Great hiking trail in Acadia: Beech Mountain

Set of trails heads to historic
fire tower on granite summit

Acadia National Park is home to the tallest mountains on the Atlantic Ocean. And at nearly 48,000 acres, the park offers a number of great peaks to explore and view the rugged Maine coastline.

One such spot is Beech Mountain. Topping out at 839 feet, it provides an impressive view of Mount Desert Island as well as a fire tower to enjoy.

Tree-lined path
Finding the mountain is easy enough. From Rt. 102, head onto its western branch, also known as Pretty Marsh Road. After a quarter mile, turn left onto Beech Hill Road. In about 3.1 miles, you’ll reach the Beech Mountain parking lot. Watch for the observation tower; it can be seen from miles away.

Start the 2.4-mile hike by locating the head for Valley Trail at the lot’s left-hand corner of the lot. The tree-lined path runs flat and smooth. About a third of a mile in, boulders appear with increasing frequency. Watch for rock cap fern, which grows atop some of the rocks, and for slab caves, or small hollows between granite blocks where local fauna often live.

At about 0.6 miles, turn right onto Beech South Ridge Trail and head up stone steps. Low-lying Canada dogwood and tall boulders line much of the trail. Also look for rock tripe, which are brown, scaly patches on the rock faces. Orange-hued mushrooms sometimes also can be spotted.

Most of the trail for the next 0.8 miles are rock steps, some of it winding, some of it steep ascents followed by flat stretches. A series of outlooks allow you to catch your breath while enjoying water views.

Fire tower
Beech Mountain summit, a granite peak sporting rocks about the fire tower’s base, offers spectacular views. To the west-northwest stretches Long Pond. To the northeast is Echo Lake, and to the east Somes Sound. To the southeast is the great Atlantic Ocean. Distant mountain peaks and islands also are visible.

The steel fire tower with the open grating on its steps was erected in 1962, brought to the peak via air. It replaced a deteriorating, Depression-era wooden tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and that was used from 1941 to the mid-1950s. The new tower was rarely manned, except during times of high fire danger, until 1976. It’s now on the National Registry of Historic Fire Towers. The tower typically is closed to the public but usually opens once or twice a year; call 207-288-3338 and press “0,” Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., to see when it is. Even if closed, you still can head up the stairs to just below the cabin.

For the return trip, continue on Beech Mountain Trail past the tower. Turn left, or to the west. About 0.1 miles down, avoid veering off onto Beech West Ridge Trail. You want to continue heading straight or to the right. Great views abound the entire way. The trail then continues for another 0.7 miles, returning to the parking lot.

The best time to visit is between late April thru mid-November, but the temperature can swing wildly even in the summer as wind, fog and rain sweep the mountain top. Also, during the wet season, mosquitoes and black flies can frequent the area, so be prepared.

Learn about other great national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Hike Convoy Point at Biscayne National Park

Red mangroves at Biscayne National
Park. Photo courtesy NPS.

Walk along, into bay offers tropical walk

A full 95 percent of Florida's Biscayne National Park sits underwater, a turquoise blue paradise laced with vividly colored coral reefs. So what do landlubbers with the kids do when the spouse wants to snorkel or canoe the shoreline?

The answer is simple: They hike and picnic the main land trail, Convoy Point.

Picture-perfect picnic
Reasonably close to Miami, Convoy Point also makes a great hike for local residents wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. The park can be reached by heading down U.S. Hwy. 1. In Homestead, turn onto SW 328th Street – also known as North Canal Drive – and continue approximately nine miles to the road’s end. Park at the new Dante Fascell Visitor Center. The trailhead is on the lot’s northeast side.

The boardwalk trail is flat and easy, running along the mangrove shore that is Convoy Point. You’ll follow the blue-green waters of Biscayne Bay and be able to spot some small, mangrove-covered islands. Bring a lunch; there’s a picnic area below palms overlooking the bay.

The trail turns south as heading out onto the jetty. Part of the boardwalk takes you out over the water. As the bay is shallow, ranging from about 4-10 feet deep, and is quite clear, you’ll have no trouble spotting the bottom. Lush seagrass beds throughout Biscayne Bay help ensure the water’s clarity. Dip your hand in the water, and you’ll also find it’s nicely warm. Thank the Gulf Stream for that one.

Onto the jetty
During the walk, you’re likely to see fishermen. Florida spiny lobster, shrimp, fish, sea turtles, and manatees all inhabit the bay. About 175 species of waterbirds call the park home, and you’re certain to spot cormorant, anhinga, and the ever ubiquitous gulls.

The boardwalk eventually gives way to an unpaved path as the jetty turns east, stopping as the land dissolves into the bay.

Overall, the trial runs about 0.65 miles round trip. It also is uncovered, so you will need sunscreen. Mid-December to mid-April is the dry season and the best time to visit.

Upon returning to the parking lot, stop at the free visitor center. Kids can pick up bones, feathers, sponges, corals and more at the Touch Table. The park also hosts Family Fun Fest on select Sundays of the year, and the park service’s Junior Ranger program is offered as well.

Learn about other great national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.

Five Great Chesapeake Bay Trails for Kids

Boardwalk at Great Dismal Swamp.

Kids will love the ocean views, water-free trails through bald cypress swamps, and an enchanted forest that lay in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States. Here are five trails area trails perfect for children:
g Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Bay Trail – Leading from the Visitor Contact Station to Back Bay, the 0.4-mile trail crosses a variety of ecosystems, from shrubland to marshes.
g False Cape State Park: Barbour Hill Interpretative Trail – This easy 1.4-mile trail cuts across a barrier spit between Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, offering an opportunity to see a variety of wildlife and plants.
g First Landing State Park: Bald Cypress Trail – Boardwalks and observation platforms abound on this 1.5-mile loop trail that heads around and through a bald cypress swamp and forest-covered dunes.
g Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge: Boardwalk Trail – The interpretative and elevated Boardwalk Trail runs almost a mile through a representative section of the Great Dismal, allowing hikers to spot a variety of birds.
g Norfolk Botanical Garden: Enchanted Forest's woodland trail – For those preferring to stay closer to the city, the short, circular woodland trail through the Enchanted Forest garden takes kids through a secluded patch of mature oak, hickory, and pine.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.