ME > Acadia NP ; Blackwoods Campground; Pre-Memorial Day 2018

[W8lkinUSA]

Site at Acadia is now reserved for Thursday and Friday nights (5/24+5/25) just before Memorial Day. Neighboring sites are vacant for Thursday night, but crowded on Friday night. Camden Hills State Park seems very nice, but few things to do within a stone's throw.

Coffee and breakfast in Bar Harbor on Friday morning sounds nice. Lobster-Roll hopping along the coast on Thursday and Friday seems mandatory. Obligatory fresh lobster and clams will also be picked up each day for camp cooking (Portland/Rockport).

What else would a couple fellas from New Orleans do besides eat our way through Maine? I haven't decided on the preferred hike yet. There are no solid plans, just a bunch of options since we haven't hung out since 2008.

Pending decision on a campsite closer to the mountains for Saturday (and possibly Sunday) night....

Both friend and I are hanging with WBBB and WBRR.

Is Blackwoods a good place to hang?

[Flash Grundelore]

"Red's" clam shack for your lobster roll... right at the bridge in Wiscasset, and pie at Moody's Diner 15 miles further on... both right on Rt 1.
Go drive the Schoodic and do sunset on Cadillac while you are at Acadia, and hike [stroll] some of the "Carriage Trails".
Also, a guy plays bagpipes right at the entry bridge onto Mt Desert at sunset each night [mebbe only after MDay though]

Blackwoods is convenient, but I prefer Stonewall on the western corner better. Much quieter area.
And there is a fantastic USFS campground at The Basin on Rt 113 below Bethel and Gilead on the ME/NH border that gets you back toward your road home, if you are willing to do a X-state drive for your Sat night place. [RT 3 back across to Augusta, then 17W & Rt 2 on out to Gilead]

[W8lkinUSA]

So much to research! Thanks for all the tips.

Too bad I'll have little time this weekend due to a mandatory trip to visit the folks this weekend. I was considering an early morning [hike] to catch the sunrise, but sunsets are so much easier for this night owl. :-D

I won't delay to reserve a second campsite as a backup plan though.

[DrPhun]

Some of the walk in sites at stonewall are well situated for hanging. There is a soup kitchen right outside the entrance that that has a good breakfast (they do it during the summer as a fundraiser to raise funds for the off-season-donate whatever you feel like.)

I like to have supper at the Jordan Pond House in the Park. When I have been there, the restaurant was crazy with tour buses at lunch but the place has been half empty at supper. A light lunch cost only a couple bucks less than a full supper in the evening. I mention this because it seems like a lobster dinner at a shack isn’t any cheaper than one at a full nice sit down place with all the fixings. Make sure you have popovers which are the local specialty. (We brought beverages, put them in cups and sat on the lawn in front of Jordan pond Before supper. It was awesome.)

[HanginEgger]

This has got me thinking. I've been to Acadia years ago, but haven't given much thought to camping there. I might need to start doing some research.

[W8lkinUSA]

I've now returned from my road trip. I have certainly underestimated the amount of time it really takes to do anything.

I had a very successful trip to Acadia National Park, but failed to actually swim in the ocean -- walked into the water halfway up my thighs though.

Blackwoods campgrounds was great. I could have hung 2 or 3 hammocks at my campsite. Since we only stayed for Thursday and Friday nights, it was not very busy or loud. We had respectful neighbors all around us. Bar Harbor was also great. Unfortunately, we only had enough time to drop by a few restaurants rather than take back a haul to cook at camp. Since my buddy hasn't taken a vacation in such a long time, this was a great way for him to enjoy food with me since his wife is highly allergic to many, many things.

I really love this park and hope to plan a longer trip next time -- with swimming and fishing next time!

The return trip was met with no camping at Shenandoah National Park since a fatal thunderstorm passed through. However, I did take that frightening drive through the campground only to back out from camping that night. The Smoky Mountains National Park was beautiful though.

Thank you for everyone's support and tips. I will need to try harder to do more next time.

[Seadug]

Acadia certainly is nice. I spent a week there in a tent years ago. Has anyone spent time camping on the other side of Acadia on the Schoodic peninsular? I heard it is nice and a lot less crowded.

[W8lkinUSA]

I was very close to making backup reservations at Schoodic, but I already had four reservation options between Maine and New Hampshire. I also figured my buddy could use more civilization since he's been wed-locked and working from home for so many years.

In the end, I found the proximity to Bar Harbor to be hugely advantageous to this trip. I'm still very curious about Schoodic though.