2021-07-10 Acadia-001 Acadia National Park - Sat, Jul 10 2021

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed through the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for details; you will be given payment instructions after you sign up. Late payments are NOT accepted for this event, in any circumstance.



2021-07-10 Acadia-001 Acadia National Park


The Basics:
Event Type:Adventure
Event Location: Acadia National Park
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Jul 10 2021  8:00 am >> Sat, Jul 17 2021 8:00 am
Registration Opens: Wed, Aug 28 2019 7:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Sat, May 1 2021 12:00 pm
Event Duration:7 Days
Difficulty Rating:D5: Difficult
Distance:73 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Bill Wey
Email Trip Leader(s)
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Member Cost:$25.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:1
Minimum Group Size:1
Number Registered So Far: 8 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

 

<<< Summary >>>

Come join the like-minded adventurers for a weeklong exploration of Acadia National Park. It is located along the rocky coastline of Maine, occupying most of the 108-square mile island of Mount Desert Island and several neighboring smaller islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Mount Desert Island's appeal is the combination of majestic rounded mountain vistas with the nearby ocean and the beautiful forested valleys, streams, and lakes in between.

One of the must do’s when exploring Acadia is to enjoy fresh lobster, clam chowder, and blueberry pie at one of the roadside lobster pounds or restaurants in the area.

This trip will explore Acadia National Park in 8 days and 7 nights. These carefully evaluated and selected daily outings are all among various top 10 lists published by travel experts for Acadia National Park.

 

 

<<< Logistics >>>

We’ll meet first thing in the morning from Day 2 to Day 7.

 

 

<<< Itinerary >>>

Day 1: 2021-07-10 Saturday.

Arrive at Acadia National Park in Maine; and check in lodging. This is a good day spending some time explore downtown Bar Harbor shops and attractions; or driving the famous 27 miles Park Loop Road to get an overview.

 

Day 2: We’ll meet at 8:00 am at Hulls Cove Visitor Center. (8 miles)

Cadillac Mountain. The summit of Cadillac Mountain is one of the "must see" spots in Acadia. It’s the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard.

We'll take South Ridge Trail to the summit. We’ll check out the summit loop trail to find a good spot for lunch; also scouting out the sunrise viewing spot for the week. We'll take North Ridge Trail back to our cars.

This will be a point-to-point one way route. We’ll take 2 routes of free Island Explorer bus (Island Loop/#4 and Blackwoods/#10) to get to the starting point. We must be on time. If we miss the bus, then we'll have to wait for 1 more hour for the next bus.

 

Day 3: (13 miles)

We’ll meet at 6:30 am at the Precipice Trail parking lot for an early morning hike. This is a very popular hike in the park, so we have to start early to have better chance of getting parking space.

Precipice Trail (3.2 mile/ 1000 feet ascent); rated strenuous with iron rungs. According to the Nation Park Service, this trail is not recommended for people with a fear of heights. It is perfectly okay if you want to skip this morning hike. There is more info of this trail at https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-precipice-loop.htm

We must remember to buy the Cadillac summit reservation ticket online at 10:00 am EDT. This is required for the sunrise watch 2 days later.

We’ll have free time after the morning hike to eat breakfast. We’ll meet again at the Acadia Mountain trealhead parking lot at 11:30 am.

Acadia Mountain/ Flying Mountain/ St Sauveur Mountain Loop Trail (6 miles); we’ll find a good spot for our lunch break.

We'll hike Ship Harbor Trail (1.5 miles) and Wonderland Trail (1.5 miles) in the afternoon.

Dinner at Thurston’s Lobster Pound at address: 9 Thurston Rd, Bernard, ME 04612.

After dinner: Bass Harbor Lighthouse Trail (1.5 miles) to enjoy the famous sunset at 8:16 pm. This is one of the iconic light houses in Maine.

 

Day 4: We’ll meet at 8:00 am at Hulls Cove Visitor Center. (18 miles)

Carriage Roads 18 miles: Witch Hole Pond, Eagle Lake, and Jordan Pond Loop.

We have 2 options today: biking or hiking. Bicycle rental shops are available in Bar Harbor, and they can deliver to any starting point.

Carriage Roads are wide and nicely graveled for us to explore. No cars are allowed on them. It’s a great way to visit park’s major sites from Carriage Roads network.

Jordan Pond House, rated one of the best restaurants in any national park, is conveniently located on the south side of the pond and offers up excellent views of the Bubbles (South Bubble Mountain and North Bubble Mountain) across the water. We’ll make lunch reservation for our group.

 

Day 5: (9 miles)

We’ll meet at 4:45 am at Cadillac Mountain summit.

Watch sunrise 5:02 am. Make sure to bring Cadillac summit reservation ticket, headlamp, some hot drinks, and dress warmly.

Catching the sunrise is the absolute must do this week. On a morning with interesting clouds in the sky, the view is spectacular!

We’ll watch sunrise at Cadillac Mountain summit. It’s the first place to see the sunrise in America for much of the year. We’ll need to bundle up in warm jacket to watch lights break over Frenchman Bay. We’ll hike down the Cadillac Mountain Summit Loop trail to some less crowded spots for our viewing.

Plan B: watch sunrise. We’ll meet at 4:45 am at the Otter Point parking lot.

If we have difficulty getting the required Cadillac Mountain summit reservation ticket two days before at 10:00 EDT, our plan B is to watch the sunrise at Otter Point.

After watching sunrise we’ll have free time to eat breakfast and self-touring. We’ll meet again at the Sand Beach parking lot at 10:00.

We’ll hike Beehive Trail (1.6 miles rated strenuous with iron rungs), Great Head Trail, Ocean Path Trail, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, and Gorham Mountain trails.

 

Day 6: We’ll meet at 6:30 am at Jordan Pond parking lot. This parking lot fills up quickly. (14 miles)

Jordan Pond Path, South Bubble, Eagle Lake, Corners Nubble, North Bubble Trails (7.5 miles).

We’ll have lunch at the famous Jordan Pond House. We’ll make lunch reservation for our group.

After lunch: Pemetic Mountain (6.5 miles) by Pemetic South Ridge Trail, Pemetic North Ridge Trail, and Carriage Roads.

 

Day 7: We’ll meet at 9:00 am at Sargent Mountain Trailhead. (12 miles)

Sargent Mountain and Penobscot Mountain (9 miles) including Cedar Swamp Mountain, The Amphitheater, Mitchell Hill, Penobscot Mountain, Sargent Mountain, Gilmore Peak, Parkman Mountain, and Bald Peak.

We’ll also visit Hemlock Bridge, Waterfall Bridge, Amphitheater Bridge, and Little Harbor Brook Bridge.

Hunters Beach Trail: A trip to Acadia National Park would not be complete without hiking to one of Mount Desert Island's cobblestone beaches. Located on the southern coast of the east side of the island, Hunters Beach is a beautiful cove covered with ocean-tumbled rocks and a babbling brook flowing through the rocks into the ocean.

 

Day 8:  Our group event ends today.

 

 

<<< Difficulty Level >>>

Our outings will be at the AOC’s D3, D4, and D5 difficulty levels. The continuous nature of daily outings requires all participants to be physically prepared and trained before taking this trip. It is also perfectly okay if you want to skip a day to rest, or explore some of the popular areas on your own.

 

<<< How to get there >>>

There are 4 different airports to choose to go to Acadia National Park. It is all about getting the balance of favorable airline ticket price and driving distance to reach Acadia NP.

  1. Logan International airport, Boston MA. This is the most popular airport and most likely getting the best ticket price. Driving time to Acadia NP is about 5 hours along the beautiful New England coastline.
  2. Manchester, NH. Southwest airline has routine flight with possible promotional ticket price. Driving time to Acadia NP is about 4 hours.
  3. Portland, Maine. Driving time to Acadia NP is about 3 hours.
  4. Bangor, Maine. Driving time to Acadia NP is about 1 hour.

 

<<< How to sign up >>>

This web page is designed so that you can only put yourself on the waiting list. Once you’re verified to be suitable for this trip, you will be moved to the participant list.


Required Items to Bring:

 

Cadillac summit reservation ticket. This is a vehicle Registration ticket required to drive up to the summit. It's only available online 2 days before the event at 10:00 EDT. The cost is $6.00. Its web link is below:

https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/400000

Daypack

Headlamp

Trail running/ hiking shoes

Rain gears

Layers of clothing suitable for the season

Personal hygiene items

Anything you like to bring

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

 

GPS/ABC Watch

Camera

Tracking poles

Sunscreen

Bug repellant

First aid kits

Hat & sunglasses

Headlamp

Cell phone

Ear plugs

National Park American Beauty Pass or annual pass if you have

Spending money


Notes:

The payment of $25 only covers AOC Service Fee. All costs (transportation, lodging, meals & drinks, and etc.) are paid by members on their own.

Itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the trip leader.

Transportation

Everyone is responsible for his/her own transportation the entire trip, i.e. flights and rental cars. Sharing rental car is a commitment to coordinating and staying together the entire trip including flight schedule. Please be thoughtful when making such commitment.

Lodging

We will stay in the area not too far from Acadia NP as our home base. The popular Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and Southwest Harbor have many choices. Plenty of options are available between Ellsworth and Trenton on the mainland.

VRBO, Airbnb, and Booking.com are popular sites among many others to compare, search, and book for lodging. There are also camping and lodging options inside the park provided by National Park Service.

Weather

July temperatures in Acadia National Park are averaging from 55 to 75F.

Meals

There are numerous restaurants and grocery stores in the area to choose.

Walmart Supercenter: 17 Myrick St, Ellsworth, ME 04605

Hannaford Supermarket: 86 Cottage St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 


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     - Payment must be received by the payment due date and prior to participation in the event.

     - Some paid events require a minimum number of registered participants. If that number is not met, the event will be canceled and refunds will be issued to those who have already paid.

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     - No partial payments. All registrants must pay the posted Member Cost regardless of any agreement you may have with any party involved in the event.

     - Read the event description carefully for additional information, and contact the trip leader(s) with any questions.

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Cost & Payment:
Member Cost:$25.00/Person
Cost Includes:

A non-refundable AOC Service Fee $25 required by AOC.

The payment due date is May, 1, 2021.

If you miss the payment due date, you will be moved back to the waiting list.

Payment Cut Off:Payment must be received by the AOC on Sat, May 1 2021.
Make a Payment:Click here for the details. PLEASE PAY AFTER YOU HAVE SIGNED UP BELOW.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.
*Note:

There is no refund for cancellation.