In June, just six months after my very first visit, I returned to Maine to enjoy warmer weather, hiking, swimming, and spectacular views.

Now it has taken me time to edit the photos and get this post up here on my travel blog since I’ve been really busy with work. I also decided not to go hiking much in August because of the heat.

The long drive to Franklin, Maine, where I stayed for a few days with a good friend, gave me the perfect opportunity to catch up on podcasts and listen to music to relax and refresh. The past few months have been so very challenging and I was just so excited to be on an adventure I didn’t really care much about all the traffic.

Getting some R&R – I started my first summer day in Maine with some tea, meditation, and yoga in the woods behind my friend’s house.

Excited to get out and explore Acadia National Park, I ventured to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to pick up my annual park pass, which I plan to use it for visiting more national parks in the next year.

I don’t recommend going to the park at this time of year, as this is their busy season. I do plan to return in the fall. Most of the main trails were crowded, however, using this awesome guide book, I discovered a hike that offered a secluded hike so that I could enjoy some alone nature time.

After driving all over the park – from one island to the other – I arrived at Beech Mountain Trail after about 1 hour of getting a bit lost (that is easy for me to do) since there is NO phone signals, or WiFi or any kind of connectivity. (At least this is what I experienced with my service provider Mint Mobile) Luckily only a few cars spotted the parking lot and I was able to get in a 2-hour hike and returned safely to my car right before a thunderstorm. While I was driving around I spotted the Somerville Bridge, a popular spot for photos.

Hoping to find some relaxation, thankfully my friend had a perfect spot in mind. We headed to the beach 🏖️- a local lake with sand offered a secluded escape from the busy beaches in Acadia NP. This awesome spot (not telling you so it can stay awesome) offers a great view while enjoying the peace and quiet. It is a bit of a hike just to get to this spot, so I am including this in my hikes since we did hike into the lake as there is no direct access.

Upon our arrival only two families were enjoy the beach and they all left after about an hour, so we had two hours of beach time all to ourselves. It was such a great afternoon followed by grilling hot dogs, have a few cold drinks, and enjoying a camp fire in the woods behind my friend’s home.

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity”
― John Muir, Our National Parks

Cadillac Mountain Acadia NP

Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park at 1,530 feet, is the tallest mountain on Mount Desert Island and the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard. From October 7 through March 6 of each year, it is the first place to view a sunrise in the United States. Although it is possible to drive up – we hiked up to the summit which I would say was really difficult for me as I was very out of shape. Although I hike a lot, I didn’t have poles, which I believe would’ve helped me and make it a bit easier. I did end up buying some poles on my way home which I’l start practicing with in PA until I return.