Acadia National Park Hiking Adventure

DAY 1

We meet you either at the airport in Portland, Maine if you need a shuttle or in the afternoon at our hotel in Bar Harbor if you are driving to the tour or flying to nearby Bar Harbor Airport. After introductions and a brief orientation of our week ahead, we will shuttle into the park to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. From the visitor center, we will walk on the historic carriage roads, a 45-mile network of gravel roads built by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. to facilitate foot and horse traffic in the park. Our route this afternoon is the Witch Pond Loop and you will have three distance options from which to choose. This evening we will walk to dinner at Stewman’s Lobster Pound for a traditional lobster dinner including clam chowder, mussels, steamed whole lobster, potatoes, corn, and blueberry pie.

Hiking Distances: 2.3, 4.7, or 5.2 miles

DAY 2

This morning we will enjoy a buffet breakfast in the hotel and then depart for our first really hike in Acadia National Park, what is affectionately called the Peak Bagger's Delight. You can choose to hike up one, two, three, or four peaks today: Bald Peak, Parkman Mountain, Gilmore Mountain, and Sargent Mountain (second highest in the park). Located in a less-visited part of the park, the peaks get us above treeline (which is not high since we are so far north) and we'll have outstanding views of the nearby coastline and evergreen forests. The hiking is not difficult but definitely uphill, and so you'll have the option to also walk on the flatter carriage roads in this area of the park if you prefer. After our hike, you'll have time on your own to explore and grab lunch in cute Northeast Harbor. Back in Bar Harbor in the afternoon, you can choose to explore town, hang out on the hotel porch or in the outdoor pool, or join us for an optional walk across the tidal land bar to Bar Island, which appears twice a day at low tide. This evening we'll eat at Lompoc Cafe, a cute small restaurant that specializes in unusual flavors and creative dishes such as beet carpaccio, tofu banh mi, crab BLT, or scallops in Korean BBQ sauce.

Hiking Distances: 2.7, 4.0, or 4.2 miles

DAY 3

Today we depart after breakfast for a hike up Acadia Mountain, the namesake mountain of the park. The main route is a nice loop trail to the top of Acadia Mountain. With a little more mileage, you can add a second peak by hiking up Saint Saveur Mountain. And if you'd like a bit more distance, we'll extend the loop and hike on Flying Mountain Loop, which includes the mountain as well as a walk along the Somes Sound coastline. For lunch we explore a second small boating community, Southwest Harbor, with a meal at Upper Deck, featuring a large menu and water views. You'll have a bit of time to explore this harbor town on your own after lunch. Then we have a treat - a two-hour boat cruise on the Elizabeth T, a 21-passenger lobster boat that cruises the local waterways as we look for wildlife and learn about the local lobster industry. We'll return to Bar Harbor with dinner on your own this evening, so you can explore one of the many options in town.

Hiking Distances: 2.9, 3.7, or 5.5 miles

DAY 4

We shake it up this morning, walking to Acadia Outfitters after breakfast where you will have the chance to either bicycle or kayak. We can bicycle directly from Acadia Outfitters in town into the national park, where we make use of the carriage roads network. From our starting point of Duck Brook Bridge in the park and you will have options of the Witch Hole Pond Loop, the Eagle Lake Loop, or the Tri Lakes Loop for a total of nine, 14, or 19 miles. If you choose to kayak, we'll go with a professional guide into Frenchman Bay off the coast of Bar Harbor for a fun and educational trip. After the morning activity, you will have time for lunch on your own in Bar Harbor. We'll then meet for two to three-mile walk through Bar Harbor, learning a bit about the history, seeing the sights, and trying to climb up Tilting Rock if you can! This evening is our final dinner: we will drive into the national park to dine at Jordan Pond House, the only restaurant in the park. In operation since 1893, the restaurant sits on a hill along Jordan Pond and overlooking a great lawn.

Biking Distances: 9, 14, or 19 miles
Kayaking Distance: Varies
Walk Distance: 2 - 3 miles

DAY 5

On our final morning we will get up early to eat breakfast and then depart for a final hike in the Great Head area along the ocean. Great Head is a rock promontory that juts into the Atlantic Ocean, with stunning views, rocky crags, and tide pools. You can choose a shorter or longer loop walk on Great Head. Alternatively, from the same parking lot, we can hike up the Beehive Trail, which is known for the steep drops and iron rungs that help you. This trail is not for the faint of heart (or balance challenged) but is a fantastic option for a final morning for those who dare. We then return to our hotel, check out, and depart, with a dropoff at nearby Bar Harbor Airport or a shuttle to the larger airport in Portland, Maine.

Main Route: up to 5 miles.