Maine in Fall
If you ever travel to the Northeast to see the beautiful colors of fall, I hope you include a stop in Maine - it’s simply stunning up there this time of year.
Unfortunately, I am unable to visit Maine as much as I would like, but Cheryl DuLong, who works for me at Skylands, loves the outdoors, and often sends me beautiful images taken during her hikes. Over the last couple of weeks, she's photographed the colorful fall foliage and several of "Mr. Rockefeller's Bridges". These bridges, which are located at stream and gorge crossings throughout Acadia's carriage road system, were financed, designed and built by billionaire philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Enjoy these photos.
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- Cheryl took this photo earlier this month just as the leaves were starting to turn. This is the Jordan Pond Bridge built in 1920. This carriage road bridge is 85 feet long, 19.5 feet tall, and may still have some of Beatrix Cadwalader Farrand’s plantings surrounding it. Beatrix was a landscape gardener and architect whose career included commissions to design more than 100 gardens for private residences, estates and country homes, public parks, botanic gardens, college campuses, and the White House.
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- This was taken a few days later at a brook near the Somesville Historical Museum and Gardens. Here, the leaves are showing gorgeous colors of red, gold, and brown.
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- Located south of the Jordan Pond House along the picturesque Jordan Stream is the Cobblestone bridge which was built in 1917. It is 150 feet in length and 21 feet tall. It is the only one of Rockefeller’s 16 bridges that is made entirely of cobblestones. This bridge is located at the top end of Little Long Pond.
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- Here is the majestic Acadia Mountain, a great spot for seeing views in all directions including Somes Sound. Oddly enough, it is the only peak on Mount Desert Island that runs east-west rather than north-south.
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- Cheryl captured this image of a tall pine tree on Sargeant Drive along Somes Sound. It lost the top of its main trunk in a past storm, but is still thriving.
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- The Jordan Pond Bubbles are so prominent in the Acadia National Park landscape. The North Bubble on the left has the highest elevation at 872 feet. The South Bubble follows at 766 feet.
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- Despite being 115 feet in length, this is a somewhat understated bridge located just west of the Jordan Pond House. This is the West Branch Bridge built in 1931. It is 115 feet in length and 22 in height. A single narrow six foot wide arch stands above the usually dry stream bed.
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- This view through the golden foliage is from the bridge to Little Long Pond and the ocean in the distance.
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- And here is more fall foliage seen along the carriage road – the golden fall colors are so beautiful.
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- Down in between the rocks was a patch of ferns – some taking on their fall brown color, while the rest still bright green.
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- From a different spot along the road, Cheryl captured this image of Little Long Pond, the Boat House, and then the ocean beyond.
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- Stones along the edges of the carriage roads are called “Rockefeller’s Teeth”.
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- One of the last bridges to be completed was Cliffside Bridge, constructed for the Around-Mountain carriage road to traverse a section of steep cliffs under Penobscot Mountain. Built in the style of an English castle, this bridge is also the longest at 250 feet.
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- Here is a closer look at the side of the bridge.
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- The railing of the bridge is crenulated – you can see the upright placement of the massive hand-hewn boulders.
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- Looking under the bridge, one can see part of the cliffside.
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- This is one of several lookout platforms on Cliffside Bridge offering wonderful views of the surrounding area.
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- This photo was taken just a couple days ago. Maine is now past its fall peak, but there are still so many gorgeous leaves on the trees.
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- These are the steps along the steep Spring Trail up to Penobscot Mountain, the fifth highest peak in Acadia. It is an impressive north-south mountain that sits opposite Pemetic Mountain near Jordan Pond. A hike up the Spring Trail is strenuous and best for more experienced hikers.
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- And a beautiful golden-yellow maple tree at the end of this carriage road. Thanks for these lovely fall images, Cheryl. What colors are you seeing this autumn? Share your comments below.
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