Acadia Trip Suggestions

Hello All,

 

I am a newbie in this forum.I am planning to visit Acadia this fall,last week of september or first week of october.Is

that a good time to catch the foliage in its peak?? Also,I need all the help regarding locations to shoot sunrise and

sunsets,any secret locations,your favorite location etc. Any help would be great.I am primarily interested in

landscape photography. I will be there for 3 days. Please help me plan my trip.

 

Thanks & Regards,

Swapna

We were in Acadia three years ago in late Sept and early October, and found that foliage had not yet started

turning. In my opinion, Bass Harbor (Don't miss the much photographed Bass Harbor Light, but be careful on the

rocks.), Southwest Harbor, and Northeast Harbor were more interesting to me than Acadia NP. That's just me.

Don't miss Thurston's Lobster Pound while you're in Bass Harbor. Lots of interesting things to shoot around

Thurston's and the docks.

 

Another thing you might want to try is to catch the mail boat leaving out of Southwest Harbor (I think that's right.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about that.) It's not very expensive, and you get a nice boat ride to several

islands and villages.

 

Even if the the foliage has not started turning, there's still lots to keep you busy shooting.

Thanks Phil.Appreciate your help.

 

Regards.

Don't miss Jordan Pond and "Bubbles" the mountain. Even if you don't photograph it make sure you stop for tea and pop

overs on the lawn. An experience you will not forget. Trust me.

First of all, it is not always easy to time the peak of foliage season as it can vary from year to year,

but generally speaking, you are better off visiting Vermont and New Hampshire during the 1st week of October because they are at higher altitude. Along the Maine coast, the peak is usually around mid October. However, I would err on the early side. If you are a week before peak, it can still be very good. After peak, the bare trees will turn ugly very quickly.

 

If you are planning to stay at a Motel in Bar Harbor, it is a good idea to book ahead of time to avoid any surprises.

Shun brings up a good point. Accommodations fill up fast in the Bar Harbor area. We got a very nice B&B within walking distance of the town center. But you do need to book ahead.

Here is a link to the foliage report from the state of maine:

http://www.maine.gov/doc/foliage/

According to that site, Acadia did not have peak until about the 24th of october.

Some of the carridge trails offer some great views of the mountains

 

National park service link, there is a map link from that page.

http://www.nps.gov/acad/

There is a book Photographer's guide to the Maine Coast that has lots of information about specific places for shooting with Acadia, including sunrises. I used that when I visited and it was very useful for finding precise locations that you might otherwise not stumble upon.

 

Second the popovers on the lawn. YUMMY. There are some gorgeous stone bridges on the paths back behind the popover place, I highly recommend allowing time for those. Lighting can be tricky as you're in dense forest, so you're better off on an overcast day so it isn't so contrasty.

Some of the best views of Acadia are from the coast further north, along US Rte. 1. There are good views from Sullivan snd Schoodic Point, both looking across the water at Acadia. Morning is the best time or you will be facing into the sun.

All this stuff about generalised foliage times makes me smile. I was, as it happens, on the Maine Coast in mid October last year and I'd describe the general conditions I met in Acadia around 13/14/15 October to be pre peak. Even at the top of Cadillac mountain the bushes I've seen bright red before were just turning. Meanwhile, on the lakes behind Camden, just a bit to the west, the colour was frankly outrageous. Even in Acadia there were some specimens and small zones that were certainly at peak. Its a question of driving around till you like what you see. The coast east of Acadia, to the Canadian border, is great for little harbours and fishing villages. Not so great for fall foliage. If you go that way don't miss Corea. If you stay in Acadia, drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain for at least one sunset and one dawn. The crowds you see up there at dawn are gone fifteen minutes after the sun comes up.

Put me down for a second vote for Schoodic Peninsula. Rock formations, small islands and bays. Very lite crowds (compared to Bar Harbor, which gets pretty crowded, especially when cruise ships dock).

There are also several options for outings with boats (whale watch, etc.) that are very camera friendly. And those include some nice "drive-bys" of some island lighthouses.

There is a nice overlook on the West side of Mt. Cadillac that offers a nice overlook of Eagle Lake and The Bubbles. Makes a nice sunset or late afternoon shot.

I make several trips a year to shoot photos and camp, and just enjoy the scenery.

We'll be there about a week or so after you. Call the NPS at Acadia and ask them to send you a package of info. Search the web. Walk a lot and shot a lot.

 

Get down to ground level and take a macro lens. Some of my best shots, near or far, were with a 50mm macro lens that never came off the camera body. Say hi to the fellas at Thurstons.

We'll be there about a week or so after you. Call the NPS at Acadia and ask them to send you a package of info.

Search the web. Walk a lot and shot a lot.

 

Get down to ground level and take a macro lens. Some of my best shots, near or far, were with a 50mm macro lens

that never came off the camera body. Say hi to the fellas at Thurstons.

We've been visiting Acadia for many years. Beautiful place. A few things to consider:

 

1. Park Loop Drive is a great "drive", but can be littered with people standing out on the rocks and oftentimes ruin shots.

My suggestion would be to definitely DRIVE first park loop and look out the window making notes on the park map of

where you want to return on foot. Acadia is big and getting to the shore in some locations can be difficult. Make sure

you have your equipment nicely packed and have your bags protected with carabiners as there is a lot of jumping from

one rock to another down to the shore.

 

2. The park is best seen on foot and very early in the morning or later in the afternoon at dusk. Otter Cove is a beautiful

spot, as is Jordan Pond (a bit harder to get a good early shot due to the high mountains). Some cool pictures can be

taken at Thunder Hole, but it's often inundated with tourists - get there EARLY!

 

3. In addition to Acadia, drive through Southwest Harbor (as well as Northeast Harbor - great place for lunch, the Tan

Turtle Tavern... awesome food and atmosphere). South of Southwest Harbor, drive along 102A and find a small 1mi.

hike called Trailhead Ship Harbor. It's in Wonderland (yes, it's really called that). The first part of the walk is in the

woods, but then it opens to the water in a cove which can provide some excellent opportunities if you can time the tides

right (some prefer low tide, others high tide).

 

4. Bass Harbor is nice for some typical Maine shots, but don't go out of your way to go there. Nothing special. If you're

looking to head off of MDI for a day, Stonington on Deer Isle (ALL of Deer Isle) is beautiful and shots of Maine as you

imagine it surround you.

 

Where are you staying?

 

I can offer many more suggestions if you tell me a bit more about what you're looking to do and shoot.

 

Best,

 

Josh

The foliage report link provided by Mac is useful. We were in Bar Harbor in late October last year and were absolutely

amazed by the vibrant fall color. Be prepared for some cool weather though. Also if you are out shooting be careful of

slippery rocks exposed at low tide. I saw a guy slip and fall last year. He was OK but his lens now has bent filter

threads from where it hit the rocks. We stayed at the Bar Harbor Inn. Very nice and it's right on the ocean with a

short walk to town.