It’s easy to sense the spirit of park visonary George B. Dorr at the Compass Harbor Trail at Acadia National Park.
Visitors can climb the granite stairs to the ruins of Dorr’s old estate – called Old Farm – and wade into the same deep inlet where Dorr took his regular swims. Continue reading
Acadia National Park is benefiting from the most trail workers this summer than at any time in the past 80 years at the Maine park.
Largely because of a federal grant, the park has hired 51 people to work on the trails, including 35 federal workers and 16 from the Youth Conservation Corps, according to Acadia Trails Foreman Gary Stellpflug, who did all the hiring.
Gary Stellpflug, trails foreman at Acadia National Park, has refurbished this memorial plaque on Gorge Path for Lilian Endicott Francklyn. Separately, a federal grant will also help finance improvements to stone steps on the path.
Stellpflug said it’s the largest crew since the Civilian Conservation Corps established two camps on Mount Desert Island in 1933 as part of the New Deal during the Great Depression. Continue reading
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, which gives the strongest form of land protection to nearly 110 million pristine acres across the country.
While Acadia as a national park has different protections, and the busiest days atop Cadillac may make it seem like wilderness lost, there is still no better place and time to reflect on the meaning of wilderness and the landmark law than on a trip to Acadia and Bar Harbor this summer.
Fog lifts to reveal the wonder of Sand Beach and Beehive
Let the fury of a storm-tossed ocean, a hike along the Wonderland Trail, the call and pecking of a pileated woodpecker, or moments of early-morning solitude put you in your place in nature’s grand scheme of things.
Or attend a “Celebrate the Wild” film festival, kicking off on Sunday, June 22, at 2 p.m., at Bar Harbor’s Reel Pizza Cinerama, with “Forever Wild: Celebrating America’s Wilderness.” Former Acadia National Park superintendent Paul Haertel is the special guest speaker. Continue reading
It is a little later than usual this year, but lady’s slippers are back in bloom at Acadia National Park.
Lady’s slippers are showing their pink and white colors in June in Acadia National Park.
Our friend Maureen took the above photo of the orchids on Monday during a hike in the park. The photo shows a large colony of pink and white lady’s slippers growing in the shade of a boulder and pine in a hidden spot in Acadia. Continue reading
BAR HARBOR – In a rite of spring, we returned last week to Acadia National Park to look for a hidden colony of pink and white lady’s slippers. We also came to see the showy yellow orchid on public display at the Wild Gardens of Acadia.
Don’t pick the yellow lady’s slippers
MOUNT DESERT ISLAND — For the first time, Acadia National Park this year could be home to four sites where the chicks of four pairs of peregrine falcons successfully fledge.
During “peregrine watch” at Acadia National Park, Patrick Kark, right, with hat, helps a visitor spot a nesting falcon on the cliffs on the east face of Champlain Mountain.
The chicks of peregrine falcons have successfully fledged, or flown, at three sites in the past but never four, according to officials at the park.
The falcons have nested at four sites in the past.
Nest sites this year have been confirmed on the precipice on the east face of Champlain Mountain, at Jordan Cliffs above Jordan Pond and at the Valley Cove Cliffs above Somes Sound. Continue reading
One in a series of historic trail highlights leading up to the Acadia Centennial
The Bar Island Trail is one of a kind in Acadia National Park.
The wooded, rocky island can only be reached at low tide each day, starting at a sand bar that begins at the end of Bridge Street in Bar Harbor.
It’s great to walk along the ocean on the bar and then on the other side, ascend the trail through the woods on the island.
From a small hill on the island, people can get great views back to Bar Harbor and Acadia peaks. Along the way, a Porcupine Island rises from the ocean horizon.
The catch is that Bar Island can be reached just 1.5 hours on either side of low tide.
Strange enough, cars are allowed to drive on the bar, even though it’s less than a half mile long. Some people break a rule, park their car and leave it behind for a walk on the island.
A view from Bar Island puts into perspective one of the many cruise ships visiting Bar Harbor.
A prominent sign on Bar Island’s shore warns people that the tide rises quickly, but inevitably an inexperienced few lose track of time and find themselves stranded on the island when the tide comes in and washes over the sand bar.
It seems like a summer never passes without stories about swamped cars or people needing to be rescued from Bar Island at high tide.
The mishaps are hard to understand but they are as sure as the tides themselves on Bar Island. Continue reading
Acadia National Park is noted for its peregrine falcons, migrating hawks and near-ubiquitous turkey vultures.
Wild turkeys are also gobbling up space in the park. Continue reading
Leaders and supporters of Acadia National Park are gearing up for a major celebration of the park’s 100th anniversary in 2016 including the unveiling of an official centennial logo.
Leaders and supporters unveiled an official Acadia National Park Centennial Logo to mark the 100th anniversary of the park. Maine artist Catherine Breer designed the logo.
A new task force is also developing guidelines for people and businesses to become partners in the centennial celebration. Continue reading