Traveling North Traveler.

When the rest of the East Coast was bracing for Hurricane Irene, we picked up all of the plastic toys in the yard, closed the windows in the house, packed the car, and decided there was enough time to camp at Baxter State Park before the winds and rain blew in. Traveler Mountain is said to be the highest volcanic peak in Maine. 

After a nice evening camping at South Branch Pond Campground, we started up North Traveler. Pogy Notch Trail leaves right from the campground, and squishes over boardwalks and through mud, then over a muddy section, and around a mud puddle before the North Traveler Trail leaves to the left.


The NT Trail is steep and rugged, and after a short slog through hard woods, climbs straight up a jumble of boulders, and sneaks out over the shoulder, to some amazing views of both upper and lower South Branch Pond, and at this point, we turned around; the wind was picking up, we were tired from sleeping in the tent, and remembered how rugged this trail is! But, we enjoyed this part of the hike immensely.

There is a formidable ten mile Travelers Circuit that goes over Traveler.  This is a rugged, hike, and not recommended for little legs (or for inexperienced bigger legs, either).  A great way to see the volcanic remains is to canoe (rent one at the campground for a ridiculous $1 per hour) Lower South Branch Pond, portage (or sneak through the connecting stream if the water is high enough) to Upper South Branch Pond and paddle this quiet section and look up to the east at the comb columns of Traveler Mountain.

This is a spectacular way to experience the North entrance of Baxter State Park.  We are excited to try this hike again when Leah is a little older!

Private Beach!

It is no secret that we love Acadia, the trails, the ocean, the views...ah, especially in the off-season!

One of our favorite hikes is a nice loop that starts just outside the park.  The Hunters Beach Trail is great for a day when you just want to poke around the beach, or take a little longer hike with fantastic views.

The first section of this hike travels through tall pines, over roots and rocks, crosses bridges and boardwalks, and just under a half mile later, walking along little hunter brook, you come to a nice, open, rocky pocket beach.  The brook cuts through the rocky beach, and past a tiny inlet accessible at low tide, and into the rough surf.  This is not a swimming beach, but fun to hear the tide tinkle over the smooth rocks, search the pebbles for sea creatures and climb over the rocky outcrops.

This can be a good enough day by itself, but, for an added adventure, the trail branches up over the cliffs (to the right, facing the beach, to the right just as the trail opens onto the rocky beach).  This adds another half mile (although I think it feels like more awesome stuff than just a half mile) along the cliff, over dry rock, through blueberry patches, and pops out about a half mile down Cooksey Drive.  This makes a nice loop.

This hike is not on the Acadia National Park map. We have a Map Adventures hiking map (from 2005).  But it is easy to find:
Following Route 3 from Bar Harbor, go about three quarters of a mile past Blackwoods campground, take a left onto Cooksey Drive.  The trail head is about a quarter of a mile on the left.  If all four spaces are taken, there is additional parking around the bend.