Sports Locker • November/December 2024 • Exploring Acadia by Laura Bax

As my 4AM alarm went off, I felt a rush of excitement. By the end of the day, my hiking tribe would be nestled within the heart of Acadia National Park – the Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast. Throughout the week we would be hiking some of the park’s 65 miles of rugged coastline, as well as exploring its many lakes, ponds, deciduous and coniferous forests. With 158 miles of hiking trails throughout the park, we would be traversing landscape that rises from sea level to 1,530 feet – a completely different type of hiking for us and one that I expected would keep us gasping in awe and wonderment as the week unfolded.

We were lucky enough to score a great campsite within Acadia’s Blackwoods Campground. As we set up camp, we discussed the planned hikes for the week. The acclaimed Precipice Loop was the first hike on our list. I’m a big believer in taking on the hardest tasks first and this trail would be no joke! Over three miles long and rising over 1,000 feet within the first mile, Precipice would prove to be a rugged climb. With the goal of summiting Champlain Mountain, we would be hiking on open cliff faces, scaling over huge boulders, ascending granite stairs and climbing iron rungs and ladders put in place to help climbers traverse the narrow, exposed ledges. We were stoked and unbeknownst to us at the time, the hiker in our group with a fear of heights would lead us on this treacherous trail!

Hiking the Beehive Loop was another adventurous trail we were sure not to miss. With a spectacular view at the summit that overlooks Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and the Gulf of Maine, this popular rung and ladder trail was sure to provide us with an ample challenge. Other trails that made the cut included Beech Cliff Trail, Canada Trail, Anvil Trail and we wanted to be sure to explore the Schoodic Peninsula.

Another highlight of this trip was a chance to catch a sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. The 3-mile Cadillac Summit Road to the highest peak in Acadia National Park is a very popular destination for visitors. Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the eastern United States seaboard and from October to March is the first place in the country that you can see the sun rise. It was sure not to disappoint and we were lucky enough to obtain a pass many months earlier that would allow us to drive the summit road.

A whale watching tour to the Canadian waters was a definite must-do on this adventure. Based on the time of the year, we were bound to see harbor seals, porpoise, loons, puffins, as well as pilot and humpback whales. We purposely planned our backpacking trip in the fall rather than our typical springtime adventures. As well as all the beautiful scenery and ocean life that Acadia has to offer, we also knew that this was a peak time to see the autumn colors come to life – and we would not be disappointed. The anticipation of all the great things to come was so exciting! It is wonderful to be able to experience new areas of the country to see how the outdoor opportunities differ from our own backdoor.