Winter Hiking/Walking

I’m not much of a hiker these days, but most of the trails in Acadia National Park can be hiked in the winter if you have the appropriate gear, specifically some kind of crampons or stabalizers you can attach to your boots. Dress warm and be careful. For me, in my advanced age, I prefer to walk on one of Acadia’s carriage roads or some of the trails that the Maine Coast Heritage Trust has developed in the last decade. One is at the end of Pine Heath Road (off of route 102 before Somesville) and the other is at the intersection of Crooked Road and Norway Drive at the Old Stone Barn. Pine Heath Road sends you through the woods to an open Heath (marsh like land) and the Old Stone Barn walks you through a an open field, then into the woods and eventually down to Northeast Creek. If it’s cold enough you can skate on Northeast Creek. The walks aren’t particularly long or challenging, but they’re enough to get your heart rate up on a brisk afternoon. A slight warning as the Old Stone Barn location allows dogs off leash, so if you go understand you may find some owners letting their dogs run. In all the times I’ve been there I’ve never run into a “bad” dog.