Acadia - Park Loop Road

 

Our usual first-order-of-business is to drive all the roads in the park, so on our first full day in the park, we started bright and early with the Park Loop Road. This would give us an idea of where the different trailheads were located, along with a quick overview of the park itself with its variety of sights and activities.



We first got out of the car at The Wild Gardens of Acadia, and briefly explored the gardens near the parking lot at Sieur du Monts. However, the numerous trails that crisscrossed through the area had to wait for another day. (And since we didn't stay long enough, will have to wait for another year as well!)



When you do this drive, be sure to take time to stop at the overlooks and pullouts. Gorgeous views!


We figured out where the Precipice Trail started, and so did many other people. One of the challenges for this park is finding a parking spot when you want one.



Even though parking lot at Sand Beach (which is where the Beehive Trail starts) is large, it's still difficult to find an empty spot, but we managed.



The next main pullout was Thunder Hole, but there were several other smaller ones as the park road paralleled Ocean Path.




We stopped for lunch at the Fabbri Picnic Area, near Otter Point, then continued on our way.



Look at the sparkling blue water! We had a gorgeous day for our drive.




Little Hunter's Beach doesn't have a sign, but I had read about where to access it, so we stopped and did a bit of exploring. It did not disappoint us.




We found a parking spot at Wildwood Stables, but not at Jordan Pond House. As previously mentioned, go early in the day for the fewest crowds.


We finished the loop with time to spare, so while waiting for our Cadillac Mountain entrance time to arrive, we did a bit of exploring nearby. The stonework done decades ago is amazing, but nature's handwork is even more spectacular!


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