Precipice Trail - Acadia National Park's Terrifying Trail

This is probably "post number 243" where I tell you how much I hate heights and then I go on some insane hike that tests my limits and my fears. People are often confused about my fear of heights as they see me standing on top of a mountain summit all the time. You see, I can deal with one edge, but I need one side of safety to feel well, safe. Steep cliffy trails - I can manage. A trail like Angel's Landing where there are steep drops on both side? I am happy to wait back at the quitter's corner. But more often than not, I try to push myself and my fear of heights when traveling somewhere new. This hike in this part was no exception. 

The Precipice Trail is one of Acadia National Park's most famous trails. After we had a taste of the Beehive Trail, we were so excited to travel among the parks rung and ladder trails. We hiked the Beehive Trail for our wedding photos and we were blown away by the amazing views and technical aspects of the trail. We hiked the Beech Cliffs trail to get on another iron rung trail while we waited for the Precipice Trail to open "some time" that day.

Beech Cliff Trail - Acadia National Park

We had just finished hiking the Beehive (in full wedding attire) just the day before.   It's easy to say we were in love with the park and were swooning over Acadia's iron rung trails that combine tricky hikes with sweeping views of coastal Maine.  Beehive blew us out of the water and I guess you could say we were quickly becoming rung trail junkies.  These famous trails offer hikers a chance to hike along cliff edges and up steep rocky paths to mountain summits via sets of iron ladders and rungs.  Our next plan was the most famous and challenging of the rung trails.  We set out bright and early for the Precipice Trail first only to realize the trail was closed with an opening date of "some time today".  Instead, we hiked a more tame iron rung trail with the intention of completing the Precipice Trail hike first thing tomorrow morning.  This little detour is how we found ourselves on the quiet side of the park and up the ladders to the views along the Beech Cliff Trail. 

Jordan Pond Loop Hike - Acadia National Park, Maine

 It feels like a lifetime ago that Courtney and I packed up our dogs Olive and Leni alongside our camping gear and summer clothes into my (then) boyfriend's Subaru. We had originally planned this trip with the guys but when work and commitments prevented them from joining, we decided to head north without them for a girls weekend in Acadia National Park (lady dogs included).  Acadia National Park is the only national park here in the northeast and simply put, is a New England treasure.  We had talked about making this long weekend happen and finally put our words into action as we drove north along the coast of Maine.  We stopped in Portland, Maine for a lobster roll and traveled farther north along the scenic route, driving route 1 all the way into Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Portland, Maine - Ways To Explore

In mid-July, we packed up the car (and the dogs) and headed north to spend a little bit of time in my favorite New England city - Portland, Maine.  It wasn't my first or even fourth time to Portland and it's a place I never get sick of.  

I guess you could say I love Portland in so many different ways.

Mount Phillip Loop Hike - Rome, Maine

There are many times I am grateful to be a Connecticut resident.  Mid-summer during the COVID-19 pandemic is definitely one of them.  While other states were opening up their bars and welcoming spring breakers in May, Connecticut kept a tight hold on its restrictions.  Indoor restaurants did not open until mid-June and social distancing and mask rules were strictly enforced.  Being a Connecticut Resident was is like having a European passport and being able to leave your borders.  A lot of New England states are allowing Connecticut residents, the land of lobsters included.  Maine's travel restrictions include a 14-day quarantine or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours to enter it's state lines.  However, there is an exception for New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.  Here in Connecticut, we have been very careful as we have been working on the house with my father who is high-risk.  Our safe habits and our license were golden tickets and we (responsibly) traveled to the state of Maine to spend a little bit of time in Portland and see our wedding venue.  Oh, and this lovely little hike which was in the middle of these two places.