Hiking to Ocean Overlook

Thursday, July 4, 2013
Site 60, Camden Hills State Park
Camden Maine

 

WHEW it is HOT!

 

Have I mentioned that it is hotter in Maine since we’ve been here than it is in Virginia and in Florida?   Or that I need another plan for next summer.  Alaska you say?   Are you sure?

 

 

 

This is the temperature at 11 AM when we start out to hike the Tablelands trail to Ocean Overlook.   Are we crazy?   This is David’s idea let me be clear about that.  Or at least his choice of trails. 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail turns out to be nicely shaded. 
BIG PLUS!  

It also turns out to be up hill and a rock climb. 
NOT SO MUCH!

 

 

 

 

 

Here is where we turn off the easy walk to start the rock climb up.  At least they have stone steps here.

 

 

 

The rocks get bigger

 

 

The trail gets steeper.

I laugh out loud when I see this trail marker.
Up and up.

 

 

Can you even see the trail??  Whose idea was this on a HOT 4th of July???

 

I’m having to watch my footing carefully and the hardy climb up hill in 90 degrees even in the partial shade is resulting in a lot of sweating. 

 

 

Guess the map didn’t really tell you it was going to be this rocky did it?

 

Roots and rocks at this point.

 

 

Finally we think we’ve arrived but not quite.  It’s just a teaser glimpse. 

The view is lovely although it’s a hazy day for pictures.   I zoom in on the sailboats which look lovely there on the water.  I wonder if the sails on one really are as pink as they look from here.

 

 

 

The trail continues on and we begin to see cairns along our rocky way.  People pile these stones for a number of different reasons but I always enjoy seeing them though I seldom add to the pile. 

 

 

The trail levels out in places but it is still rocky and I still have to watch my footing.

 

 

It’s not long before we reach the actual Ocean Overlook and trade taking pictures with a fellow hiker.

 

 

I wonder if this is Megunticook Lake where we paddled yesterday.  I don’t have an area map with me to check.

 

 

After spending some time here to rest up a bit and take way too many pictures, we strike out to continue.

 

Heading now to Megunticook Summit, the trail passes more cairns and at points goes through sections that  are soft and wooded.  Less need to watch my feet here.  More time to look around.

 

 

 

 

Pretty big hole.  I wonder who lives here?   Looks like something from the Hundred Acre Wood.

  

 

We arrive at a summit, I assume THE summit. 

But it has apparently been some time since there was a view here.  There is a very nice cairn which actually has a seat in front of it I imagine for meditation.  I’d love to sit here a while but when you aren’t traveling with Meditation Man that’s hard to do.

 

 

 

Next on David’s plan is Adam’s Lookout.  We are now wondering if we will in fact be able to look out.

On part of this section the trail uses roots for steps.  Watch your feet.

 

All the trails in Camden Hills State Park are light blue blazed. 

 

I’ve never seen that before, every trail blazed in the same color.  You know you are on a trail but until you come to  a sign, you don’t know which one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We never do find anything that is labeled or looks like a look out. 

All the same,  it’s been a lovely walk in that direction anyway and we’re still on a blue blazed trail going who knows where when we decide just to return to Ocean Overlook.  

This time I decide to have a seat on the bench provided along the way.  Isn’t it cute.  Great for those with short legs.  Probably a nice squirrel dining table as well.

 

 

 

We go back through Ocean Overlook and stop for some more pictures of this really beautiful view.

 

 

 

Wish I’d thought of this before they did. 

It’s the only flat out of the way spot around.  Looks like a great memory to me.

 

 

 

 

It’s been a beautiful walk through the woods and over the rocks and roots and along streams.  But be advised - this is what you could look like near the end of a 5 hour hike on an exceptionally  hot summer day in Maine.   (yes that’s my star spangled hiking hat)

 

 

 

After a short recoup,  the day ends, of course, with the traditional 4th of July fireworks.

This will be a sit down activity!

Luckily we are not out west this year where it is so dry fireworks are not happening for fear of starting a fire.

 

 

 

We want to see the Camden Harbor fireworks from atop Mount Battie but don’t want to walk back down in the dark.  So we drive up, stake out our spot and watch the folks who weren’t there before us arrive

 

There is no fog this time but what we can see is not as clear because of the haze caused by the heat of today.  There seem to be even more boats in and around the harbor.  Perhaps they have come for the fireworks.

 

 

I learn that the fireworks will be set off by the little boat to the right of the island in the mouth of the harbor.

 

 

It’s getting darker now.  The 9:00 start time comes and goes. 

We have been seeing other town’s fireworks way off in the distance for a while now.  We wonder if something is wrong.

 

 

Finally about 9:20 the fireworks start.  I have never watched them from such a distance and I must say that I didn’t like it as well.  The noise was very muted.  I found it harder to get good pictures of them.  But here are a couple

 

The display goes on for perhaps 20 minutes and then, unlike any other fireworks I’ve ever seen in my life, it has no finale.  It just ends. No one up here on the mountain is quite sure if it is over so we all just sit for a while but sure enough, a non ending.  I’m not sure what happened but it was a bit of a disappointment to end our Happy Birthday America celebration day.

Hope you all had a Perfect 4th!!

Sorry I’m late! :-)