Acadia National Park Summary (Oct. 9)

This trip included the following destinations:

• Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine
• Seal Harbor, Acadia National Park, Maine
  

It was already shortly after noon on Tuesday, October 9th, when we departed from campus and headed towards Acadia National Park. I, along most of the others in our group, had never been to Acadia before, so we didn't know what to expect. Nicole, however, had been before, as she navigated us East for about two hours. As we approached the park, numerous mountains and hills came into view. As it was still fairly early in the afternoon, the sun was relatively high, making for a bright and sharp view of the beautiful scenic coast. The weather was fairly warm for an autumn day, and none of us needed much more than T-Shirts as we got closer to our destination.

When we entered Acadia National Park, we headed towards Cadillac Mountain, which stood 1,532 feet above the surrounding waters. Despite the fact that I had been to much taller peaks, I had to admit that the mountain was quite impressive. The accessibility to the summit made me feel as though we cheated the climb, however, the flat rocky terrain made for an enjoyable walk. In addition to the interesting landscape, the sight seeing was quite beautiful, as around each turn a new view made its stunning appearance. The warm sun shining down on us combined with the fresh air made the walk into another relaxing scenic trip.

At the true summit of the mountain, there was a small gift shop with plenty of souvenirs; despite the fact that I wasn't fond of commercialized tourist attractions, I decided to buy a patch for my weekend pack. I figured it wouldn't do any harm, as I already had a collection going anyway. Besides, the store was quite convenient for families and hikers, like us, who didn't have time for a full day's hike. However, I intend to do some trails around the park the next time I get the chance, particularly when I have a number of disposable hours to really enjoy the hike.

Our next destination was Seal Harbor, which wasn't too far away. This, however, wasn't the issue that caused our delay. We accidentally ended up on the wrong road after passing the harbor, and spent roughly 45 minutes driving around in a loop. Our navigator soon corrected the error, though, and within minutes we were on the right track. Regardless, the drive wasn't boring. The mountains divided the rays of light like a dusty serrated knife blade, cutting the days in half. As one side of the mountain appeared to glow in an autumn haze, the other was buried within an endless blanket of shadows.

When we reached the harbor, the sun was beginning to lower itself behind the massive bodies of land that covered the region. It was my understanding that the harbor was no stranger to a few local seals, so when there was an absence of these fascinating creatures I was slightly disappointed. Nevertheless, the stretch of sand that was left exposed in low tide was smooth and comforting to walk on. The view of the coastline was also beautiful; however, slightly different from our other trips, the view was enough of a contrast to keep us interested. As the sun began to dip even lower, casting a golden glow across the sand, we decided it was time to head back. It had been a successful scenic experience at Acadia National Park, and we'd be sure to return again with a more eventful schedule and additional time to explore the region.

I would recommend Acadia National Park to a wide range of people for the following reasons:

• The park is filled with various activities including hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, etc.
• There is plenty of territory to explore, including various mountains, lakes, harbors, trails, and friendly villages.
• The public accessibility and numerous free parking locations make it a fun and easy trip for inexperienced hikers and families.
• There is plenty of information available in local towns, making it easy to plan a fulfilling day at the park.
• The views and scenic locations make it the perfect destination for photographers and those whom appreciate nature.