Dawns bloggy blog

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Sargent Mountain Hike ♥ Acadia NP

Howdee all,

♥

Another wonderful hike in paradise.

“The second highest mountain in Acadia, behind only Cadillac, provides spectacular 360-degree views of Somes Sound and Western Mountain to the right (west); the Cranberry Isles and the Gulf of Maine to the south; Pemetic and Cadillac Mountains to the east; and Porcupine Islands and Frenchman Bay to the northeast”

There are many ways to get to Sargent Mountain…we followed part of the hike on the map below highlighted in red.

We took the Grandgent trail up ..then a side trip to what is thought to be the oldest fresh water pond in Maine, down Sargent southridge trail to Hadlock trail and back.

Sargent Mountain

Distance:5 + miles

Elevation Gain 1,170-feet

Difficulty:Moderate-Difficult

We parked and followed the carriage path to our trail head. Lush moss and lichen Our trailhead.We take Hadlock Brook trail.. I call this part of the hike Rocks, roots and running water.

We walk over roots..We walk on rocks..

All uphill..in lush forest..

We follow a small brook…… Froggy.. We follow the signs to Sargent Mountain Up hill on rocks.. Most of the trail follows a small stream..we cross it several times.. Rocks..roots and running water..beautiful and refreshing on this warm day. Along the trail I notice many webs in rock crevices and this one in a tree cavity. More uphill..

I was very happy I brought my hiking sticks..very helpful walking thru water, roots and rocks..It was slippery. Rocks and roots.. We are serenaded by Black-throated green warblers and Thrushes. We take the Grandgent trail…one of the more difficult trails to the top. Up ..up and more up.. Oh..I see the light Starting to get a view Somes soundI soak in the views.. Still more to go… Jeff and Samarrah wait at the top Samarrah in the clouds The top of Sargent MountainWe stop here and have lunch.. A white-throated sparrow sings to us.. Lichen on Granite.. Wood Lily We start our hike down to Sargent pond I took tons of photos of the Rock cairns..A well balanced rock.. On our way to the pond.. Scenes from the top..

lots of water areas like this on top..I loved the slab of rock

Gulls fly nearby and call out… Its peaceful up here… More Wood lily..Blooming in small groups … The pond is only .3 miles away Follow the cairns to the pond..

Sargent Mountain Pond,

“ claiming to be the oldest lake in Maine, it is naturally fishless, being one of only two acidic lakes in the park. According to local folk lore the “Lake of Clouds” is not only bottomless, but home to a serpent “ See the serpent below?

Hee hee..thats me enjoying a wonderful swim..I went in with shorts and tee shirt.

Small blue dragonflies where flitting low over the surface. Larger dragonflies flew higher up.

It was magical.

The highlight of this hike…was swimming in the pond..the water was cool and refreshing..

Time to head back… We take the Sargent south ridge trail down.. We stop and snack on the way down..

Yummy

The trail down was more gradual, still rocky in areas and wet.. Sargent mountain hike_165

A board walk crossing

We join the Hadlock Brook trail again

Oh yes..I remember this rocky path..

Jeff and Samarrah stop to watch the water fall Sargent mountain hike_176

I stop and take a photo of this handsome mushroom..

Then I join them and watch the water falling… Sargent mountain hike_178

We continue on the last leg of the hike..

Some sort of mushy room..More stream crossings.. And roots.. the parking lot is less than half a mile away.. Samarrah the wood fairy peeks through a whole in a tree.. Amanita Almost home….

Hope you enjoyed our hike..

Now one of my favorite hikes in ♥Acadia National Park♥

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Rainy Day drive, Acadia NP

Howdee all,

Wednesday was a rainy in the morning so we decided to go out for breakfast and then for a drive.

After breakfast we looked into this glass shop.. Gazing ball made with pieces of glass Inside the shop..sun catchers everywhere…

A small sun catcher

runs around 100 dollars.

The lamps are 4.000.

Beautiful things…After looking in a few shops in Bar Harbor…

We looked for a beach that we had been to over 10 years ago.

A rock beach

Jasper Beach

No sand…just piles of rock

We all collected a few of these special rocks.. And walked the rocky beach Fly on the rocks Samarrah made these small rock cairns car ride maine_027 And then she did a few yoga poses I digiscoped the distant lighthouse with the fog rolling in.. car ride maine_034 The area smelled strongly of rose…Beach rose.. We also searched for a clam shack that we had been to that same year..over ten years ago..