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Riding to Acadia National Park from Minneapolis

Roadhawk

New member
We are planning a camping trip to Acadia National Park in Maine late this summer. I am pondering the idea of riding there if I can do it in about three (3) days and still make an interesting ride out of it.

I am looking for suggestions to create an entertaining and enjoyable route. Share your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks
 
Hmmmm - I will probably get jumped on for this but I would superslab it from Minneapolis to Albany, then spend lots of time on backroads across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. From Minneapolis to Albany is about 1,200 miles - two moderately long days in the saddle or one big IronButt ride.

I guess I would be tempted to pick up another Saddlesore 1,000 with a 1,000 mile ride in a day to maybe Elmira, NY (out the door at 4am, quick gas stops only, arrive around 10pm, sleep.) Next day I would interstate up to Lake George and take US-4 over to the really fun roads up towards North Conway, lots of nice little motels pepper that area. Looks like a long day but you can knock the Interstate part out before McD's stops serving breakfast if you get an early start. From there, if you like the coast you can take some great non-highways through Norway over to Camden or Lincolnville and take Rt. 1 to Mt. Desert, or head north through Bethel and Farmington. Know that the short hop on Rt. 3 from Rt. 1 to Mt. Desert is always a mess in the summer, plan accordingly.
 
I kinda like that strategy, ride long and fast and spend quality time with good roads when you get there.

Not sure if I can pull a 1000 mile day and keep my sanity. I will have to work on my entertainment equipment. Quality earbuds for my iPod may have to be budgeted for.
 
Or do a combination of both on the way.

Check for current local road conditions and ferry schedules -

Twin Cities to Milwaukee any way you want.
Take the Lake Express Ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon.
I 96 to I69 out side of Lansing then I69 to Port Huron and cross into Canada.
Cross Ontario on the slab to Niagara Falls and cross back into the US.
Follow the lake shoreline to I81 North to Watertown, then take 3 east to Plattsburgh then south to Port Kent and take the Central Lake Champlain Ferry to Burlington.
Burlington you pickup US 2 and take it to Bangor Maine then south on Alt 1 then 3 to your destination.

In 2004 I took this route from Bar Harbor back to Lilydale (the Twin Cities are actually suburbs of Lilydale) as the return leg from an extended trip to the Canadian Maritimes. On the way out I took the UP then cross Canada route Visian suggested. Both were fun but the return leg much more so.

The slab portions allow you to make time. The Lake Michigan Ferry gives you a break from the saddle and allows you to avoid Chicago to the south and porcupines and the odd deer in the UP. Once you are in New York the riding becomes fun. NY 3 was a good road combining scenery and fun riding. The Champlain ferry is another fun break from the saddle. US 2 was nice too. Decent scenery, interesting towns and restaurants.

Bring your passport. You should be able to do it in three days. I took longer because I had time to goof off.
 
Shawn,

You're gonna have to superslab some of it to do it in 3 days. Highway from Albany to Augusta (2 hours-ish from Acadia) is a 5 hour drive. Ending your SS ride in Albany will require you to turn north up I87 for a bit to hit up Vermont and eventually hook up with US2/US302 in Montpelier.

US2 will take you a more northerly route thru NH across the top of the White Mountains NF.

US302 will take you more southerly thru the NF on the Crawford Notch Road. Both are nice rides although US302 is "nicer". The plus to US302 is that when it intersects SR112, you can take that road into Woodstock and then find yourself on the Kancamangus Highway which is a MUST do regardless of the direction you're heading.

In Conway NH (the eastern end of the Kanc) you'll pick up US302 again. The EASIEST route at this point would be to take US302 to US202 which you pick up in Gray Maine. US202 will get you to Augusta where it intersects and continues on with SR3. East of Augusta in China (no, not THAT far east!! :wow) US202 and SR3 split. Stay on SR3 which brings you in to Belfast and hooks up with US1. US1/SR3 will bring you to Ellsworth where US1 continues east. SR3 will take you to the island, Bar Harbor and Acadia NP.

From the connection to US302/US2 in Montpelier VT, plan on a good 6 to 8 hours of riding with requisite stops to get to ANP.

Google Maps shows the superslab route all the way as 1713 miles. That's 3 600 mile days. Certainly doable from the standpoint of slabbing it from Maple Grove to ANP. Adjusting the route to go thru London Ont and 2 border crossings means you'd add about 10 miles to the trip hit up Niagra Falls but also 2 border crossings.

What I'd suggest is trying to make Rutland VT in 2 days? 1360 miles. That's superslab to Albany NY where you pick up I87 north to US4 which will take you right into Rutland. That will leave you with a good 8 hours the 3rd day but it's the interesting part of the trip - 340ish miles to ANP but they won't be disappointing miles.

And that route will take you within a football field and a half of my house which you would be more than welcome to use as a rest stop if we're around and you so desire.
 
It may be slightly shorter distance-wise to go the Canadian route but with border crossings, even Google Maps says it's a 2 hour longer drive.
 
Just a foot note to my post.

The US 2 portion of my route completed a multi-trip ride of the extant road that spans the nation. I have riden 2 in MN WI and Michigan many times. On earlier trips I have taken it west.

Mpls to Niagara as I described was an interesting way to do the slab portion of the trip that broke up the route with ferry rides and slabs I would not normally ride while avoiding Chicago. I would still urge you to consider it. Once you are past Niagara have at it. There are so many fun looking squigles on the map that will get you from Rochester NY to the park.

Have fun.
 
Thanks Guys, I have a lot of great ideas for this trip and plenty of time to plan. Thank you also for the invitations, it would be great to meet new people and share some time on the road.
 
If you want to travel through Canada but don't want long waits and hassles with border crossings, then try the Blue Water Ferry from Marine City, MI to Ont. No reservations needed, runs about every 20 minutes. My experience is that the customs officers on both sides are low key. The ferry crosses the St. Clair River and the whole crossing can't take 10 minutes.
 
Shawn:
I'm going to St. James, MN in early May to pick up an '04 R1150R. Here's how I plan the return:
Get on US 8 northeast of the Cities and ride it to Norway, MI.
Then US 2 to Blaney Park, MI
Then State 77 to Seney
Then " 28 to the Sault.
Then Canada's QEW (Rt 17) to Arnprior
417 thru Ottowa to 138 south to Cornwall
p/u 37 E on the American side to Malone, NY
Then 11 to Rouse's Point
and then 78 to 104 to 15 and St. Johnsbury (all in VT)
Finally take US 2 again to my house in Bethel, ME

If you do the same, you will have a wonderful trip through small town America, meet some great people, ride scenic uncrowded roads and by the time you arrive you will be thoroughly pissed because you will have taken at least 4 days.

Have a great time.

John
 
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