Acadia Trip Report

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Podcast Episode Overview

Acadia National Park in July was a whirlwind of foggy mornings, lobster feasts, and sweaty summit hikes! From heated parking lot showdowns at Jordan Pond to the peaceful waves of Schoodic Point, this trip was full of surprises, laughs, and plenty of learning moments.

In this episode, we cover:

• The absolute chaos of the Jordan Pond parking lot (and how to avoid it)
• Why fog and humidity made this one of our trickiest trips yet
• Where to find the best lobster rolls outside of Bar Harbor
• Mountain summits, hidden gems, and Acadia adventures beyond the crowds

Your task for today: We hope we’ve convinced you that Acadia is still worth the trip, even with its challenges! Head over to the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know what you think. Have you ever witnessed a parking lot brawl or cried over the fog in a National Park? We’d love to hear your story!

Planning your own Acadia adventure?

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• Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Acadia Trip Report

We usually visit Acadia National Park in the fall, but this time we tackled a summer season trip to see how July compares. Spoiler: it was foggy. For days! We had to change plans constantly, and even found ourselves mini-golfing instead of hiking. But with a little flexibility, we found the views (and the lobster) we were looking for.

Here are the seven lessons we learned on our trip to Acadia National Park:

Lesson 1: Get to Jordan Pond early or prepare for chaos. Every time we park here, we return to find full-blown parking lot fights. Jordan Pond is one of the most popular areas on Mount Desert Island, and it fills up quickly. Get there early to avoid peak times and follow the itinerary for the best time to visit.

Lesson 2: Fog will ruin your plans if you let it. We were completely unprepared for how persistent the fog would be. It threw off our Cadillac Summit Road reservation and several hikes, but we made the most of it with backup plans. Even boat tours along the Atlantic coastline of the United States were fogged in.

Lesson 3: Humidity makes hiking rough. Start early! Once the fog cleared, we were drenched in sweat thanks to the summer months’ humidity. Hiking trails like the Beehive Trail or South Bubble are a great way to experience Acadia, but we had to shift our hikes to sunrise hours to beat the heat.

Lesson 4: The best lobster isn’t in downtown Bar Harbor. Our favorite lobster rolls came from Beal’s in Southwest Harbor and Thurston’s in Bass Harbor. These were in the surrounding area and gave us incredible food, scenic views, and fewer crowds than the town of Bar Harbor.

Lesson 5: Schoodic Peninsula is Acadia’s best-kept secret. Quiet, scenic, and full of rugged coastlines, Schoodic was our peaceful escape from the busy spots. With fewer visitor centers and parking areas, it felt like a lesser-known part of Acadia, perfect for first-time visitors looking to avoid crowds.

Lesson 6: The Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is not worth the parking stress. It’s a beautiful park landmark, but the parking lot is a mess. Even during off-peak times, there is no turnaround, and very few parking spots. It sits near the highest rocky headlands along the eastern seaboard, but be prepared for a long wait.

Lesson 7: Acadia’s mountain summits are some of the best in the country. Whether you’re hiking the Precipice Trail, Beehive Trail, or Gorham Mountain Trail, or just driving to the top of Cadillac Mountain (the highest point in the park), the views are incredible. These hiking trails are short walks or mile-long trails with stunning payoffs. The natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands makes this a great place for outdoor activities at any skill level.

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Links mentioned in this podcast episode:

• Acadia National Park Official Website
• Jordan Pond
• Cadillac Mountain Vehicle Reservations
• Beal’s Lobster Pier
• Thurston’s Lobster Pound
• Schoodic Peninsula
• Acadia Lighthouses
• Beehive Trail
• Gorham Mountain
• Acadia’s Mountains
• Weather and Current Conditions in Acadia

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