N.E. Wanderer: Bar Harbor Part I - Biking the Carriage Roads

The Bar Harbor blog posting will be presented in multiple blogs given the number of things we did during our vacation.

In early July my family traveled to Bar Harbor for four nights at the Bar Harbor Inn. We figured that we'd pretty much experience everything we wanted to during our four nights and five days, but it didn't take long to discover that we needed at least a couple more days.

The family at Intersection 7.

One of the highlights for me was biking. The carriage roads in Acadia National Park are somewhat addicting. Where else can you ride for miles through beautiful forests and past clear lakes without ever worrying about cars approaching from any direction? Plus, since the carriage roads were originally designed for horsedrawn carriages, you never really find a trail with too steep a grade up or down. Also, most trails have a plush tree canopy, so on hot, sunny days, you can stay relatively cool. Finally, the trails are very well marked, so it's next to impossible to get lost. Be sure to pick up a Carriage Road Use Map either at the Visitor Center or at one of the parking areas along the trails.

Eagle Lake Loop
During our stay in Bar Harbor, I took three different bike rides on the trails. The first ride was with my family. We started at the Eagle Lake parking lot on Route 232. It was a cool morning and there was an ever so slight sprinkle in the air, so I think that kept some people in their hotels.


On the shore of Eagle Lake

We pulled the bikes off the rack and hung a left under one of the famous stone bridges, then stayed on the west side of Eagle Lake. This is a great beginner ride because it is relatively flat for the first mile or so before heading up a gradual incline to Intersection 8.

From here we kept left at the intersection and headed down a long hill. The biggest challenge on this hill was keeping Ashton in sight as he cruised down the hill, presumably without ever squeezing his brakes.

At Intersection 7, we took a short break and wandered down to the lake shore. The thing to remember about the lakes is that many of them are fresh water supplies for the residents of Mt. Desert Island, so please refrain from taking a dip. After all, you're on the largest island off the coast of Maine and one of the largest islands on the East Coast with salt water all around, so where else would the residents and visitors get water to drink?

Bethany and Steve enjoying the view of Eagle Lake

The east side of the lake was pretty flat with the exception of a couple minor undulations, but again, it made for a nice leisurely ride back to the parking lot.

Hadlock Pond Loop

This loop started near one of the old gatehouses, that is now privately owned, near Intersection 18. The parking area is right on Routes 198/3, not far from the Asticou Azalea Gardens.

Hemlock Bridge

This started out on a pretty flat road for about mile to the Hadlock Brook Bridge, a small stone bridge crossing Hadlock Brook. Then there was a pretty steady uphill climb to Intersection 12 where I got a view back towards Upper Hadlock Pond. From here it was a pretty flat ride over to the Hemlock Bridge and Waterfall Bridge.

Waterfall Bridge

The best way to see these bridges is to get off your bike and follow the paths that lead below them. Pretty much all the bridges have trails that allow you to get a better look from below.

After climbing around the ravines beneath the bridges, I hopped back on my bike and continued along the road. From the Waterfall Bridge back to the parking lot was an easy coast down a long hill. I'm not sure I had to pedal at all until I got back to Intersection 18 and headed back to the car.

Witch Hole Pond Loop
The last loop was the Witch Hole Pond Loop which I accessed from the north end of the Visitor Center Parking Lot. You can also get to this loop from Duck Brook Road, or if you wanted to add an extra two miles, from the Eagle Lake Parking Lot.

This one had a lot more ups and downs. The first up, was probably the steepest climb of all the trail I rode. If this was your first experience on the trails, I could see where it might be discouraging because the climb from the parking lot to the loop was about a half mile uphill. Once you got to Intersection 1, it wasn't so bad. The road meandered past Witch Hole Pond and a couple other ponds before getting to Intersection 4. Just for kicks, I rode this 1.1 mile trail over to the Eagle Lake Parking Lot, then turned around and headed back to the Witch Hole Loop.

About half way through the ride, I came to the Duck Brook Bridge, which appeared to be the biggest one I'd seen. On the way back from Duck Brook Bridge, there were a couple areas where I could see Frenchman's Bay through the trees, but for the most part I was riding in the woods. All in all this was about a 7 mile outing.

Pond on Witch Hole Loop

Looking up at Duck Brook Bridge

Duck Brook Bridge

Another pond view

All tolled, I biked about 17 miles during my vacation, yet it didn't seem all that challenging. But now that I've had my taste of the Acadia Carriage Trails, I look forward to many more miles on these beautifully maintained roads.

More random photos below.