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Part 3 - Bar Harbor Area

Writer's picture: Maria Savidis MarkatosMaria Savidis Markatos

The second destination on our Maine itinerary was the Bar Harbor Area.


Acadia National Park

On Maine’s Atlantic shoreline, with approximately 47,000 acres of open space made up of woodlands, granite peaks, rocky beaches and a sandy beach, Acadia National Park is one of America’s treasures.


Sand Beach

Acadia boasts one of Maine’s few sandy beaches. Sand beach is beautiful with clear waters, a surf, and crisp cold water which my feet enjoyed. Too cold for total immersion.


Even though it is Sand Beach there are still rocks on this shoreline
Even though it is Sand Beach there are still rocks on this shoreline

Enjoying the sandy beach
Enjoying the sandy beach

Rocky Shoreline


Watching the waves from the rocky shoreline
Watching the waves from the rocky shoreline

Cadillac Mountain

While I am not a fan of the selfie, this one shows us at the beginning of the trail. We opted for the Eagle’s Crag as it offered several spectacular lookouts on the way to the summit. The beginning of the trail didn’t seem too arduous, it even had stairs.


Stephan and I getting ready to start our hike - at the first trailhead
Stephan and I getting ready to start our hike - at the first trailhead

Stairway to heaven
Stairway to heaven?

While it might not look steep in the photo, trust me it was. Unless you want to spend the next 3 days soaking your feet or risk breaking something this is not a path to hike in sandals or flip-flops.

An uphill climb
An uphill climb

After 30 minutes we came to our second trailhead which confirmed that we had walked a rate of speed climbing uphill MUCH slower than walking to town. Shocking discovery.

2nd Trailhead
2nd Trailhead

The rocks piled one atop each other are not a result of stone stacking but rather are trail markers called cairns and are used instead of paint to keep you headed in the right direction.

Rocky path between the coniferous trees
Rocky path between the coniferous trees

This is probably the largest yellow rumped warbler that I have ever seen.


Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler

View from one of the lookouts on the Eagle Crags Trail above the clouds
View from one of the lookouts on the Eagle Crags Trail above the clouds

While the sound of the wind was loud, it did not have the force to make the walk in any way dangerous. Instead, we were treated to a welcomed crisp, fresh, clean breeze.


Occasionally you will have to go over boulders.
Occasionally you will have to go over boulders.

Rugged beauty
Rugged beauty

Words can not express how happy I was that I hiked up Cadillac Mountain


View from one of the lookouts
View from one of the lookouts


Walking up one of the bolder segments of the trail.
Walking up one of the bolder segments of the trail.

Look out
Look out

What? We could have come up here with the car?
What? We could have come up here with the car?

View from the top
View from the top

Enjoying the view from the top
Enjoying the view from the top

Above the clouds
Above the clouds


Trail head with a dangerous option
Trail head with a more challenging option, which we declined.

Heading back down the mountain


Boulders, trees grasses and the ocean make for a beautiful vista
Boulders, trees grasses and the ocean make for a beautiful vista



A place to sit and rest near a pond on the mountain. Might be where my husband picked up a wood tick.
A place to sit and rest near a pond on the mountain. Might be where my husband picked up a wood tick.


Wooded path
Wooded path


 Sometimes to go back down the mountain you have to go up a little!
Sometimes to go back down the mountain you have to go up a little!

Carriage Road Trail


The Carriage Road Trail we selected to walk on was the Eagle Lake Carriage road. Our walk was rather short lived due to construction and maintenance closures. So, we headed off to Jordan Pond.


Common Yellowthroat on the Carriage Road
Common Yellowthroat on the Carriage Road

Jordan Pond

The pond has a 3.5 mile trail around it. Most of that trail is easy and accessible. To do the entire loop you should wear trail or hiking shoes as there are narrow planks which on a rainy day could be a little slippery. There is also a bit of rock scrambling which I generally don’t like. In this case, there were some nice photo opportunities and so I didn’t mind as much. Definitely not a hike for a short skirt and heels.


There was some light rain when I began my walk around the pond. I had a plastic covering on my camera to protect it. When I moved the plastic so that I could focus my lens, this chipmunk came out and started following me around. I have no doubt it was associating the sound of the plastic rattle with the sound that occurs when someone gives him food.


There are a number of trails that join the Jordan pond trail. My husband started climbing up the Bubble Rock trail and I followed him to a point. I didn’t bring a backpack for my camera and having just retrieved my lens from an expensive repair, was not ready to risk banging the lens again. So, I opted to walk towards the car to retrieve the backpack. It turned out the parking area was much further than I thought. My husband was up and down from Bubble Rock before I met up with him again. He did get this nice shot.

 My husband did not realize that Bubble Rock was, well, just a large rock, until he got there.
My husband did not realize that Bubble Rock was, well, just a large rock, until he got there.

On the rocks
On the Rocks

A deer I saw when I was walking back to the car to get a backpack
A deer I saw when I was walking back to the car to get a backpack

Thunder Hole - A force of nature

Everyday at high tide crowds form with the hope of hearing the thunder of the ocean colliding with the rocks as it funnels through to a small cave.

 Watching the tide come in and waiting for a burst of thunder
Watching the tide come in and waiting for a burst of thunder

Bar Harbor

Children playing in the cool waters of Bar harbor and a sailboat
Children playing in the cool waters of Bar harbor and a sailboat
Lobster house
Lobster house
Sunset
Sunset

It is no wonder that Maine is a popular place to vacation. With its serene lakes, rugged shoreline, vistas, wildlife. Definitely worth a trip or two or ten. Hey, it ain’t called Vacationland for nothin’.


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To see more photographs of Maine:


To watch Two Silver-Streaked Travelers Explore Acadia National Park


If you missed the first part of our New England Blog: Connecticut and our second post-Covid 19 vaccine trip



If you missed Part 2 - Boothbay Area


We hope you join us on our trip to Santorini, Greece


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