Sunrise – Maine Terrain

Cadillac Mountain: 2 Secret Things to Do in 2024

Stephen — Wed, 11 May 2022 06:39:46 +0000

CADILLAC mountain:
2 Secret Places

June 27, 2022

Written by Stephen Ondich

Within the Cadillac Mountain area of Acadia National Park there are two secret things to do. Even though the park hosts record numbers of visitors each summer, very few people know about these hidden activities. If you are like me, you’ve already seen most of the places in the National Park Service visitors guide. Accordingly, I will share these secret destinations with you here.

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Cadillac Mountain

Location

Cadillac Mountain is 0 miles from Acadia National Park.

It is (not) Acadia Adjacent.↵

It is in Acadia!

Cadillac Mountain’s Two Hidden Destinations

Both of today’s secret Acadia places are located in Cadillac Mountain. Additionally, both Acadia secret spots are featured on J.R. Libby‘s very cool website, The Abandoned Trails of Acadia National Park. If you are a fan of Acadia and have not seen it yet, please check it out.

Cadillac Mountain is one of the most popular destinations within Acadia. Be sure to check out our Cadillac Mountain sunrise hike tips if you haven’t already. However, there are two things to do that very few tourists know about.

To find both sites you’ll need a map of the Cadillac Mountain area. If you don’t have one, the you can find detailed maps at Acadia National Park’s website here.

A few months ago, we published a list of secret places in Acadia National Park. Check those out if you haven’t already.

Two secret things to do in Acadia are:

Visit Cadillac Mountain’s Hidden Waterfall
Explore the Abandoned Green Mountain Railroad

Cadillac Mountain’s Hidden Waterfall

National Park Service / uncredited [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

About the Hidden Waterfall

Although this secret waterfall within Acadia National Park is not far from Park Loop Road, you’ll likely miss it when driving by. Thus, park your car in the turnout and take one of the shortest hikes within Cadillac Mountain. Although the trail is not marked, it’s not hard to find if you know what to look for. It’s well worth your time.

Directions to Cadillac Mountain’s Secret Waterfall

Take Park Loop Road and continue past Cadillac Mountain Summit Rd, toward Jordan Pond.

After passing Cadillac Mountain Summit Road, park at the second turnout.

Locate the brook that is 30 feet from the turnout.

Walk on the North side of the brook (the side farthest from Bubble Pond) and follow it up steam. As J.R.Libby astutely notes, the waterfall views are dramatically different, depending on which side of the brook you’re on.

The waterfall is roughly the distance of two football fields from the road.

Green Mountain Cog Railway: Now Defunct

What was the Green Mountain Cog Railway?

Back in the late 1800’s, tourism was booming in the Acadia region of Maine. The Green Mountain Cog Railway was built to take tourists up to Cadillac Mountain, then known as Green Mountain. The ascent up Cadillac mountain took about 30 minutes.

Alas, either the operation lacked capital or the tourists dwindled considerably. Perhaps a combination of both. However, in retrospect, it appears the rail operation had many ambitious facets that never came to fruition.

First, there were plans for multiple rail lines. Second, the rail lines were supposed to run conveniently into downtown Bar Harbor. Additionally, there were plans for subdivisions that thankfully never materialized. All of it was pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking. None of it happened.

Francis Hector Clergue: the Person Behind the Railway *

Clergue’s father immigrated from France in the mid 1800’s. His mother was from an established shipbuilding family in Maine. He grew up in Bangor and became a lawyer.

However, he was a man of high energy, creativity and ambition. Not surprisingly, Clergue quickly lost interest in legal pursuits and tried his hand at several business ventures, many involving rail transportation.

Reading through new accounts of the time, it appears that Clergue was not a Mount Desert Island resident or insider. Although he was from Bangor, Maine, for all intensive purposes he was from away. Additionally, he failed to anticipate that the residents of Mount Desert Island didn’t really want steam engines traversing their bucolic mountain community.

Clergue information cited from:

Bachelder, P.D. (2005, April 1) The Green Mountain Railway:
Bar Harbor’s Remarkable Cog Railroad. Retrieved from https://mdihistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2003-The-Green-Mountain-Railway_ocr.pdf

Image from Bangor Community Digital Commons@BPL

Regardless of the reasons, the railway ceased operations in 1890.

Although you can no longer ride in the comfort of a steam locomotive through Cadillac Mountain, parts of the narrow gauge track remain. Thus, if you are a trainspotter or just looking for a ride, you are out of luck. The steam engines used to transport tourists up and down Cadillac Mountain were sold to the Mount Washington Cog Railway over 120 years ago.

However, if you are a historical train buff or railfan and want to see the skeletal remains of this Acadia operation, you’re in the right place.

Initially I cringed at the idea of a locomotive engine running through Acadia National Park. However, I must admit it looked pretty cool. You can see pictures of the fully operational Green Mountain Cog Railway at the Southwest Harbor Library Digital Archives here.

Map of the old Green Mountain Cog Railway.

Image from Library of Congress .

Directions to Green Mountain Cog Railway Tracks

Fortunately, Cadillac Mountain’s Hidden Waterfall and Green Mountain Cog Railway sites are located very close to one another. Therefore, it’s difficult to justify seeing one without the other.

Directions to remaining railway, as reported in Abandoned Trails of Acadia National Park:

Drive south on Park Loop Road, toward Bubble Pond.
Pass Cadillac Mountain Summit Road.
Pull over and park in the second parking area on the right hand side of the road.
Cross to the east side of Park Loop Road.
Look in the woods for a mound off to the left.
Look for the first rail spike along the worn pathway.
Continue up the path to see more spikes and rails. However, be aware that the trail becomes slippery at higher elevations.

What Happened to the Trains?

What if rail spikes and metal remnants won’t suffice? Do you need to see the actual Green Mountain Cog Railway trains? Believe it or not, the trains are still in operation!

However, as I stated previously, the trains were sold to the Mount Washington Cog Rail when the Cadillac Mountain operation folded. Thus, to ride the trains, you need to travel to their new home in New Hampshire. The locomotives were renamed as follows:

Green Mountain Railway #1 Mount Desert is renamed Chocorua.
GMR #2 is now operating as Agiocochook.

You can buy your boarding passes here. All aboard!

7 Critical Cadillac Mountain Sunrise Hike Tips 2022

Stephen — Sat, 07 May 2022 14:26:52 +0000

7 critical tips for a perfect cadillac mountain sunrise hike

July 22, 2022

Written by Stephen Ondich

2022 Update

Hiking Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise at 1530 feet elevation is a spectacular event at Acadia National Park. However, there is a limited window of opportunity to watch the sunrise in its glory. Therefore, you should plan and prepare ahead of time. In this post we give you tips to plan your sunrise Cadillac Mountain hike.

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Cadillac Mountain

Location

The summit of Cadillac Mountain is 0 miles from Acadia National Park.

It is (not) Acadia Adjacent.↵

It is in Acadia!

IMPORANT Tips for Seeing Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain

1. Wake Up Early

As obvious as this sounds, don’t be late! Arriving after the sun will put a damper on the rest of your day.

This is a time-sensitive experience. Dawn at Cadillac Mountain lasts all of 2 minutes.

Assuming you are staying in the vicinity of Acadia National Park, you should set your alarm for 4 AM.

Check your Cadillac Mountain directions the night before. It may sound basic but you need to know where you’re going. Again, one detour may cost you precious time en route to your sunrise hike.

You will not be alone as you drive up Cadillac Summit Road. Almost everyone in the park at that time is headed up the mountain. Additionally, parking will be tight the closer it gets to sunrise.

2. Check Actual Sunrise Time

Go to a site like Time and Date. Look up sunrise time for Cadillac Mountain on the day you will be there. Remember, sunrise occurs at a slightly different time each day.

Don’t estimate or guess. Again, there is a limited window to get day break at Cadillac Mountain right.

3. Set Your Morning Schedule Working Backwards Based on Sunrise Time

After determining sunrise time, work backwards to schedule your morning.

For example, if sunrise is at 5:15 AM, figure the following:

Be there 20 minutes before sunrise to get set up. Thus, 4:55 AM is your target arrival time.
It takes approximately 30 minutes to drive up Cadillac Summit Road, park and walk to a viewing spot. Therefore, you want to be driving up at 4:30AM.
If you’re staying 30 minutes outside of the park, be in the car by 4:00 AM.
And so on…

4. Dress in REALLY Warm Clothes

Dress warm. Bring blankets, gloves, jackets, scarves, etc. Wear extra socks.

Generally speaking, it is cold at the top of Cadillac Mountain. Remember, you’re at 1500 feet elevation. Additionally, before sunrise there is no sunlight to provide warmth. Also, wind chill factor drops the temperature you feel significantly.

Bring extra blankets. You can always leave them in the car.

If you are on the verge of hypothermia, you won’t enjoy the sunrise. Even holding your camera is difficult in bitter cold weather.

Once you’re settled in at the summit, you want to enjoy the moment. If you are freezing, you’ll want to escape as soon as possible,

This ill-prepared hiker got his pictures but also describes going numb in the process.

5. Check the Weather Forecast For Cadillac Mountain

Check a site like Mountain-Forecast to find out what the weather will be like on your sunrise dawn. Bring rain gear, if necessary.

Check the forecast specifically for Cadillac Mountain not Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park.

Rain or even light mist will significantly change the Cadillac Mountain experience. In addition to being both wet AND cold, you’ll be dealing with slippery granite.

This family failed to prepare for weather conditions. They describe their daytime Cadillac Mountain ascent as miserable. The title of the their post is “A Cold and Miserable Day: Climbing Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.”

You definitely want to know what kind of weather to expect. Do your homework!

6. Claim Your Parking Spot

Once you’re up and driving, the next priority is to find a place to park. Save the sight-seeing for after sunrise.

There is no longer a locomotive engine to shuttle you up the mountain. Now it’s up to you and your car.

There are two areas to park off Cadillac Summit Road. One main lot and one overflow lot.

The National Park Service admits that these parking lots lack capacity for the summer crowds.

Many of the people in Acadia at that time of day are doing the same thing you are. Thus, there will be competition for parking spaces as dawn approaches.

The distance between the parking lot and the viewing area is less than .5 miles. It is an easy walk.

7. Decide Where to Watch the Sunrise

Pick your preferred sunrise viewing location ahead of time. Most people do one of two things.

Watch from the Summit Marker. Understandably, most people watch close to the Summit Marker. It is an iconic location. However, it is also crowded. To get there, follow the gravel path along side the restrooms. The marker is on the right hand side at the end of the path. Look for the highest ledge.
Cadillac Summit Loop Trail. If you’re looking for solitude at sunrise, head down the trail just a bit. You don’t have to go very far. Again, most hikers congregate around the Summit Marker like moths on a light.

Why Watch the Sunrise from Cadillac Mountain?

Watching the sunrise anywhere within Acadia National Park is exciting. However, Cadillac Mountain is the optimal location for sunrise and sunset viewing. Here are three reasons:

Cadillac Mountain is the highest viewing location along the Northern Atlantic Coast. If you go between October and March you get bragging rights for seeing first daylight in the United States.
Cadillac Mountain is one of the most popular attractions in Acadia National Park. It is busy almost all of the time. Yet, you know you’re going to go. Therefore, why not see it at its most spectacular?
It is a communal experience, kind of like going to church or a Grateful Dead show. Cadillac Mountain is where the faithful gather to witness first light.

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain?

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain is a different viewing experience than sunrise. At Cadillac Mountain, the sun rises over Frenchman Bay, providing a beautiful water view.

However, Cadillac Mountain sunset takes place over the mountains of Mount Desert Island. Accordingly, Cadillac Mountain has a mostly landlocked sunset view.

Thus, the optical & light filtering effects of sunlight reflecting off the ocean are missing at sunset.

Many Acadia photographers prefer the sunrise view at the peak of Cadillac Mountain over the Cadillac Mountain sunset, However, Acadia sunsets are spectacular at both the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and the Blue Hill Overlook, not far from Cadillac.

Cadillac Mountain Sunrise Pass

Sunrise passes or morning reservations are new for 2022. The new reservation system helps ease congestion during the early morning hours at Cadillac Mountain. Additionally, the Island Explorer bus system does not service the summit. Thus, parking and viewing conditions are difficult at early morning and dusk hours.

Of course, sunrise viewings are popular with Acadia visitors. Accordingly, congestion at the summit has increased over the last decade. In fact, Cadillac Summit Road at Sunrise & sunset tops the National Park Service’s list of the highest traffic park locations.

Sunrise Pass Fees

Passes to view Cadillac Mountain sunrises cost $4 per private vehicle. Additionally, there is a $2 reservation fee. Thus, for $6, you can drive your car to view a beautiful Mount Desert sunrise.

However, reservations must be made in advance. They can be cancelled up to 2 days prior to your reservation time. After that, the reservations are non-refundable.

Additionally, the sunrise reservation fee does not replace the regular park pass ticket. Visitors must have both a park pass and and sunrise reservation to travel to the summit in the early morning.

AM Summit reservations are booked online at Recreation.gov.