Fall Foliage in Maine
The weather here in the Northeast has been rather mild for this time of year. After lots of rain and strong winds yesterday, it is expected to reach a high of 66-degrees Fahrenheit today at my Bedford, New York farm.
These last few weeks have also been warmer than usual up at Skylands, my home on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. Earlier this week, I posted photos of Maine taken by Cheryl DuLong during one of her many hikes through Acadia National Park. Cheryl, who is an avid photographer, keeps me updated by sending photographs of the property and the surrounding areas from time to time. Here are the rest of her most recent images showing this year's fall foliage.
Enjoy.
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- This is Bracy Cove, a bay located within Hancock County, Maine, near Seal Harbor – such a pretty early morning photo.
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- And this is Little Long Pond, located just west of the village of Seal Harbor. Cheryl captured a nice reflection of the trees in the still water.
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- This is Union River, a 22-mile long river that runs through Ellsworth, Maine. In colonial times, it was known as the Mount Desert River.
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- Here is a closer look at some of the changing colors near the river. As you can see, the colors are a bit more muted this year. The Northeast started with a very wet and cloudy growing season and then a very dry and sunny September. These extremes produced more brown colors and early-falling leaves.
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- This photo was taken from the Great Meadow Trail, a nice, easy loop for hikers. Dorr mountain is in the distance – a narrow north-south formation with steep cliffs sandwiched between Champlain Mountain to the east and Cadillac Mountain to the west.
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- Here is a view of Bubble Pond – a gorgeous little pond with a maximum water depth of nearly 40-feet. The water is so clear.
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- Not far is Eagle Lake – at 436-acres, it is the largest fresh water lake in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. It has a maximum depth of 110-feet and an average depth of 50-feet.
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- Here is a very popular view of The Bubbles and Jordan Pond. Here you can see the low water levels caused by lack of rainfall.
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- Jordan Pond covers 187-acres with a maximum depth of 150-feet. The pond was formed by the Wisconsin Ice Sheet during the last glacial period. It serves as the water supply for the village of Seal Harbor.
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- This photo was taken from the Spring Mountain Trail up Penobscot Mountain. Penobscot Mountain is the 5th highest peak in Acadia.
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- Here is a view through the trees of Little Long Pond and the ocean in the distance.
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- And here is more fall foliage seen over the the woodland – the fall colors are still so beautiful.
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- Walking along the carriage road, Cheryl saw many huckleberry bushes. Wild Huckleberry, also known as Mountain Huckleberry or Thinleaf Huckleberry, has been cultivated, consumed, and enjoyed for thousands of years. Native to woodland areas, Wild Huckleberry bushes are deciduous, and leaves turn a red purple color in the fall.
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- Here is a view of the fall colors from afar – the trees are definitely not as vibrant as past years.
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- Here is another carriage road with more of “Rockefeller’s Teeth” on the right edge.
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- This view is taken off the Amphitheater Trail, which leads down to the Little Harbor Brook Bridge.
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- And here are more huckleberry bushes. While they are not as popular as the true blueberries, they are very important to wildlife – many songbirds as well as ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, and turkey consume the fruits.
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- And look at all the lichen. Lichens are found in many parts of the world, even polar regions and high altitudes. They grow on rocks, wood or firm soil, and most are this grey-green color.
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- Here are the Porcupine Islands – a series of islands in Frenchman Bay off the coast of Bar Harbor. They include Sheep Porcupine Island, Burnt Porcupine Island, Long Porcupine Island and Bald Porcupine Island.
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- Here is another view with the fog rolling in over the water.
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- And a look at Eagle Lake from Cadillac Mountain with the drifting fog. I hope these photos inspire you to visit Acadia National Park in Maine – it is truly magical. Happy fall.
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