Northern New England

Hey Everyone,

Chanthee and I just got back from our VERY quick trip to New Hampshire and Maine. We did the 'what would I do if I only had 24 hours...' tour of Acadia National Park. I must say, I never thought I would find a place that reminded me so much of Jackson Hole on the East Coast. Bar Harbor is a very ritzy town - it reminded me of the Hamptons. LOL, even camping, the accomodations were attempting to break us.

One thing is for sure - I definitely want to go back to Acadia - even with the 11 hour drive from Bar Harbor to Manhattan. The weather has been HORRID - rain, rain and more rain. I have one shot of the light house at Bass Harbor that I will share tomorrow when I get home that I like that shows the conditions.

Not sure if we have others here who have done Acadia. It seems to me that while it features prominently as the most visited national park in the USA that it does not get much play here in the forums.

James

James,

My wife and I spent many vacations up in Acadia. We used to camp at Mt. Desert Campground which is located almost at the tip of the fjord that splits the island. A very convenient location for getting to both sides of the island easily ( not that the island is THAT large to begin with.)

What I like about Acadia NP is that is has a little bit of everything - if you like to spend time in/near the ocean there is Sand Beach, there are plenty of hiking trails from easy to moderate, sunrises and sunsets up on Cadillac mountain are spectacular, etc. etc. And yes there is Bar Harbor for when you need a shot civilization and commercialization.

There are other places on the island to visit - Northeast and Southwest Harbors, Thuya and Asticou Gardens,and on and on. Here is a link that will get you started.

One of my favorite walks is the hike around Jordan Pond. You start and end at the Jordan Pond House. It's a fairly easy walk - good for a couple of hours. This is a photograph that I shot from the south end of Jordan Pond looking toward a feature called 'The Bubbles.' I need to spruce it up a bit but you get the idea.



We haven't been back in a few years and it seems like it's overdue.

Hi James -

not intending to pick a fight, but your comment about Acadia being the most visited NP drew a wrinkled eyebrow from me when i read it. i had a hard time believing that this park was visited more than the grand canyon, or yellowstone, or Yosemite, & a handful of others. so i had to see it for myself, & googled 'most visited national parks in US'. fully expecting to see your statement confirmed, but still hard to believe, my instincts wound up being confirmed. the best i found Acadia was at #10, @ the following link: http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2007/07/top-10-most-visited-national-parks

but even at #10, i can agree with you that it's a bit surprising that we don't see more images of it - be it on this forum or anyplace else for that matter. not that they don't exist at all - but it does seem to be rare.

jp

Hey JP,

Thanks for sharing - I stand corrected. I was fairly positive that it was indeed the #1 park, but, LOL, I have been known to be wrong.

Anyway, Chanthee and I are driving up today for a few days to camp. HOpefully we will have a few more shots to share when we get back.

James

I haven't been to the park in a few years, shame on me because it is my backyard, so to speak. Glad you enjoyed yourself and yes, that neck of the woods is a wallet-drainer!

Hey Debbie,

How close are you to Acadia? Believe it or not, my wife and I have been New Englanders for most of our lives, and we only started going recently. We hope to make several trips in the Spring as it is only 11 hours away from here in the City.

James

I live just under three hours away so it does take a little planning for a trek over there, but well worth it when you go.

If you enjoy wilderness camping, I suggest a few days in Baxter State Park. The last time I was there, I watched a thunderstorm encircle Mt. Kathardin, simply beautiful.

Make a list of everything you need before you go, this is no place to forget the can opener. The Gatekeeper will assign a spot for you according to the watercraft you have.

Listen to the game warden's instructions to your campsite CAREFULLY. They do not have signs pointing the way. Your instructions might include: go EXACTLY 89.2 miles on odometer, turn right.

It is a smooth ride through but definitely a tough 4-wheel drive vehicle is necessary, especially in the spring, once you make that left or right.

You will feel like everyone fell off the face of the planet, and most likely the only human contact you will have during your stay will be the game warden's that fly at tree top level to check on your well-being. Give them a thumbs-up and they are on their way.

Oh, one very important thing I don't want to forget to add, becareful, the laws of the road DO NOT APPLY.......seriously, so pay close attention to vehicles you meet.

Post Script: Do not forget bug spray; pack food away from the tent, you WILL have vistors, so be prepared; and if you fish, DO NOT DROP A LINE WITHOUT LICENSE, this is a breeding ground for game warden's, fishing regs, strictly enforced.

Hey Debbie,

Thanks for the information. I understand that there are lots of Moose in Baxter as well. Is that true?

James

Yesssssssssss!!! They like to visit you while you catch some z's, suggest you don't sleep with your head against the tent walls. Best bet, point your head toward the center to sleep.

If you trek away from camp, wear a bear bell and only YOU will be surprised. Also remember, we do have cougars in Maine.

Hey Debbie,

Thanks for the info. It is a pity that they won't let me take the dog. LOL, it makes it much harder to visit a place when I have to hire a baby sitter.

I wish that Maine would re-introduce the Elk. Pennyslvania did it and have had an amazing success with their restoration. Given the massive amount of space that Maine has that is completely empty, and given their push towards trying to be seen as a real eco-tourism state, you would figure that this would be a no-brainer.

James

LOL......the dog!!! I know it is hard to leave the baby behind. Even though ppl know I am not in a position to 'babysit' right now, I am constantly asked and would in a minute if possible.

The elk. Yes, PA has a thriving elk population, very doubtful for this state. As far as I know there is not even a whisper about the subject anywhere in the state. The only elk we see are those at elk farms.

The face of Maine is changing but sadly not for the better. Born and raised here, its difficult to watch the change of events unfold which will alter the state forever.

Our 'space' is right now is a few battles to survive. One in particular, the beautiful area of Moosehead is fighting the big boys to keep out what really amounts to a small city.

It proposes to build close to one thousand homes, two huge resorts, golf course, marina, as well as, three RV parks, convenience stores, gas stations and over one hundred rental cabins. All that is just for starters, it very well could increase, in housing alone, to over three thousand homes. The company proposing this has done it before, destroying huge amounts of beautiful property for the sake of the almighty dollar.

So, visit us when you can, if you wait too long, we could be unrecognizable in the near future.

Hey Debbie,

I had heard that Maine was going through tough times all together. The paper industry is apparently dead in Maine, and as a result there are whole sections of Maine that are essentially empty space. Having said that, Maine has so many possibilities as a state for eco-tourism that I hope that they get it together.

Chanthee and I briefly debated purchasing something around Acadia, but the season is too short, and there is no real winter season at all there from what we can see. We have also considered New Hampshire, which has a solid winter season and potential for a livelihood.

James

Not only is the paper industry dead, all manufacturing jobs have gone overseas. This state is one tough place to make a living for the average Mainer. Taxes are at the high end in the nation, without jobs to back them up.

Our 'empty space' is seriously in jeopardy and fearful desperation is the fuel used to sell the dreaded casino idea in Oxford County and the Plum Creek fiasco in Moosehead. Trying to turn our state into the next Foxwoods or Atlantic City is not going to provide the jobs necessary to maintain a decent lifestyle or keep our college grads in their home state.

If it is a long winter season you are looking for try Carrabassett Valley.

Hey Debbie,

While I know that this has a risk of being 'far afield' for a photography website, I am curious to see what sort of things you think Maine could realistically do as a means of protecting its wild spaces and at the same time generate the revenue that they will need in order to keep the state running.

James

We need something generational in the manufacturing sector. By that I mean, we need manufacturing jobs that are not fly-by-nights, disappearing overseas the minute you turn your head.

We need to manufacture products that are sensible and intelligent; products that enhance breakthroughs in specific areas not only for our state but for the country and the world. We need a 'silcon valley' experience; casino's and anything else based on tourism should not even be considered.