beautiful. You can see the lush green park  below, the vast expanse of the blue ocean dotted with the several islands and sailboats which offers a nice panoramic perspective. We spent a lot of time admiring the views, taking weird pics (you kind of have to right?) and snacking. It was only after we had spent considerable time that we realized that we were not at the summit yet and there was still some distance to be covered. The distance is not much though and the trail is all flat from here on, save the final set of baby iron rungs just before the summit. The summit is marked by a trail post which indicates the several trails intersecting here and makes for a nice picture spot. We descended by the Champlain N Ridge trail and followed the Orange and Black Path to the road savouring the views and feeling great about having completed the trail. 

We decided to give the thunder hole a second chance today to impress us so we drove by the ocean path again. We were disappointed again by the calm ocean but the place was way more busy than yesterday, swamped with tourists. We managed to find a high perch just besides the thunder hole to relax and appreciate the beautiful colors in the sky and feel the air, a perfect spot to power down. Then we walked the ocean path a little to reach the pebble beach or as they like to call it the monument cove, a spot that we had missed yesterday. The trail is very pretty with a canopy of trees covering it. After spending the evening along the ocean it was time to head out to downtown Bar Harbor to enjoy a nice cold beer. This was again a different town altogether. Bar Harbor was lit up with music playing out of the bars and on the streets, trinket shops filled with tourists, cocktail glasses clinking in the restaurants, all in the backdrop of a sky on fire with the sunset colors. We managed to snag what I consider to be the best oceanside table in entire Bar Harbor at Stewman's Lobster Pound. The table was the last one on the pier where we could see the water lit up in bright orange, some happy kayakers paddling away and a nice little boat sitting by our side gently swaying to the tune of waves. We cooled off with a few cocktails and set about exploring the trinket shops and just strolling around the busy streets. To finish the day we bought  some BEVERAGES, a pizza from Roselli's in downtown Bar Harbor for dinner and spent the rest of the night chatting, devouring the pizza, revisiting the memories of the several trips past before we finally retired to bed resolving to make it to the sunrise tomorrow morning at Cadillac Mountain.

Monument Cove

Day 3 - Sunday 6th September

Next day morning there were several people in their sleeping bags at Cadillac Mountain and I suspect a lot of them had camped out in their sleeping bags the night before to be able to watch the sunrise in time. The sunrise was gorgeous and spectacular, alas we did not see it today as well. While those happy campers were watching the sunrise, we were watching it on our dreams bundled up in our cosy beds. Regardless we decided to visit the summit before the sun got too bright so that we could see the panoramic view at least. The drive up is not much and there are several small spur trails to explore the summit. We spent time soaking in the bright sunlight reflecting off the shimmering ocean. We then bid adieu to the park heading towards Mt. Washington the highest peak in Northeast USA and the home of the worst weather in the world. On our way to we drove through the New England countryside which itself is a rewarding experience and through the pretty town of Conway. We stopped for lunch at Mother India restaurant at Lewiston ME which seemed to be a decent town. From Conway we drove towards the Mt Washington Auto road till we reached the checkpost. There is a $28 fee for the car and driver plus $8 for every additional passenger. It also includes an informational CD that you can play while you are driving up the 8 mile road. If your car is not equipped with a CD player you can rent one from the gift shop right after the checkpoint. 

The drive up the mountain is just as much of an experience as the summit itself. It is a thrilling ride with spectacular views all around. The road is certainly not for amateur drivers as it is a single lane road with traffic going both ways and steep dropoffs. It is recommended to drive in the lowest gear and this is probably one of the few occasions when I had to use both  my feet to drive on the steep hill with one of feet constantly ready to brake if the car started to go back when I was starting from a stopped position. It is kind of a pity if you are driving because you do get the thrill of driving (if you like it) but you miss out on the scenery around since you cannot take your eyes off the road. We did see a lot of bikers on the road and I bet they were having even more fun than people like us in the cars. Once we reached the top it just got better. The views are breathtaking and you just cannot have enough no matter how long you stay up there. There is a nice museum in the basement of the observatory where you can see the Extreme Mt Washington experience. It has several videos, pictures and illustrations to create a simulation of the weather one would see during the winter months. Overlooks abound all around the summit and all of them are equally beautiful .There is also an option to reach the summit in a cog railway that runs from Bretton Woods NH. The cog railway coaches are all brightly colored and provide excellent contrast for picture frame photos of the Mt Washington area. There is a nice little restaurant and gift shop in the visitor center. On the way down I chose to yield the steering wheel so that I could sit back and enjoy the views. Driving down requires just as much skill as driving up. We drove at a fairly slow speed in the lowest gear without any sudden braking and stopped once to let the brakes cool off. Some other people were not as careful and we ended up seeing a lot of cars with smoking tires at the place where we had pulled out.There are frequent pullouts for cars to let their brakes cool down and I would strongly advise making use of those for the safety of your vehicle and co-passengers.

Glen Ellis Falls

On our way back to Conway we stopped at Glen Ellis Falls. This is quite a magnificent fall and from what I hear one of the best falls in New Hampshire. The trail is very short, 0.5 miles at max, and very well constructed. It passes through a tunnel below the highway and leads to the waterfall through a set of granite steps safeguarded by log hand rails. The fall has a 64 feet drop off and a significant volume of water. There are three view points one at the top, one half way and another at the bottom of the falls. There is also a smaller cascade before the falls which is very pretty too. The best spot to get the pictures is the deck and area at the bottom of the falls as long as you can manage to save your lens from getting wet by the spray. It quickly got dark after we reached the falls but we were glad that we visited despite the fading sunlight. This fall is a must visit if you are visiting Mt Washington. We had a nice dinner at the "Thai Nakonping Restaurant" . I must say the host was very homely and the food was great. After the delicious dinner we embarked on the 3.5 hour drive back to Boston to finish the day. The ride was fairly uneventful and most of us slept through it again making good use of the big boot space of our Durango. The Royal Sonesta in Cambridge was a nice luxury to relax after the 3 long days and sleep was quick to take over after downing a cold beer.

Day 4 - Monday September 7th 

As there was no pretense of getting up early to watch the sunrise, we got up a little late and started our day at around 10 am. We figured out that the bike sharing system Hubway might be our best mode for going around. Essentially it is a point to point bike sharing system where you can share bikes for short 30 min trips at an inexpensive daily fee. We decided to bike to nearby Harvard Square which was a 2 mile bike ride. We spent some time walking around the campus, took pictures at the famous John Harvard statue and then settled down for lunch at Harvest of India. The restaurant was nothing to talk about and had standard uninspiring buffet but got the job done. From there we biked to Boston Commons. This was a nice bike ride as we rode through Cambridge, saw MIT, a view of the Boston Skyline and Charles River from Massachusetts Avenue bridge, then rode along the river to reach Boston Commons barely in time to drop off our bikes. It was a blistering hot day and we were pretty exhausted by the time we reached Boston Commons so we relaxed a little at the lawn in the Boston Public garden watching the ducks swim by in the lake. Then we cooled off in the Frog Pond with a mist of the fountain as a welcome respite. At the visitor center we found out that they offer a costumed guided tour for 11 of the 16 attractions on the Freedom trail. Since the Bunker Hill monument would have closed by the time we finished the tour we decided to first visit the monument and then take the tour.  Once we reached the Bunker Hill monument we were told that the access to the top was closed today since noon because the weather was too hot and accessing the top was not advisable. That was a little bit of a bummer so we headed back to Boston Commons to take the tour after spending some time at the monument.

The guided tour was really cool and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is visiting Boston for the first time. Our tour guide was dressed as a one of the Loyalist and did a great job of narrating the history from a loyalist's perspective of the Revolutionary war. The places we covered were as follows:

1. Boston Common
2. Massachusetts State House
3. Park Street Church
4. Granary Burying Ground
5. King's chapel and Burying Ground
6. Benjamin Franklin Statue
7. Old Corner Bookstore
8. Old South Meeting House
9. Old State House
10. Site of the Boston Massacre
11. Faneuil Hall 

Massachusetts State House

The last point of the tour couldn't be better as it was by the Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market which has abundant food shops and a flea market. We had our fill of the varied fare on offer and reflected on the the tour. Then we decided to make our final stop in Boston at the Prudential tower, one of the best places to view the city skyline from the top. Some of us took a cab while we decided to just bike to get another perspective of the city in roads. Initially we were planning to get some drinks at the Top of the Hub restaurant in Prudential towers, but because of the minimum $24 per person spending policy for the restaurant we decided we might just visit the sky observatory which charged $17 a person. To be frank the view is nice but not great even from the sky observatory since the skyline is dimly light and there are hardly any places where you can get a good picture without the reflection of the Glass walls obscuring the main vista. It could be a different story during the day perhaps, but if you have seen better skylines such as New York / Chicago you wouldn't miss much by skipping this. On the flip side there is a great big shopping mall on the ground floors so this would be a perfect location if you are in the mood for shopping. After Prudential tower we took a cab to our Hotel as we had a lot of packing to do in order to be able to catch the flight out of Logan airport at 6 am next day. One tip to anybody staying in this hotel or in area hotels is that there is a Republic Parking lot just a block away which is an inexpensive alternative to the exorbitant hotel parking. 

To summarize the trip, beautiful sunrise at Mt Desert Narrows, scenic hikes along the Dorr Mountain Trail and the thrilling Precipice Trail, delicious food in the pretty restaurants in Bar Harbor, a nerve wracking drive up Mt Washington followed by spectacular views, quick trip to Glen Ellis falls, a relaxed day in Boston / Cambridge and great food at Quincy Market, another great trip with friends - check.

Achievement unlocked in the trip - Completed visiting the four corner of contiguous USA - San Diego (South West), Seattle (North West), Key West (South East) and Maine (North East). Alaska truly will be the last frontier.