Visiting Crater Lake National Park in late July means dealing with snow. Yes, somewhat hard to believe, but it’s true. When we arrived in the park, some hikes were still closed due to snow. Luckily for us, a park ranger we met on our lake tour mentioned that Watchman Peak had opened two days ago! So that’s where we headed that afternoon.

Watchman Peak Trail is a 1.7 mile out and back hike with views of Crater lake, including the best spot to see Wizard Island. At the top is one of two fire lookout towers in the park – the other being on Mount Scott. We’d read that the top had great sunset views, so we timed our arrival to coincide. Like many features, Watchman Peak was named by William Gladstone Steel, an early supporter and promoter of the park.

Through Fire and Snow

Along West Rim Drive, we encountered construction that slowed us down. The main parking lot for the area was closed due to construction, but there were some spots along the shoulder. Those spots had been parked up earlier that day, but there were plenty available when we showed up around 6:30 p.m.

We stopped at an overlook, which has access from both Rim Drive and Rim Trail. There were also a few outhouses. After taking in a view of Crater Lake, we headed south on Rim Trail. Looking off in the distance, we saw smoke rising from a wildfire, and the whole area had a smoky orange tinge.

As we approached the start of the trail, we could see Watchman Observation Station, the fire tower at the top. On the trail in front of us was an unexpected obstacle – snow. Honestly, we should have expected it since the trail had just opened for the season. Cut through the snow was a narrow path. It was fun to walk through the snow, and we were glad to have our trekking poles.

We came to the intersection of Rim Trail and Watchman Lookout Trail, and headed left for Watchman Peak. After the snow came a series of switchbacks. We gradually ascended with alternating views of the mountains and Crater Lake. The climb was reminiscent of Mount Scott due to its trees, wildflowers, sandy trail, and switchbacks.

The Peak of Watchman

At the top of Watchman Peak, we met some firefighters. They pointed out another fire in the distance, and told us there were several currently burning in the area. The observation station was constructed between 1930 and 1933, and was originally intended as part educational center. Today, it functions primarily as a fire lookout, with a few informational signs on a viewing platform.

The firefighters descended, and we were again alone. We read the signs, took photos, and realized that the sunset views were over the mountains, not the lake. For some reason we had expected them to be over the lake, but that was probably wishful thinking.

It was time for dinner, so we ate – and enjoyed the impressive 270 degree views – while we waited for the sunset. A few other hikers joined us. The sky was hazy due to wildfires, and we wondered whether the sunset would be more impressive because of the smoke. For the first time, we could see inside the crater on top of Wizard Island.

It was a colorful sunset, and we stayed up there for 45 minutes before heading back down. Gnats were biting us a lot, which hindered our enjoyment, but I’m glad we went up later in the day. I bet it would also be a great place to see the sunrise! As we descended, the mountain glowed red as the sun continued to set, which made for a nice ending to the hike.

Watchman Peak Trail

Dates: Sunday, July 30, 2017
Type: Out and back dayhike
Total Distance: 1.7 miles (2.7 km) round trip
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 405 feet (123 m)
Time: 1.5 hours hiking, not including the time we spent on top of Watchman Peak
Trail Markings: None
Difficulty: Easy
Crowds: Only a few groups late in the afternoon
Water: Views of Crater Lake
Highlights: Views, history, wildflowers
Directions to Watchman Overlook Trailhead: Google Maps Directions

Trail Directions

• Mile 0.0 – From Watchman Overlook parking lot, head south on Rim Trail.
• 0.3 – Turn left onto Watchman Peak Trail.
• 0.85 – Arrive at Watchman Peak Lookout. There are educational signs and a viewing platform next to the lookout. When ready, head back down on Watchman Peak Trail.
• 1.4 – Turn right onto Rim Trail
• 1.7 – Arrived back at the parking lot.

Places

• Watchman Overlook Trailhead | 42.9464707, -122.1700579

Maps

• Watchman Peak Trail Map (KTNP)

Links

• The Watchman (NPS)
• Watchman Lookout Station (Wikipedia)

Elevation Graph

Interactive Map

The post Watchman Peak Trail appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Type: Out and Back Hike
Distance: 4.0 miles (6.4 km)
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 526 feet (160m)
Net Elevation Gain/Loss: 209 feet (63 m)
Date visited: April 20, 2017
Garwood Trail Map (KTNP)

Our intention was to visit as much of Saguaro National Park as we could.  Crisscrossing desert trails in the northwest corner of the Rincon Mountain (east) District are known as the Cactus Forest.  We wanted to hike somewhere up there, so we reserved a full day for it.  Our initial plan was to do a longer loop, but we were exhausted after backpacking to Manning Camp, so we decided on a shorter hike.  A ranger at the Rincon Visitor Center recommended a 4.0 mile out-and-back on Garwood Trail.  This option has many connecting trails, so it could easily be part of a loop or longer hike.

Garwood Trail has multiple points of interest.  First, there was a cristate or “crested” saguaro along the trail.  A cristate saguaro is a mutation that causes a saguaro’s cells in the stem to divide outward, rather than in the normal circular pattern.  As a result, the saguaro grows a large fan-shaped crest at the top.  Also along the trail is a cluster of 11 saguaro cacti growing within inches of each other.  Our hike would end at Garwood Dam which was built in the 1940s. You could go beyond the dam and spend a full day on the Cactus Forest trails; we just went to the dam and back.

After our stop at Rincon Visitor Center, we headed to Douglas Spring Trailhead.  The trail leads to the backcountry, and eventually to Manning Camp, though we decided on another route due to frequent overnight break-ins.  We figured it would be safe to park there for a few hours, though.  At the trailhead was a ramada (an open shelter with a roof), a picnic table, and a few other parked cars.

Garwood Trail

Our route began on Douglas Spring Trail, which intersects with Garwood Trail in 0.2 miles.  There isn’t much elevation gain, so this trail is more about views of cacti than landscape views.  We found a lot to like about the trail, and encountered some surprises.

We enjoyed the scenery, which included many saguaros, cholla, and other desert plants.  About 1.1 miles into the hike, shortly after the intersection with Wildhorse Trail, is the cluster of 11 saguaros – there were 13, but a few have died over the years.  It was unique to see all the saguaros close together, although I imagine more may die off as the cacti grow in size.

We continued the hike and very quickly, we saw our next point of interest: the cristate saguaro.  It’s nothing like the other saguaro, it’s very intricate and otherworldly.  It’s right next to the trail, and has a unique fan-shaped head, so you can’t miss it.  Cristate saguaros are rare; they comprise only one out of every 200,000 saguaros.  As of 2013, there were 30 in the Tucson Mountain (west) District and 27 in Rincon Mountain (east) District.  During our time in Saguaro, we only saw one other cristate saguaro, along the road near the Tanque Verde Trail parking lot.

We continued along the trail, Kristin in the lead, to get a better view of the cristate saguaro.  Suddenly, Kristin stopped.  She started backing up, so I asked what was wrong.  She whispered, “there’s a snake on the trail.”  I looked ahead to see a coiled up snake, with a diamond pattern, lying in the middle of the trail.  It was a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, a venomous snake found in the southwestern United States.  It made no sound, rattle, or movement, as we stared at it.  Given its coloration, it blended easily into the trail, so we didn’t see it until we were close.

Naturally, I took out my camera and started taking photos.  Of course the snake was unaware that it was lying on a trail, just that it was nice and shaded.  Kristin wanted to turn back, I wanted to go around it somehow.  We sure weren’t going to jump over it!  I wanted to get a better look at the Cristate Saguaro, as well as the dam.  The snake picked a bad place for a nap.

We scoped out a way around on the left side of the trail.  I blazed a path beyond the snake with K following.  We moved slowly, quietly, and carefully, trying to avoid cholla berries or other snakes.  Soon we stepped out onto the trail beyond the snake.  We wouldn’t go off trail normally, but I think the situation called for it.  We look back at the snake, it’s still lying there lazily.  When I took my next photo, the snake’s eyes were open – was it watching us?  After snapping some quick photos of our new friend and the cristate saguaro, we continued on the trail past a wash.  Always exciting!

Carrillo Trail

After about another 0.2 miles from the cristate saguaro, we turned left on Carrillo Trail.  We spotted the dam about 0.2 miles away, and start quoting National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation.  There were several pools of water down in the “canyon.”  There is no off-trail hiking in Saguaro below 4,500 feet, so visitors can only get so close to the dam.

The dam itself was built in 1948, before the land was part of the national park.  Back then it was owned by Nelson and Josephine Garwood, who constructed the dam to provide water for their ranch.  The property was sold off in 1950s and ’60s, until it was acquired by the park service in the 1970s.  The National Park Service has an article about Garwood Ranch if you’re interested in learning more.

After checking out the dam, we turned around and our thoughts went back to the rattlesnake.  Would it still be on the trail?  Of course it was; the trail was still shady.  So we went around the rattler again, giving it plenty of space.  Always respect nature, and be aware of your surroundings.  You never know what you’ll run into!  A month later, near Mary’s Rock in Shenandoah National Park, we ran into a Timber Rattlesnake.  This one surprised us by rattling as it crossed the trail.

Overall, we enjoyed this short hike in the cactus forest.  If we had more energy, it would have been nice to hike a longer loop.  My favorite part was the cristate saguaro, and I’d recommend the trail just to see it.  After our hike, we went into Tucson to grab lunch, then returned to the park to drive around Cactus Forest Loop Drive to see what else we could find.

Garwood Trail
Type: Out-and-back
Total Distance: 4.0 miles (6.4 km) round trip
Cumulative Elevation Gain/Loss: 526 feet (160 m)
Net Elevation Gain/Loss: 209 feet (63 m)
Time: 2 hours hiking with a couple breaks, mainly snake-related detours
Trail Markings: No cairns or blazes, but the trail is well-defined and there are signs at each intersection
Difficulty: Easy
Crowds: None, we saw no one
Water: Some small pools of water near the dam
Directions to Douglas Spring Trailhead: Google Maps Directions
Trail Directions: 

• Mile 0.0 – Start at Douglas Spring Trailhead, and go on Douglas Spring Trail.
• Mile 0.2 – Turn right onto Garwood Trail.  After 180 feet, you’ll pass another intersection with the Stock Bypass Trail.  Continue straight on Garwood Trail.
• Mile 0.5 – You’ll pass Converse Trail on your left; continue straight on Garwood Trail.
• Mile 1.0 – You’ll pass Bajada Wash Trail on your right, continue straight on Garwood Trail.
• Mile 1.1 – You’ve reached a four way intersection with Wildhorse Trail.  Continue on Garwood Trail, and in only 530 feet you’ll reach the clustered saguaros.
• Mile 1.5 – The cristate saguaro is on your left
• Mile 1.7 – Turn right onto Carrillo Trail
• Mile 2.0 – You’re at the dam!  After checking it out, head back the way you came.
• Mile 2.3 – Head right onto Garwood Trail.  Continue straight until it dead ends.
• Mile 3.8 – Turn left onto Douglas Spring Trail.
• Mile 4.0 – Back at the parking lot

Highlights: History, Water Features, Wildlife, Wildflowers, Solitude
Date Visited: We hiked this trail on April 20, 2017

Places:
Douglas Spring Trailhead | 14306 E Speedway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85748
Garwood Dam | 32.21414, -110.69122

Maps:
Garwood Trail Map (KTNP)
Saguaro National Park Rincon District Map (NPS)

Links:
NPS Cristate Saguaro Article
NPS Garwood Ranch Article

The post Garwood Trail appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Typically, staff and volunteers go out of their way to help visitors, but that wasn’t our experience here.  It seems neither was even interested in hiking, nor were they that willing to look up information.  Slightly perturbed, we decided to look elsewhere.  On our way out, we noticed a poster listing good hikes to do that season.  Clearly someone at the VC does care enough to post the info.  After perusing the list, we decided on Ringtail Trail, since it claimed to feature wildflowers in spring.  Perfect.  We also discovered that a ringtail is a mammal, similar to a raccoon, that lives in the southwestern United States.

Before we left the visitor center, we decided to watch their video, “Voices of the Desert.”  The video had some photos of cacti and other plants.  It discussed the geography and biology of the region, and presented a poignant perspective from the indigenous Tohono O’odham Native American tribe.  There’s even a surprise at the end of the video.  I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s definitely worth the time if you visit!

“If you throw trash on this earth, you throw trash on your relatives because they are back into the earth.”

– Member of the Tohono O’odham Native American Tribe

Ringtail Trail

The following day, we drove to the trailhead.  It’s in the northern part of the West District, and took some time to get to.  We drove through the southern part of the park, past the visitor center, past the Bajada Loop, past a small gas station with a Subway, and (finally) onto Picture Rocks Road.  The road cuts right through the park, and it seems a lot of people just use the road to do just that.  As we drove, we passed the Cam-boh picnic area on the right, which has the closest restroom to Ringtail Trail.  On our left, we saw Panther Peak.  There’s no trail that goes up to it, though a ranger had mentioned a social trail – but the park discourages its use.  It’s too bad, because it looks like a fun hike.

The map indicated that we should park at Box Canyon parking lot, but it isn’t well-marked.  We initially pulled onto the shoulder, thinking we found it, but saw no signs or trailhead markers.  We continued driving, and found the lot a bit further up, on the left if you’re driving east, where the road curves.  The hike begins in a wash across the street.  We started hiking at 11am (we’re not early risers), but would recommend starting much earlier, because it was HOT.

This 3.4 mile loop includes several named connector trails.  We weren’t sure what to expect – possibly a hot, over-exposed walk in deep sand – but we were pleasantly surprised.  The hike begins in a wash on the titular Ringtail Trail, but we were treated to very nice views of Pictured Rocks on the left.  In a short 0.1 miles, the trail splits. Cam-Boh Trail goes to the right; we turned left to continue on Ringtail trail, which becomes a true trail rather than a wash.

As we hiked, we kept an eye out for wildlife and wildflowers, and we were soon rewarded with both.  First, we saw some pretty yellow wildflowers on a shrub beside the trail.  I’m not up to date on my western flowers, but I looked it up when we got home and found out it was a Whitestem Paper Flower.  Nearby, we spotted a rabbit weaving in and around the saguaro and cholla as we passed by.  As with most of the trails in Saguaro, we also spotted plenty of lizards skittering across the path.

We hiked on Ringtail Trail for 0.9 mi before turning right onto Picture Rocks Wash Trail.  Given the name “Picture Rocks,” I imagine there are (or were) petroglyphs somewhere, but we didn’t see any.  Walking in sand takes more effort than other types of terrain, and this loop continually switches between a trail and a wash.  The wash was hot, but thankfully there were a few trees, like Palo Verde, that provided momentary shade.  As we continued, we found an optimal place to stop for a break – a small rocky outcropping that looked like a tiny canyon.  This would have made a great lunch spot, too.

Soon after the canyon, we reached Ironwood Forest Trail, the final segment of our hike.  Once again, we were on a path rather than a wash.  It is an enjoyable trail, with good views of mountains and cacti.  We also found a Saguaro with a single blooming flower off the trail.  Saguaro typically bloom from April to June, and we visited at the start of the season.  We only saw a few blooming saguaros during our trip.  I wish we had seen many more, particularly flowers that were lower to the ground to photograph.  The ones we saw were at the top of the saguaros, though perhaps there is a reason for this.

Ironwood Forest trail leads to Cam Boh trail, which goes for 0.2 miles, back to the start of the loop.  And then it was only a 0.1 mile walk back to the Box Canyon parking lot.  We were tired, and ready for some lunch.  We headed back to the Subway we had spotted earlier to grab a quick bite.  As we ate, we agreed this hike was surprisingly interesting, with a variety of scenery and wildlife.

Signal Hill Trail

After our lunch & AC break, there was one more thing we wanted to do before saying goodbye to the Tucson Mountain District.  We wanted to drive the Scenic Bajada Loop, and hike the short Signal Hill Trail to some petroglyphs.  Research told us the drive is unpaved, but provides great views of the desert landscape.  We had also read that the road is bumpy, but 4-wheel drive is optional.  Since we had rented a higher-clearance SUV, we figured that would do.

Since some sections are one-way, we started the loop in a clockwise direction.  The dusty drive seemed…a bit underwhelming.  The wildlife and views were similar to what we’d just seen on our hike; it might be meant for visitors who are short on time or not into hiking.

The real reason to drive the Bajada Loop though?  It leads to Signal Hill Trail, the largest petroglyph site in the Tucson Mountain District.  The trail is only 0.5 mi round trip, and leads up a rocky hill.  There are dozens of petroglyphs, and some of the best are at the top.  The petroglyphs are estimated to be around 800 years old, and were created by the Hohokam people who inhabited the Sonoran Desert from around 450 A.D. to 1450 A.D (NPS Article).  The trail and petroglyphs are very interesting and well worth a visit.  The spiral petroglyph at the top was my favorite.

On our way out, we stopped at Red Hills Visitor Center one last time to fill up our water bottles (they have a nice bottle filler we recommend).  We spoke with another park ranger there, and found her to be more informed and helpful than the ranger from the previous day.  Confidence somewhat restored.  While there, we couldn’t resist buying some some prickly pear jellies.  They tasted like a combo of grapes and raspberry – when in Rome!  Then, on to our next adventure: Manning Camp.

Ringtail Loop Trail
Distance: 3.4 miles / 5.5 kilometers roundtrip
Time: 3 hours, including breaks and many photos
Type: Lollipop Loop
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 378 feet / 115 meters
Net Elevation Gain (top minus bottom): 194 feet / 59 meters
Difficulty: Easy, just watch out for the heat depending on the season
Crowds: None (we didn’t see anyone else)
Water: No water features, unless you’re here during monsoon season (Summer, June 15 to Sept 30)
Directions to Parking at Picture Rocks / Box Canyon Trailhead: Google Maps Directions
Trail Directions: 

• Mile 0.0 – After parking, cross the road to reach the trail.  You’ll start in a wash.
• Mile 0.1 – At the fork, keep left to continue on Ringtail Trail, and out of the wash.
• Mile 0.4 – Continue straight on Ringtail Trail (you’ll pass Mule Deer trail on the right).
• Mile 1.0 – You’ve reached the end of Ringtail trail; turn right onto Picture Rocks Wash Trail.
• Mile 1.7 – After passing through a canyon-like rock formation, you’ll turn right onto Ironwood Forest Trail.  You’ll head north, and out of the wash.
• Mile 3.0 – Ironwood Forest Trail ends; turn right onto Cam-Boh Trail.
• Mile 3.2 – You’re back at the intersection with Ringtail Trail.  Turn left to head back to the parking lot.
• Mile 3.3 – Done!  You’re back at the trailhead.

Highlights: Views, saguaro cacti, mountains
Date Visited: It took us awhile to blog about this trail.  Luckily we take detailed notes!  We visited Ringtail Trail and Signal Hill on April 16, 2017.

Links:
Signal Hill Petroglyphs Article (NPS)

Places:
Picture Rocks Trailhead / Box Canyon | 7768 W Picture Rocks Rd, Tucson, AZ 85745
Signal Hill Picnic Area | 32.28977, -111.2085897

Maps:
Ringtail Loop Trail Map (KTNP)
Tucson Mountain District Trail Map of Saguaro NP (NPS)

The post Ringtail Loop & Signal Hill Trails appeared first on KTNPBlog.

Bar Island Trail

Bar Island, north of Bar Harbor, is part of Acadia National Park. If you find Bridge Street in downtown Bar Harbor, then head north, you’ll make your way to the edge of the ocean and see the island about a third of a mile away. And if you come when it’s low tide… you can walk across to the island!

I used a tidepools app on my phone to tell when we could cross the sandbar, and there are charts posted in Bar Harbor and online.  Luckily, it was low tide when we got to Bar Harbor, and after a quick calculation, we determined that we had enough time to walk to the island, and return before the tide came in. We were anxious to explore Bar Harbor, but the short hike on Bar Island came first.

The trail starts at the end of Bridge Street, and crosses the sandbar. We wandered around the bar, leisurely crossing while snapping photos and examining everything. Seaweed was everywhere, and we found little crabs and other critters in the tide pools. See what you can find as you explore! Some people drive over the bar, so watch out for cars. I recommend walking, it’s part of the experience.

After walking across the bar, we got to the beach on Bar Island. There’s a trail that continues onto the island and goes up a gradual incline. Along the trail we saw some gorgeous purple lupine that was begging to be photographed. Eventually, we reached a fork in the path. We didn’t explore the area to the right, but it goes to the site of the former home of Journalist Jack Perkins who sold the property (and about half of the island) to the NPS in 2003.  We turned left to continue to the summit. At the top was a rock cairn (which K climbed), and a great view of Bar Harbor. That’s pretty much the end of the trail, so we headed back the way we came. As we crossed the sandbar, we noticed that the water had receded even further.

We definitely recommend this trail; it’s a great introduction to the park. And it’s an easy trail, good for families with young kids, who would probably love exploring the tide pools as much as we did. Later in our trip, we went back during high tide, and looked across the water to the island. It was great to reminisce about going across, and seeing the difference when the tide was high.

Bar Island | 1.7 miles out and back | Easy
Elevation Change: 165 feet
Parking: The trail is accessed from the northern end of Bridge Street. Plenty of parking, e.g. along West Street (Google Maps Directions)
Trail Directions: Ensure that it’s low tide, then continue from Bridge Street onto the sandbar.  Continue about 0.3 miles along the bar until you reach Bar Island.  Once there, you’ll see a trail that continues inland.  This trail will go for about 0.3 miles, and then you’ll come to a fork in the path.  Take the left fork for 0.2 miles to the summit for good views of Bar Harbor.  Go back the way you came to return to Bar Harbor.
Highlights: Walking along tidepools, views from island, good for kids (easy hike, wildlife habitat)
Notes: Only accessible 1.5 hours before and after low tide, so plan ahead and make sure you give yourself enough time to explore and get back safely.

References:
Bar Island Wikipedia
Bar Island Trail Map PDF
Tide Chart of Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor

We really enjoyed Bar Harbor. It’s totally laid back, and has a ton of restaurants and shops. And of course, it has beautiful views since it’s located right on the water. There’s so much to write about Bar Harbor, but we’ll focus primarily on the restaurants we visited. Make sure you explore, grab some good food and drinks, and just relax after hitting the trail for the day. If you’re in need of any outdoor gear, make sure to stop by Cadillac Mountain Sports too – we stopped here several times to restock on a energy bars, canister fuel, etc. while in the area.

K also found a few shops she liked – she tried on some dresses at It’s a ME Thing and Patrick’s By the Sea, and Fair Trade Winds had soaps, trinkets, and other gift items that she enjoyed checking out.

Lodging

Quality Inn, Bar Harbor
40 Kebo St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

We also want to mention the first hotel we stayed in. We stayed in a room with two queen beds, in a “cabin” of sorts rather than the main building. It was simple, affordable, and cozy, with friendly service. And one of the best hotel breakfasts we’ve had, with many options, including fresh seasonal Maine blueberries. It was very quiet, but just a short walk away from downtown Bar Harbor. We highly recommend it, and plan to stay here for more than one night when we visit Acadia again.

Restaurants

Mainely Meat & Atlantic Brewing
15 Knox Rd, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

This BBQ and Brewery is located outside of downtown Bar Harbor, but is definitely worth a visit.  It’s the only craft brewery on MDI, and they have great beer. Atlantic Brewing has another location in downtown Bar Harbor, but we didn’t want to miss the BBQ which the downtown location lacks.  Most restaurants in town will at least have one Atlantic Brewing beer on tap (hopefully more!).

When you visit this brewery, you’ll get a free tasting of a selection of beers. Blueberry Ale, Coal Porter, and Ellen’s Coffee Stout were my favorites. I really wish I had been able to try out all of the beers (someday, Island Ginger…). So make sure you grab a pint or two when in Bar Harbor. There’s also a small gift shop at the brewery, where I bought an Atlantic Brewing pint glass for my collection of breweries near National Parks.

Beer goes great with food, so it’s natural that they’d have a BBQ joint on-site for their Knox Road location (the downtown Bar Harbor one does not). We sat outdoors, in a super casual setting. The waitstaff was friendly and helpful, and the BBQ was very good! I got a sampler plate, with pulled pork, ribs, chicken, sausage, and all sides (BBQ beans, slaw, and potato salad). Washed down with a Blueberry Ale. K got a full plate of ribs, which were tender and flavorful, and also came with all 3 sides. The ribs were definitely the star of the show, though I liked the pulled pork too.

Sidestreet Café
49 Rodick St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

We visited this restaurant on our first night in Bar Harbor. And it was pretty good – solid American-style food and drinks and decent service. Only problem was I ordered an Atlantic Brewing Blueberry Ale here, and got a different beer. I thought something was off when the beer seemed too hoppy for a fruit ale. Another clue was when the guy next to me got a beer with blueberries in the bottom, which was a nice touch.  The waitress was very apologetic, and she brought me a sample since I didn’t feel like drinking a second pint.

Finback Alehouse
30 Cottage St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

We really liked Finback. It was an impromptu decision, between Finback and the Thirsty Whale (which we regret we didn’t go to). Finback has a diverse selection of food and a great variety of drinks. I ended up with a Finback Local Pulled Pork sandwich which was amazing, while K had Island Fish Tacos. K thought the fish tacos were very good, but not quite as good as the fish tacos that she got in Stonington at Fisherman’s Friend. We were really impressed by the service too – the waitress made a phone call to double-check the ingredients (K is allergic to milk) and brought K the blueberry pie she had been craving.

Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast
15 Cottage St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

There are quite a few breakfast places in Bar Harbor, so we had to check out at least one. And Jeannie’s was the pick, mainly because they had vegan friendly options for K. We were starving when we got here, since we had just gone on a kayaking trip. The food? It was good, I got blueberry pancakes and K got some vegan pancakes that were covered with pecans. This added a lot of texture and I think the vegan pancakes may have been even better than the regular ones. They had an amazingly good strawberry rhubarb jam on the table; we went through most of the jar during our breakfast. The only downside to this place was the service. Actually, it was our waitress that was not the best. The hostess and other waiters/waitresses seemed fine (and even brought us water when we ran out…), but ours just didn’t seem to have a care in the world about us.

Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream
325 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
7 Firefly Lane, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

I really wanted to like this place, but it was just okay. We had read reviews indicating that it was amazing, but in the end we were both let down. My peanut butter ice cream was good, but K’s strawberry sorbet was mediocre. It was icy and the flavor didn’t stand out. There are two locations in Bar Harbor, and they do have very interesting flavors that you don’t normally see, so you could check it out just for that.

CJ’s Big Dipper Ice Cream
150 Main St #1, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

We kind of stumbled onto this place while walking around. A sign out front proclaimed that they had dairy-free soy ice cream – which was a win for K. The service was a bit odd, they try to rush everyone along to make a decision and weren’t super friendly. And they wouldn’t let K get more than one flavor in the small size, which again, was odd. But the ice cream was delicious, including the soy version, so if you’re okay with some less-than-great service and/or have a dairy allergy, this is a good place to go.

The post Bar Harbor & Bar Island Trail appeared first on KTNPBlog.

The hike begins across from the small parking lot, with room for 10-15 cars. Fortunately, there were still a few parking spots available on the day we went. There is a map posted beside the parking lot, which has 2 route options: one with rock scrambling (the obvious choice) and one without. Cross Skyline Drive and hike up the stone staircase to begin the hike. This is the first in a series of stone and log staircases that characterize the hike. We tried to research the history of the trail, but didn’t find much. We think it must have been built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and we could see the care that was put into the design of the trail. Ferns covered the forest floor, which made the start of the hike very picturesque.

The fog made the woods appear ethereal and added an element of visual interest. Eventually we reached the rock scrambling portion, but I would not describe it as “mostly vertical” like the park website does. If it was, that would have been pretty awesome. But I would say it’s moderately challenging, and you do gain some elevation. There were some parts that were tricky to climb, but it was not strenuous. We’re not into extreme sports, so rock scrambling is the perfect balance for us.

We ran into several other groups during the hike, and had to wait briefly a few times while they climbed the rocks in front of us. Wait time was minimal and did not affect our enjoyment of the hike. We thought many of the rocks were granite, due to their slab-like appearance. Later we found out they are greenstone, formed from lava compressed over millions of years. It was a lot of fun to hike over them – just watch your footing.

Eventually, we reached the highest point on the rock scrambling section, and were greeted with a 360 degree view. Even though we couldn’t see far because of the thick fog, it was still a nice view of the treeline fading into the distance. Due to the combination of rocky terrain and fog at the summit, it was difficult to tell which way was up, and the horizon appeared to be at an angle. It was beautiful, but kind of disconcerting that I couldn’t properly orient myself. To cross the mountain of boulders at the peak, I had to move slowly and steady myself with my hands. Rock scrambling can be rough on your hands, but this one is short enough that gloves are not a necessity.

After the rock scrambling portion, we reached an intersection – to the right, the trail loops back to the parking lot. Continuing straight led to a viewpoint that was only about 300 feet away, so we decided to check it out. On the way to the viewpoint, we saw some white and yellow wildflowers that were one of many photogenic parts of Bearfence Mountain Trail. It was interesting to see a few varieties that flower in the fall. The viewpoint itself had very limited visibility due to the fog, so it was less than impressive. On the way back down, we turned left at the junction and took a connector trail before turning right onto the Appalachian Trail, which led back to the parking lot.

The rock scramble was the most fun part of this short hike, and it left us wanting more. We were hopeful based on the name of the trail, but sadly, we didn’t see any bears. Nor did we see any fences. Maybe next time.

Bearfence Mountain Trail | 1.1 Miles | Difficulty – Moderate
Elevation Gain: 311 Feet
Parking: Park at mile marker 56.4 on Skyline Drive (Google Maps Directions)
Trail Directions: Cross Skyline Drive, and hike about 0.15 miles until you reach an intersection. Continue straight on Bearfence Loop Trail. Continue hiking over rock scrambles, until you reach another intersection for about 0.35 miles. Continue straight about 300 feet to the viewpoint. After reaching the viewpoint, turn around, and go back to the intersection. Go left on the connector trail and in about 200 feet turn right on the Appalachian Trail. Continue 0.3 miles until you reach an intersection, and go left 0.1 miles to return to the parking lot.
Highlights: Rock scrambling, views, short trail if you don’t have a lot of time
Notes: No dogs on Bearfence Mountain Loop Trail

References:
Shenandoah NP Bearfence Mountain
Bearfence Mountain Trail Map

[visualizer id=”119″]

The post Bearfence Mountain appeared first on KTNPBlog.