Fall Photography In Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is currently my favorite National Park that I have visited and it lives up to its designation as the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast”. It’s definitely a special place in the Fall with all of the amazing colors. I was able to spend four days in Bar Harbor Maine at the Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA. I would have stayed longer but I was there at the end of their season and all of the campgrounds in the area close down in mid-October until the Spring. During this visit, I went to Acadia National Park each day but I could really have spent two weeks exploring the park and surrounding area.
Since I first got my RV, a New England Fall trip was at the top of my list. I tried doing a Fall New England cruise on a few occasions but the prices during the prime color change time were extremely high and I honestly got to see more of what I wanted to photograph by doing an RV trip. When visiting Acadia National Park, I highly recommend visiting during the weekdays. The park is busy on any day, but the weekends are extremely crowded and you can expect to get stuck in traffic congestion which can be aggravating.
In this article, I will mainly be discussing what I photographed in Acadia National Park and offer some tips based on my experiences. I did plenty of research before I went to Acadia National Park and I found this video on YouTube that provided a good overview of what to expect. The video was published in 2013, but I found still very relevant.
Jordan Pond Path
The picture at the beginning of this article is from a hike I took around Jordan Pond, walking distance from the Park’s only Restaurant, Jordan Pond House. I absolutely loved this hike. For the most part, it is pretty easy, but towards the end, the path involved climbing up on rocks. It wasn’t a high above the water but could be challenging for some. Day hikes around Jordan Pond start from the boat launch, carriage road sign 15 (at the back of Jordan Pond House), or The Bubbles parking lot. Hiking trails range from level to strenuous, and some can be turned into a loop. If you are hiking and taking pictures around the Jordan Pond Path you can plan it will take about 3 to 4 hours.
Jesup Path
This is an easy 1.5-mile hike along flat ground and a wooden boardwalk. Depending on how often you stop to take pictures, I would plan at least an hour. The hike runs through areas of white birch and hemlock trees then into the Great Meadow. This hike is very accessible and can be navigated with a wheelchair. The photograph on the right is one of my favorite shots from Acadia National Park and my New England trip.
As described on the National Park System website, start the hike just before the entrance to the Wild Gardens of Acadia. A wooden footbridge provides access to the Jesup Path. Follow the path as it crosses Hemlock Path, and continue straight onto the boardwalk. The boardwalk runs through a boggy, white birch forest. There are interpretive waysides and benches along the way. As the boardwalk ends, the trail crosses Hemlock Path again. Continue through the Great Meadow, finally ending at the Park Loop Road. Cross the Park Loop Road, and turn right onto the Great Meadow Loop. Use caution when crossing Park Loop Road as there are no crosswalks. At the next trail junction, turn right and cross back over the Park Loop Road onto Hemlock Path. Follow Hemlock Path back into the Great Meadow, past the boardwalk, and through a forest of hemlocks. The path leads back to Sieur de Monts parking lot.
Loop Road
Loop Road is a twenty-seven-mile scenic drive around the east side of Mount Desert Island, connecting Acadia’s lakes, mountains, and shoreline. It provides access to popular areas such as Sieur de Monts, Sand Beach, Otter Point, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain. During this drive, I used a rental car because there are some low bridges that would prevent some RV’s from passing. The roads are narrow and you will be limited on the ability to pull off the shoulder of the road in many areas but there are parking lots in different sections.
Cadillac Mountain
One of the most popular destinations within Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard. The main attraction is watching what is considered the first place in the country you can see the sunrise, from October 7th to March 6th. The parking is limited and I recommend getting there at least an hour before sunrise because the parking lot will fill up quickly. I actually got there around 2 hours early so I could get set up my tripod and stake out my spot. I actually went there the day before during the daytime so I could figure out, using the Photopils app on my phone. This app, if you are not familiar with it, will show you using augmented reality where the sun will rise (and set) and the position of the sun at different times (The app does many other things too).
Knowing that I was going to be waiting for a couple of hours, I came prepared with a foldable chair (the type that comes in a carry bag you can sling over your arm), gloves, layered clothing, and a thermos of hot coffee. Due to the time of year and elevation, it will likely be in the thirty-degree temperature (Fahrenheit) range. I would also bring a flashlight or one of those headlamps to free up your hands. It will be very dark. The other word of caution I would give is to be very careful walking on the rocks. They are covered with dew and very slippery. I saw a couple of people take a bad fall.
Unfortunately, in my attempt at getting a sunrise picture, Mother Nature had other plans. As you can see there was heavy fog with very little visibility. The other thing to plan on for your photoshoot is people will not care if they are in your shot. Even though when I set up there were only a few other photographers. these people came late and sat right in from of my camera. So I made the best of it and incorporated them into the shot to tell a story on how cold it was and in this case how the fog prevented me from getting a good sunrise shot. I will be back, so I wasn’t too annoyed.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
I love taking pictures of lighthouses whenever the opportunity presents itself. But this lighthouse was a bit challenging to photograph and I honestly didn’t do enough research on planning this photo adventure. Acadia National Park encompasses over 47,000 acres. I thought after driving around Loop Road, I would just plug the lighthouse into the GPS and go get some pics or at least check it out for a future trip.
The Bass Harbor Head Light Station is located in Tremont, Maine, making the entrance to Bass Harbor on the southwest corner of Mount Desert Island. I would plan on a 35-45 minute drive, depending on traffic, and you could wait in your car for another 30-40 minutes to get into the parking lot for the lighthouse. The parking is limited and a line of cars formed waiting for a parking space to open. I was lucky! After driving about 45 mins then getting in line, the park rangers closed the road down and wouldn’t allow any additional cars in the line.
The interior of the lighthouse is not open to the public but there are two viewing areas. As you are facing the lighthouse from the parking lot, take the trail on the left side. There will be a nice pathway leading to some stairs that will take you down to the rocks. Once you make it down to the rocks, you will have to climb around on the rocks to get a good vantage point for a picture. By this point, I was already a bit disappointed. But not disappointed with the lighthouse, disappointed with the number of people there and trying to climb around the rocks with all of my camera gear. In order to get the iconic shot, you need to get near the waterline. I didn’t even bother. I don’t usually like to shoot landscape pictures with people in them. I also had my full backpack of equipment, including my 200-600 Sony GM lens, because I didn’t know what to expect for a viewing distance. Ideally, the next time I go there, I will plan an early morning sunrise shoot.
I didn’t want to leave with no photo of the lighthouse, so I patiently waited and grabbed a couple of shots where there weren’t people climbing around me and getting into my shot. When I looked at my end result, I wasn’t that thrilled with my image. The number of kids and people climbing around on the rocks in close proximity was getting a bit annoying because I was trying to balance myself on the rocks with my camera equipment. I gave up and decided to catch a late lunch (it was about 3:30 pm) with an adult beverage at a nice waterfront restaurant with all of the New England atmosphere, The Upperdeck. I enjoyed the good food, drinks, and atmosphere while looking at my photos thinking maybe next time. About four months later, I kept going back to that photo I took of the lighthouse trying to edit it and make something out of it. I gave up and then I thought about doing a composite image so I could have something decent. After all, by this time I was in lockdown with the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a great time to learn more about some of my editing software. While I always disclose when a photo is a composite or manipulated to state that didn’t represent what I saw, this picture was just for me and to hang with some other lighthouse pictures that I have taken.
Roadside Photo Opportunity
When traveling on State Road 3 each day from the Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA to Acadia National Park, I kept passing this location across from Thomas Bay where I tried getting a picture but the weather was always overcast and I just couldn’t get the look I had in my mind. Then on my last day in Acadia National Park, I was driving back to the campground and noticed that the spot I was scoping out had blue skies and some clouds. So I pulled over to get some shots. There were several other people taking selfies shots with their phones. from the roadside. I broke out my camera gear and headed down the embankment to get my composition. My camera gear quickly drew the attention of some other photographers who decided to venture down the embankment also. But this time, the fellow photographers were mindful of where I was and everyone was considerate of making sure they were not getting into anyone’s shot. After I got several of these shots, I suggested to another couple to take some shots from my spot. Everyone has their own tastes on what they like, but this picture turned out to be my favorite image from my New England Trip. I had an acrylic 24×36 print made from CG Pro Prints and hung it in my house!
The Next Trip Will Be Even More Epic
I grew up in Florida and live just three miles from the beaches of Southwest, Florida. But when it comes to photography, I love the mountains and the Fall season with all of the vibrant colors in the landscape. I have always loved to travel and have taken many vacations. However, this was not only my favorite vacation, it has so far been the best RV trip. I look forward to my return. My plan is to finish my journey to all 50 states before going back to a repeat location, but I doubt that will hold true for Maine and Acadia National Park. I fit a lot into my New England trip but when I return, I will plan for a much longer stay to explore more of Acadia National Park.
