Original article at www.gonomad.com
Vacationland proudly proclaim the state license plates. “Lots of hikes with great views,” says my husband, Pinaki. For him, great views translate to great landscape photography.
“The world’s finest lobster comes from Maine,” screams the headline of the website of the Maine Lobster Council.
Enough already, I am hooked. Picking a warm weekend in July, we packed our bags and drove up to Maine. All the way up to northern New England from our home in Connecticut.
The Gardens
We had booked a no-frills motel, as we intended to use it only to crash at night. On reaching Bar Harbor right about noon, we checked in, dumped our stuff and drove to Asticou Terraces in Northeast Harbor, a place not known to many.
Each overlook offered great views of the harbor and of course, is a vantage point for photo-buffs. Lovely as the place was, we could no longer ignore the hunger pangs.
Craving Chowder
Down the road towards Seal Harbor, we came upon Lighthouse Inn and Restaurant where we were served the Lobster Chowder and Crabmeat Sandwiches by Phil, a kindly gentleman who later told us that the Lighthouse Inn is a family-owned outfit which has been in operation for more than half a century.
His niece ran the adjoining coffee-shop which often gets a visit from one of Maine’s celebrity residents, Martha Stewart. Much to the joy of Phil, my husband voted the chowder as one of the best he had ever had.
We passed the Stanley Brook entrance to Acadia National Park on our way back to the motel and hoping fervently for a sunny Sunday, fell asleep.
Maine Breakfast
But as luck would have it, we woke up to a misty morning wishing to goodness that as the day progressed, the mist would clear up.
Not wanting to spend much time on breakfast and having heard of speedy service at Jordan’s Restaurant on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor itself, we decided to start the day there.
Each of us opted for a Maine specialty with our morning coffee. My husband chose the classic Maine Blueberry Pancakes while I ordered the Western Omelette stuffed with Maine potatoes and coated with melted cheese. To add to the fare, we each had the ‘Muffin of the Day’ - Peach Spice.
It is hard to feel sad after such a delightful meal so weather notwithstanding, we started towards Acadia National Park in high spirits.
Acadia National Park - Park Loop Road
Paying the entrance fee, we drove into Acadia National Park’s 27 mile long Park Loop Road winding gracefully through the greenery, connecting various points of interest.
By now, the sun had come out and we could see every bend of the road opening up to vistas, each more breathtaking than the next.
There is no end to the things you can see and do at Acadia National Park. There’s Sand Beach, Jordan Pond, Thunder Hole, Otter Point, Cadillac Mountain, Gorham Mountain, The Beehive, Abbe Museum, Bubble Rock and many more.
Mountain Trail which is famous for being closest to the blue-green waters of the ocean.
Gorham Mountain Trail Details
Type of hike: Out and back
Level: Moderate
Total Distance: 3 miles
Map: USGS Acadia National Park and Vicinity
Parking: On the right (west) side of the one-way Park Loop Road.
The Hike Begins
From the park’s visitor center, we drove south on the Park Loop Road for about three miles, then turned left (east) at the sign for Sand Beach.
Following the one-way Park Loop Road for about seven miles, passing the park fee station, Sand Beach and Thunder Hole we found the sign for the Gorham Mountain Trailhead.
The trail began quite tamely along a softly gurgling brook but as we followed the blue marks, the climb became steeper with each step.
Be sure to carry enough water. We got some ice-cold bottles from the visitor’s center right after entering the park.
As the hike progressed, we came upon a plaque in memory of Waldron Bates. He set the trend of utilizing stone stairways and iron-rung ladders to help hikers. Thanks to him, the Beehive Trail is accessible to amateur climbers like me.
With the sun warm on our faces and the cool mountain air refreshing our very souls, we trudged uphill. Ignoring the Cadillac Cliffs trail, we followed the trusty blue marks and soon came upon what is known as the false summit.
Bare ledges led to panoramic views of blue and green for as far as our eyes could see. Dark green mountains, blue-green waters of the Atlantic Ocean and specks of sparkling sand made for a heavenly combination.
Dropping our back-packs, we sat down on a ledge drinking in the scenery. Though the trail was somewhat steep in places, we reached the summit at 525 feet without any major scrambling.
Copyright © 2014 by Go Nomad. This article was written by Esha Samajpati and originally published at www.gonomad.com
