This place is the former estate of a female ornithologist. You can walk on a wood boardwalk…read morethrough the forest and there are additional dirt trails. Use bug spray though as there are a ton of biting insects here! When you park you will notice a number of cages. These cages are housing injured raptors. You can really get to see them up close although it is a little sad that they are stuck in cages. There is a visitor center though I was there too early in the morning so I cannot comment about it.

Such a great find! Many people come to the region specifically to explore Acadia. But I highly…read morerecommend you take a little time to explore this gem just outside of Ellsworth. It is quiet and gentle and gorgeous. We walked the white trail -- the longest of 4 miles of intersecting walking trails through the picturesque and peaceful woods. Then we visited all the bird habitats with owls, hawks, ravens, vultures, and geese - all of which have been rescued and given a second chance in this lovely place. Be sure to take the time to read the placards about the birds and the venue to really appreciate what's going on here. Lovely!

Great Pond Mountain is a fabulous spot and there are different ways to get to the top. There's a…read morelot of granite higher up in the trail and there is a nice loop around the summit.

My usual mountain hike areas are not well known and sometimes takes time to find the entrance to…read morethe trail. This is not such a place. Driving into the area, I found a museum for the local fish hatchery, a busy swimming area, and public bathrooms. Such luxury compared to what I usually have when out for a hike. The road to the trail was a dirt road and I believe I traveled about a mile before getting to one of three parking areas. There was a large map showing all of the local trails, mountains, and scenic spots. The trail itself was well marked with wooden blue blazes, well groomed, a well maintained bridge and signs along the way to guide a hiker song the trail they want. Much of the trail was smooth granite that made easy walking and can also make for easy mountain biking as a biker when scooting by me while I relaxed. Near the top of the mountain was where the best views were had. At the very top, the view was not as spectacular but needed so I could say I did the whole mountain. All or nothing!! I will definitely be back with my husband and our bikes to check out the mountain bike trails and to check out the museum.

This was my favorite hike in Acadia! A bit challenging, but worth it…read more If you are even remotely afraid of heights, this is probably not the hike for you. My husband turned around and bailed, and several people I passed were scared and stuck at difficult spots throughout the climb. It starts with some serious rock scrabbling and then it only intensifies from there. You have to be able to climb vertical metal bars punched into the stone and navigate some pretty narrow ledges with sheer drops (think mini version of the worst parts of Angel's Landing) to get to the top. It's not long - less than a mile - to the top. But, it got a little intense. I LOVED it. Wonderful views throughout, beautiful and just challenging enough to get the blood pumping. It's not encouraged to go back down the way you came - and you can easily continue on hiking as it meets up with a loop to come back down to the parking area or you can continue on some other trails to continue your journey.

I visited around 7 am, and the trail was not too busy, but there were some lines and short waits of…read moreless than a minute at the most exposed areas of the trail. I think the cliff exposure is similar to Angel's Landing, but this trail is much shorter and not as strenuous. It's no walk in the park either, so definitely be safe and there's no turning around in the difficult part once you start because there's only room for one-way. If you have rock climbing experience, it makes a huge difference because it felt like a long slab climb with jugs. The trail was honestly shorter than I expected, and I completed the loop returning via the bowl trail in less than 2 hours. Great views throughout with lots of resting points so you could easily spend longer. You can chill by the pond on the loop, or relax at Sand beach nearby afterwards.

Searching for lighthouses in Maine is as much fun as searching for covered bridges in Vermont and…read moreNew Hampshire. Obviously, the lighthouses are going to be set on the water, but they are also, most of the time, far removed from the main highways and roads. Such is the case here. In the lovely little town of Castine, sits Dyce Head Lighthouse. Dyce Head, or otherwise known as Dice Head, was built in 1828 for $5,000 on land owned by the Dyce family. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1937 and relit in 2008. Tours are available in the Summer only, every other Tuesday.

Our first lighthouse of the day as we head south from Ellsworth, the Dyce Head Lighthouse is about…read more16 miles from US-1 onto the peninsula. There is a small parking lot here (too small!) and there is a nice walk around the lighthouse as the property is open for visitation. Dyce Head was nice and it is a lighthouse, but it was not my favorite of the ones we visited this weekend. There is a steep and narrow path down to the water which I would not recommend. The lighthouse was first established in 1829, the light was deactivated in 1937 and replaced with a simple skeleton tower that was destroyed by a storm. Following that, this old light was reactivated in 2008. The tower is 129 feet above the mean high tide point. It is officially a tower of rubble masonry laid in a lime mortar that was repaired in 1998 with a slurry injection of liquid concrete. The structure still stands. [Review 14881 overall, 383 of 2021, number 63 in Maine.]

Cadillac Mountain is a must-see when traveling to Bar Harbor, Maine…read more It gives a great overview of the harbor and a real rugged experience. But be prepared. Make reservations in advance online; you can't make them in person. You must buy park tickets, which are $35 (kind of ridiculous for a state park), and $6 bucks to tour the top of the mountain. They had a small gift shop and only one working restroom with two portalets close by. Some people drive it, some hike it to see the sunrise and some bike it. I would only recommend driving it given how narrow the road is and it's off the side of a cliff. It was a nice overall experience.

We opted for the one and a half hour shore excursion that takes you to the top of the highest peak…read moreon the North Atlantic Seaboard. You enter Arcadia National Park. Today it was foggy yet as we ascended up we climbed above the clouds: surreal and beautiful. There is a gift shop and a restroom.

This is about 30 minutes from the apartment and the trail sounds interesting. It's definitely a…read moremodest trail. Not for beginners or the physically hindered. It's a 1 1/2 mile long trail and took us about 20 minutes from the road to the falls and bring hiking boots. It was nice out so I had sneakers on. Next time I know better.

Beautiful place to spend time hiking and exploring the gorgeous coast of Maine…read more Keep it as is...

Highly recommend this beautiful island. Great for hiking, exploring or spending the day at the…read morebeach. I recommend packing a picnic and making a day trip out of it. You want to be there when it is low tide. There is a cool driftwood fort on the beach. Pick up after yourself. No overnight camping or hanging out after dark. It is pristine and peaceful. They host yoga on the beach as well.

I'm no stranger to parks and beautiful natural places, but Acadia is like a dreamscape. There's…read morestunning ocean views from crumbling gorgeous cliff sides. There are lakes, streams, ponds, scenic lighthouses, boats, bikes, trails, gardens, crazy hikes with vertical iron rungs, rolling forest hikes, lighthouses, and more! The main issue you'll run into is crowds.. lots of people want to come here, especially in July and August. Best thing to do, go in as early as possible, do some things, take a break, go back again after 3. If you're early, you can get a parking spot then work from there. If you are flexible on time, take advantage of the shuttles, but be warned, they may be full, and they don't run every 10-15 minutes, so plan accordingly. I would be in the park by 7, have plans maybe on a tour in Bar Harbor late morning or early afternoon, then head back after 4, and I got to all the must-do's, ie hiked the Beehive, the Bubbles, Cadillac Mountain sunrise and sunset (reserve this early as spots sell out, I booked mine 3 months in advance the minute they released and they were sold out shortly later, especially sunrise tickets), Jordan Pond and popovers, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, as well as some boat tours in the area, including very successful whale and puffin watching. For more hints and tips, I watched some YouTube videos, there's great info out there, especially the videos from Ash, a former park ranger, who has loads of helpful tips to get around and not spend your trip sitting in traffic or waiting in a parking spot.

Did we go in a wrong entrance or something?!…read more I was underwhelmed for sure. We walked a few trails and took some photos but ??? Im very glad we hit Cadillac Mountain - that's where it's at!!!

When visiting Acadia National Park in Park Loop Road., one place you must stop is Sand Beach. It's…read morebeautiful, peaceful, with cliffs, mountains, what more can you ask for. This is the largest, sandy beach on Acadia. I did not see a lifeguard when I came so be aware when swimming. Sometimes they are not present. You do have to go down stairs to get here. There is parking or you can come in the Island Shuttle that stops here. Then at night, on Sundays and Wednesdays, weather permitting, the Park Rangers put on an excellent Stargazing program to do. I came and really enjoyed it. But dress warm, bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. Whether you are visiting day or night, this beach does not disappoint !

Beautiful beach in Acadia National Park. We took the LLBEAN shuttle and it took us right to it, it…read morewas the loop road route. This was convenient as parking looked tough. We weren't prepared to go swimming but we still walked the beach and took some pictures. A lot of people were there to swim and it was pretty crowded. The air was chilly so I was surprised how many people were swimming but maybe the water was warm. I didn't notice lifeguards but there was a park ranger circulating. Plus bathrooms and changing rooms up top. At night they had a stargazing program here which we came back for which was ranger led and honestly one of my favorite memories of the trip.