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The National Parks are in a constant threat of abolishment, now more than ever. I can’t imagine, even as someone who discovered her love for them so much later in her life, what I would do without their healing power, their ability to make me feel whole and connected. Our trip recent national park trip brought us to a new discovery: Acadia National Park.
Because of its proximity to us – about an 8 hour drive from New Jersey, we have claimed it as “our park”, though the beauty of the national parks is that they all are our parks.
During a conversation about the national parks on Minnesota’s Public Radio with Dayton Duncan, who wrote and co-produced the 2009 Ken Burns documentary “The National Parks” featured on PBS (you can listen to it here), we talked about the beauty and life-changing impact of the national parks on our lives and on us as people. I can’t emphasis that message enough.
Every national park I have visited has influenced me, has rearranged my priorities, and has reset or made even more solid the life goals I have set for myself and my family. I see how they influence my children too and I know they are growing to be givers to this world, not only takers.
Stay tuned while I share a feature story on Expedia Viewfinder of my time at Acadia, but for now here are some images that I hope will inspire a visit and further motivate you to get involved in helping to preserve and protect our parks.
![Acadia National Park](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/food-collage-e1469208632640.jpg)
Lunch at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, Bar Harbor.
![Bar Hardor views.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3596-e1469207304125.jpg)
Bar Hardor views.
![Lunch at Stewman's Lobster Pound.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3549-e1469207290210.jpg)
Lunch at Stewman’s Lobster Pound.
![Wildlife view while on a boat tour off the coast.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3978-e1469208039144.jpg)
Wildlife view while on a boat tour off the coast.
![Views of coast of Mount Dessert island while on a ranger-led walk.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3897.jpg)
Views of coast of Mount Dessert island while on a ranger-led walk.
![Jordan Pond path view.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3810-e1469207546959.jpg)
Jordan Pond path view.
![Abbe Museum for learning of the Wabanake tribe and history of the area.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3789-e1469207933527.jpg)
Abbe Museum for learning of the Wabanake tribe and history of the area.
![View from the Beech Mountain Fire Tower.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3773-e1469207416325.jpg)
View from the Beech Mountain Fire Tower.
![Bass Harbor Lighthouse at sunset.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3733-e1469207406509.jpg)
Bass Harbor Lighthouse at sunset.
![Boulder left behind by glacier movement more than 10,000 years ago. Geologists believe it traveled from as far as Bangor and was part of a glacier more than a mile thick.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3702-e1469207383196.jpg)
Boulder left behind by glacier movement more than 10,000 years ago. Geologists believe it traveled from as far as Bangor and was part of a glacier more than a mile thick.
![Eagle Lake.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3667-e1469207370861.jpg)
Eagle Lake.
![One of our favorite activities, other than hiking the many trails of the park, was biking around the park!](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3623-e1469208078980.jpg)
One of our favorite activities, other than hiking the many trails of the park, was biking around the park!
![Cadillac Mountain sunset view.](https://girlgonetravel.com/home/carolc/public_html/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IMG_3619-e1469207347800.jpg)
Cadillac Mountain sunset view.
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