Sand Beach and the Great Head Trail were our first excursion into Acadia National Park since arriving in Maine the day before. In order to access The Great Head Trail you have to walk across Sand Beach. Once our kids saw the waves we thought the day’s hike would soon become history. Luckily enough, we promised them more waves and sand when they were done hiking and they actually went for it.
Great Head Trail is a popular 1.4 mile hike and is listed as “moderate.” We only hiked about a third mile in when we encountered our first rock scramble. Contemplating turning around, the kids begged us to go on. They handled the rocks like champs, calling themselves “Rock Stars.” The more technical the climb became, the more focused they became. And they were actually behaving themselves while posed with these new challenges.
The cliffs were a bit nerve racking for us parents but they listened and everybody made it out alive. The views at the top were stunning. Although I’ve heard this landscape is likened to The Pacific Northwest, Linda and I could only compare it to Hawaii. There are mountains which sharply meet oceans. The views were just breathtaking.
As usual, we had lunch at the top and then descended back down the same trail. The trip down was a bit worrisome, especially since I then had tired kids who wanted to ride in my pack, adding some 60 to 70 pounds while challenging my balance. I should mention that the kids were so into this hike that nobody wanted to hitch a ride on dad on the way up.
Check out the video below, highlighting the beach and and the hike. More of Maine and Acadia National Park next. Thanks for stopping by.
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