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Acadia National ParkSep 29, 2007
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Sep 29, 2007 49626
We had lots of rain yesterday and we are noticing more and more color in the trees. Unfortunately there has not been any frost at night so the bright reds are not there.
As we pass over the Narraguagus River the tide is ripping in, it looks like the water flowing out of a drainage pipe after a storm.
The majority of homes in this area, meaning most of New England, have been large. Two and sometimes three stories, about 3-4 rooms wide and 2 rooms deep,
11:45 We are at the Timberland Acres Campground just south of Ellsworth, ME. It is a Good Sam Park, water and electricity is $29.00 a night with tax. We are just 15 miles from Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor.
We get set up, have lunch, wash the windows on the RV and head out. First stop the Visitor Center. This is the first park to have not only a Junior Ranger program but also a Senior Ranger program. We get the book and an audio tour CD and head out.
Acadia National Park has the distinction of being the first National Park east of the Mississippi and the only park that is on donated land. It is located mainly on Mount Desert (thing dessert) Island. Another portion is on Schoodic Peninsula and there are around 70 islands scattered around.
In 1604 Samuel de Champlain discovered these islands and named them L'Isle des Monts Deserts sometimes translated as "the island of barren mountains". The great glaciers 20,000 years ago created the barren mountains. They also created the islands, lakes and the rugged coastline.
The area became of favorite of the wealthy during the late 1800's, the Rockefeller's, Morgan's, Ford's, Vanderbilt's and others all built summer "cottages" here. Many were 30 rooms are more but were only used as summer residences with lavish parties being held.
Even though the new residents had money they were also stewards of the land and many donated their land to the government and Sieur de Monts National Monument came into existence in 1916. As more lands were donated the area was redesigned as a National Park in 1919.
John D. Rockefeller created 47 miles of carriage roads throughout the park with 17 stone bridges. The stipulation was that motorized vehicles never use the roads and that continues even today.
We will be taking the Loop Road, most of which is one way. There are plenty of spots to pull off and view the vistas and the audio tour gives us descriptions of everything, plus mileage to the next spot.
Our stop and see the town of Bar Harbor below us, there is a cruise ship in the harbor, a sailing vessels, many lobster boats and pleasure craft. We are lucky to have a beautiful day with few clouds.
We stop at the Sieur de Monts spring and wander through the Gardens of Acadia. This is a garden of the island in miniature, reflecting the different Microsystems within the park.
Our next major stop is the Thunder Hole. This is a trough in the rocks that allows the waves to enter. At high tide the noise is like that of thunder and the spray gets everything around wet. We are hitting it on the outgoing tide so the effect is not so stupendous.
The rocks here are of pink granite and are beautiful in the sunlight. We continue around stopping at various points, going under the carriage bridges, taking short hikes to ponds (we would call them lakes), and watching some of the birds and squirrels.
We meet a couple at Bubble Pond and they tell us about the sunset on Cadillac Mountain so that is where we head for the last stop of the day. From the top of the 1500 mountain you have a 360° view. To the south the next landfall is Venezuela and to the east is France.
As the sun slowly drops into the West we reflect on what we beautiful spot this is and so like our own coastline. Many of the trees here are in near peak color; the air is crisp, wind blowing (not nearly as hard as on Mt. Washington) a near perfect ending to our day.
