the.arys - gary and mary: 2014-07-23 A wooded hike across the park

After our Lighthouse Tour, Gary headed home and I headed out for a short hike - about 3 miles starting at Jordan Pond, ending at Asticou Terraces, taking advantage of the free shuttle to pick me up at the other end. Jordan Pond-Asticou Trail is a mostly easy path skirting the bottom of the mountains, plus a modest climb up Eliot Mountain and no rock scrambling - a nice stretch after the previous day's 8+ miles climbing stairways. Asticou Trail had some restoration underway, and new stone steps being placed. Other than the park staff and volunteers working on the trail, I only encountered two other people on the entire walk. A peaceful stroll through serene woods.

From the back of Jordan Pond House

Start by following the trails towards Penobscot and Sargent

Trail skirts the base of Penobscot Mtn

Trail improvements in progress

The first mile or two were being restored

A beautiful walk amongst mature woods

Crossing carriage roads at several points

Penobscot Mtn South Ridge trail heads up to the right

A couple of beautiful bridges along the way

More trail construction

Placing granite steps

Using pulleys to move and position the stones

Stone stairways in place

I turned here heading for Eliot Mountain and Thuya Gardens

Still evidence of the hurricane

Much of this trail is outside the national park

Lots of options - had to reference my map several times

The cairn tells me I'm heading in the right direction

Memorial at the top of Eliot Mountain

Summit of Eliot Mountain offers peek views of Somes Sound

Several more junctions along the way

Approaching Thuya Gardens

Entering Thuya Gardens from the trail

Beautiful grounds

Manicured pathways

and beautiful flower beds

The gate into Thuya Gardens is magnificent

Heading down Asticou Terraces

I've been here before but last time it was foggy

Blue skies and what a view

The stone staircases of the terraces are spectacular

Just a few steps further to Hwy 3 where the Island Explorer will take me home

Wanderers and Vagabonds...

The RV started as a temporary solution to afford living in Newport Beach when Mary's company relocated to Irvine, CA. We loved it so much, we decided to make a go of full-time RVing. In July 2008 we hit the road, and have been roaming ever since. We do seasonal work camping and really enjoy it. We also use camp club memberships such as Thousand Trails and Coast to Coast to save on "rent". We have found beauty everywhere we go and hope to continue exploring and enjoying this beautiful country. Here's a great quote which sums up our hope for ourselves and for anyone seeking similar adventures:

“...May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poets towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs, where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs upon the high crags, where something strange and more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you -- beyond that next turning of the canyon walls.” - Edward Abbey

the.arys - gary and mary

2014-07-23 A wooded hike across the park - Asticou Trail & Eliot Mountain

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