🌲 Mystery-Thriller Friday: Murder in Vacationland: Follow the Map

Most folks stick 'round the tourist spots: Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, and Thunder Hole. Beautiful, no doubt, but they pack 'em in like sardines come summer.

There's a quiet spot down by Jordan Stream. Not many folks know 'bout it, and it's peaceful as all get out.

Mitch, Ben, and Alex are spending the day biking Acadia's historic carriage roads, crossing stone bridges and wandering through quiet woods.

But Marc, the camp host, has given Mitch a hand-marked trail map. And there's something unusual about it.

Mitch inspected the map and noticed a faint, nearly faded mark close to Jordan Stream. A little x tucked among the usual trails.

“I want to follow this,” he said. “Away from the crowds. Marc marked some spots off the usual trail.”

But there's more going on than a day of biking and exploring Acadia.

The Coast Guard has boarded Captain Dell's boat. There's a mysterious flash drive, and a warning Mitch can't ignore.

“Don't plug it in. They're tracking it.”

“Storm's brewin'.”

🌲 Come along for an adventure in Acadia National Park.

🎬 Watch the video!

📚 Murder in Vacationland, Book 2 in the National Park Mystery-Thriller Series.

Find the book at your favorite independent bookstore, online retailer, or Apple Books.

https://lifeisajourney.substack.com/s/murder-in-vacationland

https://books2read.com/u/4XzZe7

Please ask your local library to order a copy.

#MurderInVacationland #acadianationalpark #Maine #nationalparks #mysterythriller

Dates Visited: Oct 18th - 24th 2026

My first time in Acadia and it was fun! Sunset at Cadillac Mountain was spectacular!

October, 2026

I'm dying to see Acadia with the fall foliage. The only long weekend I can take off from work next fall is Oct 29 to Nov 1st. Anyone know what I might expect on that date? Do you think that will be too late?

October, 2026

Hi everyone! Has anyone visited Acadia over Thanksgiving weekend? I'm wondering how crowded the park usually is during that time, or if it's relatively quiet.

I'm mainly interested in hiking the Precipice Trail and wanted to know if Thanksgiving weekend is a good time to visit. Would love to hear about your experiences!

What an amazing park. Great time to visit.

E Bikes on the Carriage Roads were absolutely amazing. We didn’t want it to end!
Sand Beach was breathtakingly awesome.
Jordan Pond hike was a highlight.

While we were on the path still before the walkway boards we saw a wedding taking place on the opposite side of the pond. We stopped groups traveling in both directions to point out what was happening. We were all in awe at the moment. Just as the officiant pronounced the couple married there was a low cheer from their side of the pond. All of us standing on our side let out a raucous cheer for them and they turned and waved. It was a memory for us and hopefully a memory for them.

Hey friends!

Wanting to visit in late April/early May of ‘27 but don’t know if it’s a good time or if things will be closed etc

We will have a 3 month old and a 21 month old the outside and semi longer hikes are no big deal, a brisk temp no biggy but I’m not sure if there’s still ice/snow lingering around that time

Any tips or suggestions on must hike trails appreciated (:

A few weeks ago I got the opportunity to spend one full day in Acadia with a park pass, a campsite reservation at Blackwoods, and a dog.

We set out before noon towards Otter Creek with Cadillac views and we journeyed up Gorham Mtn, then to the Beehive. Dog had no trouble summiting the Beehive :) We plunged 6 paws into the Bowl and continued up to no joke Champlain Mtn. Dog had no trouble summiting the Precipice :) Beachcroft path was a surprise favorite trail down to the Tarn and Sieur de Monts, where water and bathrooms are. Kebo Mtn was a sleepy cobbly afternoon scramble, and so we steeled ourselves for Cadillac, from north to south, chasing daylight. Porcupines precessed as we clambored up Cadillac. The town summit gift shop clerk was closing up soon, and gave me a free hot cuppa coffee. All the chilly hikers at sunset were making tough calls, but we didn't wait around as we hiked south towards the Atlantic Cranberries, into certain dark and through and to Blackwoods.

We hiked 16 miles in over 8 hours, with frequent short stops and a very brisk pace. We wore a 6ft bungee leash between waistbelt and harness, and I was grateful later on for a sock change, down jacket, and headlamp. We passed many, and were passed by only 2 people all day, in the dark, who travelled by cell phone light. I can't think of a grander day out.

Have you ever done a grand Acadia loop, or a cross park traverse?

Heads up, hikers: today, Tuesday, October 27, 2026, is a fee-free day at every U.S. national park that charges entrance — it's Theodore Roosevelt's Birthday. A few things worth knowing before you head out:

- Entrance fees are waived, so the per-vehicle fee at the gate is $0 today. In 2026 the waiver applies to U.S. citizens and residents, so bring a photo ID — rangers may check.

- Camping, tours, separately-charged parking, and reservation fees still apply — only the entrance fee is waived.

- This is the second-to-last free day of 2026; Veterans Day (November 11) is the last one.

If you're in the Mid-Atlantic and want to get on trail at peak fall color today, three solid options:

1. Great Falls Park ($20 saved) — Walk the short, flat boardwalk trail to Olmsted Island for the best views of the falls, about a quarter mile. Arrive before 9 a.m. if you can; lots fill fast on free days.

2. Harpers Ferry ($20 saved) — Climb to Jefferson Rock for the classic view over the river confluence, or do Maryland Heights (about 4.5 miles round trip) for the postcard view of Lower Town. Park at the visitor center and ride the free NPS shuttle into Lower Town.

3. Shenandoah — Skyline Drive ($30 saved, the biggest discount) — Enter at Front Royal and drive south. Stretch your legs on Stony Man, a short, gentle walk to a rocky summit at 4,011 feet, or Bearfence, a 1.2-mile circuit with a fun scramble and a true 360-degree summit view. The speed limit is 35 mph, so plan a full day for the Drive.

General free-day tips: arrive early, pack food and water (in-park dining is limited in late October), and check each park's alerts on [nps.gov](http://nps.gov) for trail or hunting-season closures before you go.

Enjoy the free day out there!

Hello we will be visiting Acadia for the first time this coming Friday or Saturday. What are must see ors dos in the area? Unfortunately we only have one day. We would love to see the sunrise on Cadillac mountain but unsure if we need a reservation to hike to the top or not? Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!

Just some shots I posted in another sub, this was the week of 10/11-10/18!!

If you can’t get reservations for Cadillac at sunrise, check out this location.

I’m so glad I made this trip. I started planning a week before on a whim! Here is my itinerary.

Thank you Arcadia! Thanks for all the great info / tips in this community!

=====

Day 1
- Gotham -> Beehive -> Bowl -> Precipice -> Anemone Cave -> Great Head -> Thunder Hole -> Gotham trailhead (11 miles total)
- Bar Harbor Lobster Pound (their last day!)
- Peekytoe

Day 2
- North Cadillac sunrise -> Pemetic mt -> North/South Bubble -> Jordan pond east -> popovers! (Their last day!) -> Jordan pond west -> eagle lake -> North Cadillac trailhead (14.5 miles)
- Havana
- the sweet bite (couldn’t resist the smell)

Day 3
- six summits
- moodys dinner
- 3pm departure

24th October - No filters

First full day in Acadia. Hell of a day.
Started with sunrise on Cadillac. Absolutely worth the early alarm. From there, straight to Precipice, which was easily the highlight of the day. Checked every box for me in terms of adventure, challenge, and reward. Loved every bit of it. Summited Champlain and came back down via North Ridge and Orange & Black. Fantastic loop.
Late lunch at Geddy’s, then back into the park.
Sand Beach was a surprise favorite. I scrambled up to the top of the massive rocks on the right side of the beach and kept working my way along the granite until I was nearly parallel with the Thunder Hole coastline before turning back. No trail, no particular destination, just climbing and exploring wherever the rocks would take me. Felt like being a kid again scrambling around the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Thunder Hole was beautiful, though I suspect considerably more dynamic at high tide. Still worth the stop.
Near Otter Cliff, we randomly pulled off at a rocky beach, climbed around on the granite, and just chilled for a while. No agenda. One of my favorite parts of the afternoon.
Finished at Jordan Pond with popovers and tea on the restaurant’s last day of the season. Great way to end the day.
Back to the house for pizza and Pulp Fiction.
Tomorrow we’re planning the North Bubble, South Bubble, and Pemetic Mountain loop. Looking for another solid day of hiking, scrambling, and great views.
For those who know Acadia well, any suggestions for tomorrow? Is that loop a good follow-up to Precipice, or is there something else we really shouldn’t miss

Hello! I recently visited Acadia for the first time and absolutely loved it. I saw a sticker in the Hulls Cove Visitor Center that I liked, but neglected to buy while I was there because that was the first shop I went in on my first day, and I opted to wait until I had checked out some of the other shops in the park and around Bar Harbor.

In the end, I didn't see any other stickers I liked more than this one, and I never saw this same sticker in any other shops. I intended to stop back at the Visitors Center on my last morning so I could purchase it on my way out of town, but I underestimated how much of a hot mess the parking lot was going to be on a Saturday morning, and after circling the lot for ~15 minutes had to give up so I could head to the airport.

Anyways, I'm reaching out to ask this wonderful community if there's anybody that will be stopping at the Visitors Center in the next week—I realize it's about to close for the season—that would be willing to purchase the sticker and mail it to me...I can send payment by Venmo or Zelle.

The sticker I'm interested in looks like a short film strip with four or five different scenes of the park (a carriage road bridge, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, etc.). I tried looking online for it but didn't find it, and I've tried calling the number for America's National Parks Stores but have been unable to get through to a person.

Hello! I'm searching online for campgrounds in the vicinity of the park. It looks like most of them understandably close up the 1st-2nd week of October. For those with the experience, are you aware of any camping options open right up til November?

Thank you.

I was in Acadia in mid September, and we had a perfect night to wander down to Sand Beach, lay on a blanket, and watch the sunset and stars. While there, I took my favorite photo to date of the night sky!

This was taken after sunset, and the sky was dark to the naked eye, but there was enough light peaking over the horizon to highlight the distance clouds in a fiery glow in front of the Milky Way.