On the Road with Maya: Summertime on Mount Desert Island

Bass Head Light House

Pink granite rocky coast of Mount Desert Island

The biggest part of Acadia National Park is located on rock-bound Mount Desert Island nestled close to the ‘mainland’ of Maine. (And by the way, the locals pronounce it like the dessert you eat and not like it is spelled.) As with most of the eastern national parks, Acadia has a long history of people living on the land before it became a park. Indigenous people and then other island settlers fished, farmed, quarried granite and engaged in trade and shipping on the island.

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain overlooking Bar Harbor

In the 1800s, the beautiful landscape paintings of the Hudson River School inspired city dwellers on the east coast to seek out Mount Desert Island. Huge wooden hotels were constructed and many wealthy families built their summer ‘cottages’ on the island. But amid all the lawn parties were those people that appreciated the natural beauty of the island and who worked to establish a park. 5,000 acres in donated land were acquired and presented to the federal government. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the area Sieur de Monts National Monument and then in 1919 Congress redesignated it as a national park – the first to be established east of the Mississippi River.

Pink granite mountains, forests, a lake and the Atlantic ocean

Cobblestone beach

“Summertime and the living is easy…” described our time in Acadia. We had two glorious weeks of breathtaking hikes up pink granite cliffs surrounded by blue sea on two to three sides. Some hikes took us through dense evergreen forests to glacier carved mountains with views of valleys that cupped deep blue lakes. We strolled down cobblestone beaches and rocky sea shore and the streets of nearby Bar Harbor. Acadia allows dogs on its trails except for the 'ladder' trails, so Maya was able to accompany us most everywhere. The food was so delicious and fresh from the blueberries we picked ourselves to the fantastic seafood, to the homemade ice cream at the store next to our campground. Everything was as near perfect as possible.

Blueberry ice cream and 'Moose Tracks,' vanilla with a chocolate and caramel swirl

The weather was ‘easy’ too. With sunny days in the 70’s and light breezes to cool us after strenuous climbs and then nights in the low 60’s, perfect for snuggling and sleeping – we couldn’t have dreamed any better. One day it clouded up and rained on us while we were hiking but the sun came out and we were soon warm and dry again. It rained heavy enough to keep us from hiking only two days out of thirteen, and we welcomed the time to relax, read and take short sightseeing drives.

The rock 'bar' across Bar Harbor

Another thing that makes it easy to enjoy life on Mount Desert Island is the free bus system. You really don’t need a car once you arrive in Acadia. Buses stop at the campgrounds and in Bar Harbor and the other villages on the island. There are designated stops throughout the park and at many of the hiking trailheads. And anywhere in the park you can ‘wave’ a bus down and it will stop and pick you up – for free. L.L. Bean and a few other organizations have underwritten this bus system in hopes of cutting down on traffic and pollution on the island. As popular and crowded as the park can get in the summer, the buses are really needed. It was nice not to have to drive and jockey for parking at the trailheads. Maya turned out to be an amazing bus rider and always got compliments and pets for her good manners.

Mennonite women enjoying the beach

Trails in Acadia range from the very strenuous climbs, some with rungs and ladders over granite cliff faces like a jungle gym for adults to the 45 miles of rustic ‘Carriage Roads,’ a gift of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. and family to Acadia National Park. The Carriage Roads weave around the mountains, lakes and valleys of Acadia and are beloved by park visitors. An avid and skilled horseman, Rockefeller built these roads from 1913 to 1940 so that he and his guests could enjoy sweeping vistas and close-up views of Mt. Desert Island by horse and carriage on motor-free byways. You will see hikers and a few horses and riders on the Carriage Roads, but bicycles are the preferred method of travel these days. It may not have been Rockefeller's original intention, but the fantastic views combined with no automobile traffic make these roads perfect for cyclists.