Acadia National Park: King of AutumNation
Everyone loves pretty colors! Having grown up in the northern half of the U.S. we are not strangers to the famed exchange of colors during autumn, but we had heard that New England in particularly was a great spot to witness the spectacle. Acadia National Park was on our list of must-do’s so we figured why not try to experience it at the best time of year.
Acadia National Park is located on the Atlantic Coast of the state of Maine. The majority of the park is located on an island called Mount Desert Island and the island itself is accessed via a bridges from the north of the northeast. It is famed for its exemplary display of fall colors and flocks of tourists including ourselves generally descend upon it in hopes of catching its nature at just the right time.
We went in early October from the 6th to the 11th. We booked a 3 floor, 2 bedroom townhouse for 4 because we were bringing 1 set of parents with us. Our vacation home was located at Harbor Ridge Resort in Southwest Harbor, which is located on the quieter western side of Mount Desert Island. On the east side, Bar Harbor is a popular location for tourist accommodations, but we booked only two weeks in advance and found Harbor Ridge Resort to be more affordable. Harbor Ridge itself appears to be a group of what used to be residential apartments now converted into a ‘resort-like’ neighborhood. It offered various events including an informational session on the island and Acadia National Park, a wine and cheese night, and the option to purchase lobsters for home-cooking for cheap. It was located right outside of the western half of Acadia National Park and about 20 minute drive from the eastern portion of the park. There is also a nice trail behind the resort which we explored one early morning. We would definitely stay again, especially if doing another family vacation.
There is an entrance fee of $30 per vehicle to Acadia National Park if you are exploring its eastern portion via vehicle along the 27 mile Park Loop Road. The western portion by where we lived appeared to be less monitored and likely could be explored without a pass, at least the Beech Mountain Trailhead where we hiked.
Early October turned out to be an opportune time to visit Acadia National Park. The fall colors were beginning to unravel. The only downside to hunting for these color changes is that it is slightly cold come October. We probably averaged low 50s temperatures (except for 60s-70s while hiking Beehive Trail on our second day) and 40s in the evenings. The days can be hit or miss in terms of weather as well. Our first day was overcast prior to having 2 great days of sunshine and our last day was slightly overcast as well. While the colors are still pretty on an overcast day, having the sun out makes a big difference.
Our adventures in Acadia consisted of finding several trails to hike, chasing beautiful sunsets, and eating delicious local Maine cuisine (including cooking our own lobster)!
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