Besides coming to see and capture Fall color in Maine, we also wanted to visit Acadia which is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River. It became a national monument in 1916 and a national park in 1929.

Acadia is mostly located on Mount Desert Island. It has granite mountains, hills, and cliffs that directly meet the Atlantic Ocean. Besides the sea cliffs and hills (some called bubbles because they are less than a 1,000 feet high), there are glacial lakes and ponds with clear pristine water.

We were last here in 2016 and like most memories, locations seem familiar, but are also so different. We have talked about this a bit lately. Are the locations different or are we different people or is it both? Of course, it’s a bit of both. In general, the locations are busier, and I’m a more experienced photographer than I was ten years ago. I also have fond memories of this park and don’t remember all the hassles or difficulties.

Because of rain and wind in the forecast for the next couple of days, we decided to go to some favorite locations on our first morning.

Sunrise was at the popular Boulder Beach near Otter Cliff Road, but today there was just the three of us, plus a couple other photogs. It was very overcast and we did not get any light on the cliffs, but it was a good start to the trip.

Next up was Jordon Pond. We arrived at the south end of the lake and made photos for 30 minutes or so, with some good low clouds and no wind. By the time we left at 9 AM the parking lot was full.

We were told that July is high season here, and October is a mini-high season with the fall color. By the end of October, many businesses close for the winter.

After breakfast we photographed the best bridge around at Somesville and enjoyed a hike and a lobster roll for lunch.