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Of wonder and wilderness in Acadia National Park

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.

Acadia National Park Sand Beach Beehive wilderness

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 →

Lady’s slippers are blooming pink and white again in Acadia National Park

It is a little later than usual this year, but lady’s slippers are back in bloom at Acadia National Park.

Lady's slippers in 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 →

Hiking Acadia National Park a bestseller at local bookstores

BAR HARBOR – The bookstore at Acadia National Park’s Hulls Cove Visitor Center and Sherman’s Books & Stationery on Main Street both report that our Hiking Acadia National Park and Best Easy Day Hikes Acadia National Park are selling fast.

Acadia hiking books

Signed by yours truly

We stopped by recently to chat with Ann Marie Cummings of Eastern National, which runs the visitor center bookstore, and to autograph some books at Sherman’s.

The big book, Hiking Acadia, was the fifth highest item in sales volume during 2013 at the visitor center bookstore. A total of 451 of the guides was sold last year.

“It’s a beautiful book,” said Cummings, Eastern National Unit Manager, Acadia National Park, Hulls Cove Visitor Center. The 285-page book includes color photos to go along with full descriptions of 77 hikes in the park in Mount Desert Island, Isle au Haut and Schoodic Peninsula. Continue reading →

Protected lady’s slippers in Acadia National Park

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.

Yellow lady's slippers in Acadia National Park

Don’t pick the yellow lady’s slippers

Continue reading →

Acadia National Park is hoping for 4 sites where falcon chicks fledge

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.

peregrine watch at Acadia National Park

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 →

Bar Island Trail one of a kind in Acadia National Park

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.

cruise ship acadia national park

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 also home to wild turkeys

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 →