Closing Out Our Time at Schoodic

Sunday September 3, 2017                                                                         Most Recent Posts:
Schoodic Woods Campground                                                                      Pirates and Mustard
Acadia National Park                                                                                   Made it to September
Winter Harbor, Maine

 

 

We’re in our last few days here on the Schoodic Peninsula and today we decide to split up.  David wants to try the bike trail on a bike this time and I want to hike one last time up the trail from the campground.  On this partial map of the roads and trails of Schoodic, David’s bike ride is the green line and my hike line is the blue.   We crossed at one point but apparently at different times since we didn’t see one another.

The bike trail begins at the ranger station from which you can go in any direction.  David is going over to Birch Harbor.  We’ve driven by the entrance to the bike trail there many times so now he’ll see it from the other direction.  It’s mostly down hill all the way there.  Sweet.  He doesn’t take many pictures going, knowing that coming back will be all up hill and he’ll likely need some excuses to stop.  He didn’t take very many pictures, but here’s a look at his day.

 

Starting out. 

 

Arriving at the harbor

 

He takes the park loop road north to the Wonsqueak Harbor House where you actually can rent a room.

 

 

And then it’s time to head back up the bike path from the park road. 

 

It’s all up hill from here

 

But there are some nice views

 

Meanwhile I’m on two feet starting out from the campsite and walking up the hill to the day use area to the trailhead.
Forgot to mention that we have moved sites to a pull through that parallels the campground road as many of them do.  It’s a bit more level than our previous site and has a huge yard.

 

Buck Cove Mountain Trailhead.

 

 

The trail begins climbing through the woods right away

 

I cross the first of 4 trail road crossings on this trail and shortly enter one of my favorite sections.  The BIG rocks.  I really do like having done a trail before or multiple times and knowing it well enough to anticipate my favorite parts.

 

 

 

 

What’s in there?  Looks pretty dark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last time I hiked up here I was totally fogged in, no views.  But not today.

 

Getting very near the top as I can see on almost all sides now.

 

Wish I knew what I was looking at here.  Some ponds, a few houses and then the ocean.  Maybe this is Bunker Harbor.  I have a general idea of where I am on the trail but didn’t bring a map. 

 

 

 

 

 

I continue on to the rock face.

 

 

 

Pretty sure that’s Schoodic Head and it’s time to turn back

 

Love the fern lined paths.

 

There are some boggy sections on the trail and I notice more carefully this time how  many pitcher plants are here.

They are everywhere in this area.  I notice them at first because of the flowers but then see the little pitchers nearly covering the ground.

 

 

 

Another plant in profusion are these “puff balls”.  I have no idea what they are or if this is their flower or the end of their flowering.

 

 

Any one know the name of this??

 

Here’s another beauty I can’t identify.

 

The fall color is striking amid the ferns which themselves are fading.

 

 

I arrive back in my favorite area and this time take a selfie so I can see myself with these huge rock faces.

 

 

 

 

 

The steep downhill lessens as I enter the woods I recognize to be near the campground. 

 

Last section before the campground.  My last hike up Buck Cove and most likely my last hike in Acadia National Park.

 

Even after all this time, we are truly sorry to be leaving.