Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Schoodic Peninsula Acadia National Park

Friday & Saturday, August 18 & 19, 2017                                                              Most Recent Posts:
Schoodic Woods Campground                                                         Bass Harbor Lighthouse and Friends of Acadia
Acadia National Park                                                                                Shut Out on Acadia Mountain
Winter Harbor, Maine

 

 

Seawall to Schoodic

Our move to Schoodic Woods Campground takes us off of Mount Desert Island and over to the mainland section of Acadia.  It’s a trip of about 47  miles and takes only an hour. If you want to see the peninsula but not drive over, you can take one of two ferries from Bar Harbor and then pick up the Island Explorer Bus from Winter Harbor to take you to the park.  The Island Explorer makes constant loops through the park and several nearby towns so you can do quite a bit of site seeing from the bus just by getting off and on.  Buses run at approximately 1/2 hour intervals.

The campground, opened in 2015,  sits on the northern end of the Schoodic Section of the park.  It is entirely paved, has lovely new bathrooms but like at Seawall and at Blackwoods, there are no showers.  They are provided by private businesses outside the park.  In a brand new campground that seems odd.   There are 94 tent/RV sites and all have electricity.  Some have water and electric so be careful which site you choose if that matters.   The sites are nearly all pull throughs and very long.  There is nice separattion between sites.   But apparently they didn’t have leveling equipment because many of the sites are further from level than I expected in a new campground.   Still, it is a place we can easily stay 2 weeks, and we do. 

IMG_1872

 

IMG_1873

 

With some planning you can hike from the campground across the mountain to the beautiful Schoodic Point.  There are several interesting trails in the park and many more at National Wildlife Refuges and other preserves nearby

We’ve been lucky that it rains the first night we are here so we’re hoping the waves will be crashing at the point.  It’s definitely all about the weather.  Over our time here we hve seen the point totally placid so bear that in mind.  If you come over to see the point, it is gorgeous in any situation but much more dramatic during and after a storm.

In the morning, the fog is thick after the rain so we know we won’t be able to see much beyond the shoreline.  We also know we don’t want to hike down to the point.

 

IMG_1875

 

Instead we’ll take the bus.  After a leisurely breakfast, we walk over to the really lovely Ranger’s Station where the bus stop is located.

IMG_1880

 

IMG_1881

 

Inside it looks like a mountain lodge with wonderful comfy chairs in front of a stone fireplace.

IMG_1887

 

The large relief map gives a good sense of where you are and what is nearby both on the mainland and in terms of islands.
We pick up a nice laminated trail map for which we pay $1.00.   You can have a black and white copy for free but the color one is more than worth the price.

IMG_1888

 

The bus picks us up right in front of the Ranger’s Station and off we go.  Sadly I have no pictures of the gorgeous coastline along the loop road as we drive.  Fog, fog, fog.

IMG_1890

 

We arrive at the point and set out carefully across the wet giant rockface to get closer to the shore. 

 

IMG_1900

 

The sea is churning as you can just barely see in this foggy picture.

IMG_1903

 

The geology here is just fantastic. Schoodic Point is a peninsula of granite.  Although this looks similar to the Cadillac pink granite of Mount Desert, it actually has smaller mineral crystals and more fractures.   The granite is light gray with a pink tinge and cut through with dikes of dark basalt. The dikes formed as a result of the rapid cooling of molten rock.   Some of ther dikes are wider than others.  

 

IMG_1908

 

Here at Schoodic Point, the granite was formed first as one large mass. Fractures formed in the granite were later filled by molten rock. The magma cooled quickly to form the basalt dikes. The dikes are softer than the granite and erode more quickly leaving nooks and crannies where water and soil collect. Then of course plants begin to grow and we see some in bloom today.

 

IMG_0058

 

IMG_1944

IMG_1946

 

IMG_1915

 

 

This is about as close as you want to get to the edge.  People have been swept off by unsuspected waves.

 

IMG_1927

 

IMG_1930

 

Giant sized glacial eratic egg has fallen into a low spot.  Wonder how far it was dragged to get dropped here?

IMG_1938

 

 

Seriously everybody is taking selfies these days and this group makes us decide to do one too.  Hope theirs turned out better than ours.

IMG_1943

 

20170819_125910

 

IMG_1958

 

 

IMG_1954

 

 

It’s easy to get mesmerized by watching the waves.  We spend about three hours at the point sitting in various spots.

 

IMG_0035

 

IMG_1969

 

IMG_1971

 

IMG_1982

 

IMG_1986

 

IMG_1994

 

 

We stay until 2:00 in the afternoon  but before we leave, we walk the loop road around along Schoodic Harbor before taking the bus back to the campground.  Even the normally tranquil harbor and buck cove are showing signs of the winds.

 

IMG_0100

 

 

The bus drops is off at the ranger station and when we return to Winnona we see one of our neighbors.

IMG_2038

 

After sitting patiently for portraits, he decides he’s had enough of this.

 

Tomorrow we’ll be exploring The Schoodic Institute which has an interesting history also associated with John D Rockefeller to whom Acadia National Park owes a great deal.

15 comments:

  1. This shore is breath taking. SO beautiful. What a trip you had ...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gymnastic bunny doing a handstand in your last photo! Cute!

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful the fog seems to add a mystical feel.

    ReplyDelete
  4. How wonderful that in the midst of all of your very active adventures, you also take time to sit and enjoy a beautiful place for three hours. We're looking forward to exploring the Schoodic Peninsula through your posts -- it's definitely on our list!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Schoodic Campground looks nice...going to have to give it a try next time. Schoodic Point is mesmerizing!!! With an angry ocean, it is amazing to watch the two collide!!! I could see how one could spend 3 hours watching that show:o)))

    ReplyDelete
  6. So nice to be able to see geology in person. Amazing how many eons ago all this was formed.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rabbits make great neighbors, they're always quiet. Now if some humans could just take the hint... ;c)

    ReplyDelete
  8. It sure looks like a fall day along the shore. I have to keep reminding myself this is still summer for the blog. Awesome photos of the crashing waves! You are so right about staying back. People just don't get that the waves are unpredictable. The granite is beautiful especially with that dark basalt strip. I can see why you had no trouble spending a few hours watching all the magic and beauty.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a beautifully rugged place to see the ocean!

    ReplyDelete
  10. The ranger station reminds me of those we saw out west, built in that same style with huge timber frames of logs and fine stonework. Wonder how they managed that on their budget, but glad they did. Thanks to LL Bean for supporting the Island Explorer buses!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those nooks and crannies are so wonderful!! The extreme color differences in the rock are fascinating. You got some really great big wave shots - especially those tall twins in front of David. Your little brown neighbor is adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Who needs distant views through fog with so much interesting rock around. Those dikes are amazing. Even though I'm not a big water baby when I get to crashing waves I'm a goner for hours.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fantastic waves on such interesting rock. Even in the fog, it's beautiful. Love the back legs on that rabbit-great picture!

    ReplyDelete
  14. That is such a wonderful area and your pictures bring it all back:)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Schoodic Point is on our radar for 2019 so appreciate the preview. We have a the same neighbor here in the desert.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are the best part of this blog for me.
I LOVE hearing from you!