Maine & Maritimes 2016

Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia

Saturday, October 8 through Sunday, October 23, 2016

We flew from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Newark, New Jersey to Portland, Maine on Saturday, October 8. We drove from Portland to the Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, then back into Maine. We spent about four days in Canada and about 10 days in Maine, mostly visiting Acadia National Park. We returned to Oklahoma City through Dulles International Airport, in Virginia, near Washington, D.C.

In the notes below, "(Acadia NP)" refers to Acadia National Park, Maine. Visiting Acadia National Park was the primary motivation for this trip, but a secondary motivation was to see southern New Brunswick in fall, along with central Nova Scotia.

I tracked this trip with a (new) Bad Elf GPS Pro+ GPSr (GPS receiver), with backup from either my iPhone 6 (using the Navigon app for driving) or my Garmin Oregon 600 (hiking/canoeing). Unless noted otherwise, all tracks presented here come from the Bad Elf. Note that the Bad Elf tends to produce very large GPX files, so the tracks presented via "view map" have been greatly simplified (in terms of file size, while retaining most of the track detail).

Topographic maps are denoted by a "(Topo)" link. Bright pink/magenta lines represent manually-powered transportation (e.g., canoe, hiking).

Unless specified otherwise, original GPX tracks are unedited.

Businesses are named below for reference only. No endorsement should be inferred. If you wish to see my opinion of the places mentioned, see TripAdvisor (for those that I have actually rated).

Overview

Overview map—This is a composite map of all the GPS tracks on a blank U.S. + Canada states/provinces map, with the state and provinces we visited highlighted in yellow. (Close-up of Maine & the Maritimes)
All GPS tracks / view map—The whole trip, including hikes, driving, etc.

Saturday, October 8

GPX / view map—Our drive to the airport.
GPX / view map—KOKC to KEWR (Will Rogers World Airport to Newark International Airport), our flight from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Newark, New Jersey.
GPX / view map—Walking/riding bus through Newark International Airport.
GPX / view map—KEWR to KPWM (Newark International Airport to Portland International Jetport), our flight from Newark, New Jersey to Portland, Maine.
GPX / view map—Driving from Portland International Jetport to the LL Bean store in Freeport, Maine.
GPX / view map—Continuing on to the Hampton Inn in Bangor, Maine.
GPX / view map—Driving to dinner in Old Town, Maine.
GPX / view map—Driving from dinner in Old Town back to Bangor, Maine.

Sunday, October 9

GPX / view map—Driving from Bangor, Maine to the Hampton Inn in St. John, New Brunswick. Includes stops at a battery store in Bangor, Maine (forgot to bring charger for camera!), an attempt to see Pleasant River Lake, a stop along the Machias River (very beautiful!), another stop at a rest stop/turnout between Wesley and Crawford, Maine (also very beautiful), and exploring St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
GPX / view map—Driving from the hotel to dinner in St. John, New Brunswick.
GPX / view map—Walking from our parking spot on Princess Street to the restaurant (the blob of lines) and back.
GPX / view map—Driving back to the hotel in St. John (including some meandering to get back to the highway).

Monday, October 10—Thanksgiving Day (in Canada)

GPX / view map—Driving from the hotel in St. John to Fundy National Park, via the Fundy Scenic Highway. Includes a visit to St. Martins, New Brunswick.
GPX / view map—Hiking the Caribou Plain Trail (counterclockwise) at Fundy National Park, New Brunswick. It was very windy at this point, with wind gusts estimated at around 70 to 80 km/h (based on gusts reported at nearby airports). The wind was, as far as I can tell, related to the remains of former major hurricane Matthew.
GPX / view map—Driving the rest of the way to the Hampton Inn in Moncton, New Brunswick.
GPX / view map—Our search for an open restaurant (it was Thanksgiving Day) ended at one of the Tim Horton's restaurants nearby. This track goes from the hotel to Tim Horton's (indirectly, because we looked for other open places), and back to the hotel.

Tuesday, October 11

GPX / view map—Driving from the hotel in Moncton to Margaretsville, Nova Scotia, including a stop at the border, near Amherst, Nova Scotia.
GPX / view map—Driving from near Margaretsville, Nova Scotia to the Hampton Inn in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, including a detour near Wolfville, because the highway was closed as a result of a semi-trailer accident (news said that the driver was slightly injured) that occurred before we passed by this location westbound. (There is a small gap between this track and the previous because of some GPS receiver problems–that were quickly resolved.)

Wednesday, October 12

GPX / view map—Driving from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia to Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.
GPX / view map—Walking in the area of Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, famous for its lighthouse and quaint fishing village.
GPX / view map—Driving from Peggy's Cove to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
GPX / view map—Walking in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
GPX / view map—Driving from Lunenburg to near a waterfall between Oxford and Truro, Nova Scotia.
GPX / view map—Hiking to a waterfall on Higgins Brook, about midway between Oxford and Truro, Nova Scotia. We set out on the wrong trail (too far south) initially, because of navigation error. The return trail (to the north) was the correct one.
GPX / view map—Driving from the waterfall to Moncton, New Brunswick (specifically to dinner at Skipper Jack's).
GPX / view map—Driving from the restaurant to a gas station, Tim Horton's, and to the Hampton Inn in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Thursday, October 13

GPX / view map—Driving from Moncton to the Dixon Falls trailhead at Fundy National Park, near Alma, New Brunswick.
GPX / view map—Hiking in the Dixon Falls area (Fundy National Park).
GPX / view map—Driving from Dixon Falls to the Point Wolfe Beach area (Fundy National Park).
GPX / view map—Hiking in the Point Wolfe Beach area at Fundy National Park.
GPX / view map—Driving from Point Wolfe Beach to our dinner stop at Pizza Delight in St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
GPX / view map—Driving from St. Stephen, New Brunswick to the Best Western motel near Bar Harbor, Maine.

Friday, October 14

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the entrance/Visitor Center at Acadia National Park.
GPX / view map—Driving to the Wild Gardens of Acadia parking area.
GPX / view map—Hiking on parts of these trails: Jesup Path, Stratheden Trail, Kebo Brook Trail, Gorge Path, and Hemlock Trail. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Wild Gardens of Acadia parking lot to dinner in downtown Bar Harbor.
GPX / view map—Driving from Bar Harbor to the motel nearby.

Saturday, October 15

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the Jordan Pond parking area.
GPX / view map—Hiking the Atiscou & Jordan Pond Path Trail and part of the Amphitheatre Trail. We had intended to take the Amphitheatre Trail all the way to the "Amphitheatre" area, but ran out of time and had to turn back short of the destination. We also had a dinner reservation at the Jordan Pond House, so we didn't have the option of hiking into the evening. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Jordan Pond area back to the motel.

Sunday, October 16

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the Jordan Pond parking area.
GPX / view map—Hiking north along the east side of Jordan Pond, with a short spur up part of the steep Bubbles Divide Trail, then west to a carriage road that we took back to the Jordan Pond House area. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Jordan Pond area to dinner at Finn's Irish Pub in Ellsworth, Maine.
GPX / view map—Driving from Ellsworth, Maine back to the motel near Bar Harbor.

Monday, October 17

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to National Park Canoe & Kayak Rental, at the north end of Long Pond.
GPX / view map—Canoeing in the north half of Long Pond, including Rum Island and the narrow peninsula that reaches well north into the pond.
GPX / view map—Driving from Long Pond to Pine Hill, and then on to the Ship Harbor area. We intended to try hiking in the Pretty Marsh Harbor area, but found the road closed. Pine Hill was nice, but there wasn't much to do there, so we ended up hiking the Ship Harbor trails.
GPX / view map—Hiking on the Ship Harbor trails. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Ship Harbor area to downtown Bar Harbor.
GPX / view map—Driving from downtown Bar Harbor back to the motel.

Tuesday, October 18

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the Jordan Pond House area.
GPX / view map—Hiking south of the Jordan Pond House area. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Jordan Pond House area back to the motel.

Wednesday, October 19

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the trailhead of the Giant Slide Trail.
GPX / view map—Hiking on the Giant Slide Trail. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Giant Slide Trail trailhead to north of Upper Hadlock Pond, where we had access to the various trails and carriage roads in that area.
GPX / view map—Hiking on the northern part of the Hadlock Loop Carriage Trail (to Waterfall Bridge), including a short spur up the very scenic Maple Spring Trail. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Upper Hadlock Pond area to Bar Harbor for dinner. The spur to the west appears to have been a wrong turn and its correction.
GPX / view map—The short walk to/from dinner (Poor Boy's) in Bar Harbor.
GPX / view map—Driving from Bar Harbor back to the motel.

Thursday, October 20

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the north end of Beech Mountain.
GPX / view map—Hiking most of the Valley Trail along the east side of Beech Mountain. This trail is very green/mossy, even in October. It is one of our favorite trails in the park. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from Beech Mountain to Southwest Harbor, where we went for dinner.
GPX / view map—Driving from Southwest Harbor back to the motel.

Friday, October 21

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the Lower Hadlock Pond area.
GPX / view map—Hiking on carriage roads to the Amphitheatre. It was very foggy during this hike, so we didn't really get a good view of the Amphitheatre, but the misty views of trees were quite nice. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Lower Hadlock Pond area to the parking lot for the Jordan Pond House.
GPX / view map—Hiking on carriage roads and the Jordan Stream Trail. We returned to this area to attempt to re-photograph some unusual mushrooms that we found on Tuesday. We found the mushrooms, but it was almost sunset when we got there. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Jordan Pond House parking lot to downtown Bar Harbor.
GPX / view map—Walking in downtown Bar Harbor.
GPX / view map—Driving from downtown Bar Harbor to the motel.

Saturday, October 22

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel to the parking lot for Wild Gardens of Acadia.
GPX / view map—Hiking the Jesup Path and the Hemlock Path. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Wild Gardens of Acadia parking area to the lot for the Thunder Hole.
GPX / view map—The short walk to/from the Thunder Hole.
GPX / view map—Driving from the Thunder Hole to the Upper Hadlock Pond area.
GPX / view map—Hiking the carriage roads to the Waterfall Bridge. Because of overnight rain, the waterfall was running nicely, after being little more than a trickle when we visited the previous time. (Topo)
GPX / view map—Driving from the Upper Hadlock Pond area to downtown Bar Harbor.
GPX / view map—Walking in Bar Harbor (short distance).
GPX / view map—Driving from downtown Bar Harbor to the motel.

Sunday, October 23

GPX / view map—Driving from the motel near Bar Harbor to Portland International Jetport.
GPX / view map—Flying from Portland International Jetport (Portland, Maine) to Washington Dulles International Airport (in Virginia, near Washington D.C.).
GPX / view map—Walking and riding the shuttle bus at Washington Dulles International Airport.
GPX / view map—Flying from Washington Dulles International Airport to Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
GPX / view map—(Driving) Completion of the trip.