We return to Acadia national park to try to finish the top hikes in the park this year!
We woke up early on day to accomplish as much as possible, arriving at the Pond House parking lot in time to easily secure a spot. Jordan pond is really beautiful early in the morning! The plan for day one begins with a hike up Penobscot mountain and then the Adjoining Sargent mountain. Sargent is the second tallest in the park.
But first, Penobscot, the 5th tallest mountain in the park! This is a must do for everyone visiting Acadia. The views of Jordan Pond are great and when you get to the top you have 360 degree views of the entire island. The hike itself isn't that strenuous, more like walking along a slowly ascending ridgeline.
The entire surface of the mountain reminds me of an alpine hike. With an other worldly environment of rock and low shrubs, the only thing you have to watch out for are the giant grasshoppers flitting about. This mountain runs the length of Jordan Pond so be prepared for some distance! If you want to ascend Sargent mountain afterwards you'll dip into a small pond area between the two mountains where we discovered quite a few snakes!
Sargent Mountain itself was a much steeper ascent, but not that bad. Similar environment and arguably better view from the top. This is a park highlight definitely worth doing at the same time as Penobscott since they are connected. If you come up the same way we did, be prepared for the VERY steep descent down the other side towards the pond.
The top of Sargent mountain
I won't exaggerate, hiking both Penobscot and Sargent mountains back to back is a work out. It's also in the open sun the entire time! After lunch we needed something a little more relaxing so we headed to the quiet side of the island and did the ship harbor trail.
This Family friendly hike is a mostly flat walk and is located just down the road from the wonderland trail that we explored during last years trip. I would argue that this is the superior trail of the two, if you're short on time pick this one!
What you get here is a lovely walk through the woods and then a walk along main beaches and rocky cliffs.
I think the expose vistas of this trail really highlight the beauty of Maines shore and evoke the classic images one gets when thinking about this region. Tides can greatly influence your experience here so it may be worth looking at the tide charts for the area before visiting!
The sights also include watching for all the local boats and fishing vessels going by. Make sure to bring your camera, I can't get over just how photogenic this entire area of Maine is! Over all this trail should take you 45 minutes if you move slowly and take photos like I did.
Ship Harbor Trail
Located only a few minutes down the road from the ship harbor and wonderland trails is the Seawall camp ground. This includes the seawall itself. I'm not sure what i expected, this is more of a picnic area than anything but it's an interesting view nonetheless. Worth a quick stop if it's on your way but don't go out of your way to visit.
Seawall
After a little bit of dinner and ice cream we finished our first day and were able to relax. I'll leave you with this amazing panorama from the top of Mt Penobscot.
Penobscot Peak
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