I’m travelling up to Maine this year and wanted to know the best places/routes/put-ins for a day paddle in acadia. I know it’s going to be chilly and I have all the gear for that. Any tips/recommendations would be great! Thanks.
Where are you coming from? Be aware that there has recently been a burst of CoVid positive people showing up at the hospital in MDI from states that required a test, and their test results came in AFTER they had arrived in the Bar Harbor area. They did not all quarantine until they got the results.
The area is quite wonderful for kayaking as long as you have bigger water skills, including handling pea soup fog. I cannot speak to the best launch points because some I have used in the past may be less accessible right now due to the virus. Local knowledge kind of thing.
We are definitely experienced “big water” kayakers. We are already taking the correct precautions to travel to Maine and will be doing the 14 day quarantine…as well as getting tested before we come, so that’s not an issue. And yes, due to COVID I would imagine that there are closures, which is why I was asking on here if anyone had any knowledge/tips/etc.
Suggest you reach out to Nate at Pinneped Kayaks. He works out of the Bold Coast starting there.
And/or join MITA, they did add stuff to their info for further up.
Far as l know from being a bit south of there recently, nothing is actually closed.
My original first sentence here wrong apparently, I did not realize that leaf peeping season was still on in Oct that far up.
Northeast Harbor Has a boat ramp used by kayakers. Good trip out to Baker Island
Somes Sound. Launch off Sargent Drive
Hadley Point. paddle past some sea caves to Bar Harbor and back
Bass Harbor has a launch and its a great fishing village
Seal Cove and Seal Harbor( the latter on the west side of MDI)
Bar island sandbar right in Bar Harbor for the Porcupines
I am about 30 miles east of Acadia now
Paddled near Milbridge today and tomorrow Roque Bluffs. The Bold Coast starts there and runs east past Cutler
In Oct the leaf peepers sprout everywhere
The NP campgrounds are closed which is why we are in Harrington
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My personal faves are to Baker Is and also Bass Harbor round the corner to see Bass Harbor Light from the water and Ship Harbor
This is the no cruise ship year so it may be quieter
Otherwise I would tell you to avoid Oct in BarHarbor and Acadia
Thanks for the corrections. In the midst of a thing here, plus I really thought that the prime leaf peepers would be south of there by Oct.
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The one National Park in the Lower 48, I have missed and will probably never see.
I would like to hear all about it.
Remember Ricky Ricardo? Today in Acadia he would sau iyiyiyi
Sheesh People everywhere
Cars parked all along the Loop Road. Crazy Hot and everyone wanted Sand Beach
We ran for the quietside and paddled Seal
Cove thst launch was fine
October is usually crazy with tourists in
Bar Harbor but the west side of MDI is refreshing
Acadia isnt the best leaf peeping but that doesnt deter them(too many oaks)
Leaf season Northern Maine starts end of Sept Western early Oct amd The coast about the 10th
We had a very nice paddle today once we resigned ourself we werent launching from any Eastern MDI launches
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Go there in January. You have to drive 45 minutes for breakfast. Everything is closed. Everything is wonderful.
Yes I love Bar Harbor in January
You get to eat out At the bar on Cottage St
Pizza
we had a wonderful Christmas breakfast at the gas station
No need for reservatiobs and the skiing can be great
Thanks for all the advice! We are staying a couple of hours northwest of the park, so we will def check out the recommendations for the stuff to do in the western area of the park and Bass Harbor and Seal harbor sound great! We aren’t really trying to do the town stuff and the less people we see the better. I know it will be crowded because it is Acadia, but I appreciate all the suggestions.
Just an FYI, not horribly far out of Seal Cove there is a landable island that actually has a decent stretch of sand beach. With some rocks but a moderate amount for Maine. Hardwood or Moose, been a while, but if you have joined MITA they probably have information.
There are islands in that area where the entire land to the water is a slope of smooth rocks. Can slide down them into the water.
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I live 2.5 hours due west of Ellsworth so if you might like to paddle not in Acadia I might be able to help
In Oct we head for several days on Flagstaff Lake each year
for the leaf color and the mountains and the solace. Padfling such a big lake can have challenges. and looking at the drowned town…
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Thanks! Any suggestions would be great. We are staying on Wyman Lake in Moscow. We are actually planning on hiking or paddling in Bigelow Nature Preserve. So if you have any tips on what to do or where to put in at Flagstaff that would be awesome.
I usually put in at Eustis
Its a little over an hour on good paved roads
Not the shortest but the other end of the lake invokves 90 minutes of dirt woods roads
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Watch out in Bartlett Narrows and upper Blue Hill Bay for northerly winds. They usually much stronger than NOAA general forecast if you leave from Seal Cove.
Now if you leave from Seal Harbor, where there is a small beach, the seals are pretty close in August–Im not sure about later in the year. It would be good to familiarize yourself with regulations and good practices.