Let's Hike The Bubbles
The Bubbles are . . . Well, they are really popular. They are one of the cool girls in middle school if that middle school is Acadia National Park.
There’s a reason for this.
The trail is only moderately difficult to get to the top of North Bubble and South Bubble
The trails are less than a mile each.
There are some steep bits that are rocky.
There is some hand scrambling over some boulders.
But it’s worth it. These trails are popular for a reason.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BUBBLES
North Bubble and South Bubble are two different mountains. That’s why they have two names though most people on MDI just call them “The Bubbles.”
They dominate the landscape at Jordan POnd, making an adorable and lumped vista.
South Bubble is a wee bit smaller (768 feet). It’s here that you will see Bubble Rock, which is a boulder (like Bar Harbor’s Balance Rock) that’s orientation is wild.
The glacial erratic rests on the cliffside.
Will it fall?
No hiker has pushed it over . . . yet.
It was left behind when an ice sheet retreated well over 10,000 years ago.
A pamphlet on park geology published by the National Park Service talks about its potential origin and journey.
North Bubble (872 feet) gives hikers a beautiful view of Jordan Pond, mountains, the Atlantic Ocean, and Eagle Lake.
THE HARDEST PART
For a good majority of those heading to the Bubbles, the hardest part is finding parking at the Bubble Parking Area, which is just north of Jordan Pond’s North Parking Area on the Park Loop Road.
If you get a spot there, you’ll want to take the trail that is on the lot’s west side.
If you can’t find a spot there, you can park at Jordan Pond and hike along the Jordan Pond Path (an extra mile) and get to the South Bubbles Trail.
Or, you can take the Island Explorer, the free bus system and leave your vehicle behind.
The route is here.
OTHER INFORMATION
You have to have a park pass to enter the park. For information, visit www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm.
Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed. You must carry out their poo.
The rules are here. www.nps.gov/acad/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm.