Bar Harbor Record
July 1, 1896
Mr. Herbert Jaques, the well known architect, contributed the following interesting article on the paths of Mount Desert Island which will be of great interest in connection with the new map of the island which is soon to be published. Mr. Jaques has traversed every path on the island.
To a comparative few people the paths of Mount Desert Island are well known and it is hoped that more may be induced to use them and enjoy their beauties.
There are practically four systems, hiking in a general way, though it is needed eventually to connect all together. The smallest system is the so called Duck Brook Series; these paths are called the Duck Brook, Bracken, Sweet Fern and Royal Fern Paths. One can start on Eden Street just before coming to the bridge over Duck Brook and walk up the south side of the brook to the reservoir. This path has two paths, one high up on the bank and one close to the water. The lower one can not be used when the water in the brook is high.
From the reservoir the Sweet Fern Path runs to the southeast and comes out near Mr. Hows Teahouse near Woodbury Park. The Royal Fern Path crosses the reservoir dam, and comes out on the Cockscrew Hill Road. The Bracken Path runs south along the reservoir and comes out on the Eagle Lake Road where Mr. Hows new road comes in. This is just above the Cromwells Harbor Road and there is a fine spring at the roadside where the path starts. There is a branch from the Bracken Path which runs southwest and follows along the brook and comes out near the head of Eagle Lake.
The southeast system of paths, or better known as the Newport System, is worked out on a system of colors. A new carriage road has been built from Otter Creek Road to the edge of Robin Hood Park to the Schooner Head Road near Bear Brook. Starting in from the Otter Creek Road one first sees the Bicycle Path which runs directly towards the gorge between Newport and Picket mountains, and swings about in a fine growth of Hemlock and hardwood trees and comes again into the carriage road near the old bridge over Bear Brook, following for some distance the old Picket Mountain Path. The Black and White Path leaves the bicycle path just under Picket Mountain and follows the brook in a winding course up and on to the top of the mountain. From here there is a steep trail which leads to the top of Newport, affording a fine view to the north, west and south. From the bicycle path near the start of the Picket Mountain path runs a Black and Blue steep trail up the side of Newport under a landslide coming out on the Black path. This path is steep and rough but is especially beautiful and affords fine views. From the old bridge over Bear Brook and when the bicycle path joins the carriage road, the old Black Path runs up over Newport and down on the southern end coming out at the Bowl.
Following the carriage road near Bear Brook one comes to the road leading to Mr. Dorr's quarries, and here starts the White Path which combines fine views with easy walking. It runs the whole length of Newport Mountain running under the cliffs and coming out at Great Head. The Red Path leaves the White soon after leaving the Horseshoe and follows down the course of Meadow Brook, coming out on the Schooner Head Road where Meadow Brook crosses the road. Half a mile beyond the Blue Path runs to the left or east and comes out on the Schooner Head Road near Cranberry Hill. Another half or three quarters of a mile and one branch of the Yellow Path runs east and comes out at Schooner Head Road, than still further on the White Path, the Red and White runs abruptly to the right and up the side of Newport and joins the Black Path near the crest. This path is steep and rough and affords a good climb, but is generally used as a decent from the mountain to Schooner Head. Half way up this path a Blue and White Path runs to the Bowl. Following the White Path from where the Red and White leaves it, one walks along the banks of a lovely brook and another branch of the Yellow Path starts on the left and comes out at Schooner Head. The lower end of this path is the same as the other Yellow Path and is apt to be wet in the meadow. The White Path than runs along the side of Enoch (a spur of Newport) and with a branch to the left across Homans Field runs through a pretty grove until one comes to the Blue and White branch which leaves to the right and runs to the Bowl with a Brown branch near the top of the Beehive. Than the White runs down across a brook and finally with a sharp turn to the left again crosses the brook and ascends the hill to the road near Great Head.
Where the White Path turns to the left or east of the Yellow and White starts and runs close under the Beehive and up through the valley between Gorham and the Beehive, past Cliffs Pond just beyond which the Brown Path starts on the right and runs to the Bowl with a branch up on the Beehive; the Yellow and White than ascends a steep bank and soon on the left will be found a spring of clear cool water; than on over the divide one descends to the Otter Creek Road at the head of School House Hill. A short distance north on the Otter Creek Road near the house of Isaac Tripp, the Green and White Path runs up to the Bowl. Near the top of this path the Black Path starts and runs back over Newport, where the brook leaves the Bowl. Following the Green and White one comes to the Brown which goes down to the Yellow and White and than the Green and White goes on around the Bowl to where the Blue and White and Blue, White and Blue all meet the Green and White at the large rock.
The Green Mountain system starts on the Cromwell Harbor road at the rear entrance to the Kebo Valley Club. The path makes a quick descent to the brook than rises and bears to the right with a branch starting here to the left which runs up over Kebo Mountain and will eventually be carried along the meadow on the side of Dry Mountain and come out on the Otter Creek Road beyond the driving park. The main path runs along the valley for a considerable distance, than crosses the brook and finally reaches the Gorge and runs in the bed of the brook up between Green and Dry Mountains. Near the head of the brook one reaches Pulpit rock which affords a good resting place and charming vistas; than on up the gorge and at the top the path branches to the east up Dry Mountain and west up Green to the Mountain House. From here one can descend by the carriage road to the Eagle Lake road or keep on over the long south crest of Green coming out near the School House beyond Otter Creek. From this path a spur leads down towards Pemetic Mountain coming out on the Bubble Pond road and making a connection with the Pemetic mountains, Bubble Mountain and Sargent's Mountain system.
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| ABANDONED TRAILS GUIDE - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK |
From the Green Mountain Carriage Road just inside the toll gate, a new path runs south and west towards Eagle lake and joins a path which runs from Eagle lake up to and over Pemetic Mountain. Following down the lake one strikes a path along the shore close to the water which comes out on the carry between Eagle lake and Jordon Pond. The path from the lake towards Pemtic also has a branch running along the sides of Bubble Pond west side, and coming out on the road which runs into the pond from Northeast Harbor. Arriving at the head of Eagle Lake one can take the Carry and go to Jordon's Pond and than down the east shore of the pond to the Jordan Pond House. A carriage road runs along the west shore of Jordon's on through the valley between Sargent's and the Bubbles and bearing north and east comes out at Eagle lake and running to the west short of the lake, strikes the Eagle lake road at the Currin House. From this path runs other paths connecting all the systems of this part of the island and as described.
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| 1911 TRAIL MAP GUIDE - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK |
SAME ARTICLE BUT WITH NOTES
Mr. Herbert Jaques, the well known architect, contributed the following interesting article on the paths of Mount Desert Island which will be of great interest in connection with the new map of the island which is soon to be published. Mr. Jaques has traversed every path on the island.
To a comparative few people the paths of Mount Desert Island are well known and it is hoped that more may be induced to use them and enjoy their beauties.
There are practically four systems, hiking in a general way, though it is needed eventually to connect all together. The smallest system is the so called Duck Brook Series; these paths are called the Duck Brook, Bracken, Sweet Fern and Royal Fern Paths. One can start on Eden Street just before coming to the bridge over Duck Brook and walk up the south side of the brook to the reservoir. (The Duck Brook Path near the water followed the sides of the brook, turning left just before Duck Brook Falls and making its way to Duck Brook Road, where it crossed the road and ran along the base of Great Hill to the reservoir).
This path has two paths, one high up on the bank and one close to the water. The lower one can not be used when the water in the brook is high. (The path high up on the bank appears to be what would later be called the Water Pipe Trail - which joins the lower trail along the water just before coming out at Duck Brook Road).
From the reservoir the Sweet Fern Path runs to the southeast and comes out near Mr. Hows Teahouse near Woodbury Park. (the fern path ran from near the reservoir and down hill, following West Street Ext. toward the intersection with West Street Ext. and Cleftstone Road. Somewhere along the route the Fern Path branched off and made its way over to Woodbury Park, some articles refer to this trail as the Great Hill Trail. Woodbury Park is located at the intersection of Cleftstone Road and Highbrook Road.)
The Royal Fern Path crosses the reservoir dam, and comes out on the Cockscrew Hill Road. The Bracken Path runs south along the reservoir and comes out on the Eagle Lake Road where Mr. Hows new road comes in. This is just above the Cromwells Harbor Road and there is a fine spring at the roadside where the path starts. (Cockscrew Hill? All old maps show the Bracken Path beginning at the corner of Cleftstone road and Eagle Lake Road, running up toward great Hill, where the path crossed the Park Loop road and continued along the base of Great Hill where it crossed the Duck Brook road, than Duck Brook before making its way toward Breakneck Ponds. I have never seen the spring mentioned).
. There is a branch from the Bracken Path which runs southwest and follows along the brook and comes out near the head of Eagle Lake. (an old article I read refers to this branch along the bracken Path, which follows the Duck Brook to the head of Eagle lake as the Duck Brook Path. In that article it stated Duck Brook Path began at the bridge along route 3 - Eden street, and ran all the way to the head of Eagle lake, and stated the section of trail between Duck Brook Falls and the area of Duck Brook Bridge, was a section of the trail only the bravest would want to follow).
The southeast system of paths, or better known as the Newport System, is worked out on a system of colors. A new carriage road has been built from Otter Creek Road to the edge of Robin Hood Park to the Schooner Head Road near Bear Brook. Starting in from the Otter Creek Road one first sees the Bicycle Path which runs directly towards the gorge between Newport and Picket mountains, and swings about in a fine growth of Hemlock and hardwood trees and comes again into the carriage road near the old bridge over Bear Brook, following for some distance the old Picket Mountain Path. The Black and White Path leaves the bicycle path just under Picket Mountain and follows the brook in a winding course up and on to the top of the mountain. From here there is a steep trail which leads to the top of Newport, affording a fine view to the north, west and south. (The Black and White Path is clearly shown on old maps, and actually began at a series of steps which begin by the Champlain North Ridge Trail, on some maps the Bear Brook Trail. The path followed the bike path around to the far right hand corner of the beaver pond, where a wide brook, sometimes dry, winds its way upward to a saddle area between Newport and Picket Mountains - today called Champlain and Hagunot mountains. A well worn path connects the two peaks, go left for Champlain, which does come to a very steep climb marked by rock piles, right to the summit, or go right to Hagunot summit).
From the bicycle path near the start of the Picket Mountain path runs a Black and Blue steep trail up the side of Newport under a landslide coming out on the Black path. This path is steep and rough but is especially beautiful and affords fine views. (This may be referring to an abandoned trail along route 3, just past the Tarn, where there is a small pull over on the left as your heading toward Otter Creek. The path follows close to a brook, but is not easy to locate until you get higher up, where thankfully we located some rock piles. The path higher up crosses sections of open granite and follows a steep path upward through a rock slide area, making its way to the Beachcroft Trail. The rock piles were spaced far apart and we ended up turning around after a while).
From the old bridge over Bear Brook and when the bicycle path joins the carriage road, the old Black Path runs up over Newport and down on the southern end coming out at the Bowl. (This path is clearly todays Bear Brook Trail or Champlain North Ridge Trail, which runs to the summit of Champlain Mountain before following the Champlain South Ridge trail down to the Bowl. The carriage road and old bridge over Bear Brook was destroyed when the Park Loop Road was built.
Following the carriage road near Bear Brook one comes to the road leading to Mr. Dorr's quarries, and here starts the White Path which combines fine views with easy walking. (To locate Dorr Quarries today, just beyond the Beaver pond, and Champlain North Ridge Trailhead, there is a large pull over ahead at a corner in the road. Just before the start of the pull over there is a dirt path which leads below to the quarry area. At the quarry you can hear cars passing along the Schooner Head Road a short ways through the trees).
It runs the whole length of Newport Mountain running under the cliffs and coming out at Great Head. The Red Path leaves the White soon after leaving the Horseshoe and follows down the course of Meadow Brook, coming out on the Schooner Head Road where Meadow Brook crosses the road. (this is todays Schooner Head Path which ends at the Schooner Head Overlook parking area, an unmarked paved path runs down to a high cliff, and just below the cliff is the Anemone Cave, which old newspaper articles refer to as the Devil's Oven).
Half a mile beyond the Blue Path runs to the left or east and comes out on the Schooner Head Road near Cranberry Hill. (The area known as Cranberry Hill is along the Schooner Head Road, just beyond High Seas).
Another half or three quarters of a mile and one branch of the Yellow Path runs east and comes out at Schooner Head Road, than still further on the White Path, the Red and White runs abruptly to the right and up the side of Newport and joins the Black Path near the crest. This path is steep and rough and affords a good climb, but is generally used as a decent from the mountain to Schooner Head. Half way up this path a Blue and White Path runs to the Bowl. Following the White Path from where the Red and White leaves it, one walks along the banks of a lovely brook and another branch of the Yellow Path starts on the left and comes out at Schooner Head. The lower end of this path is the same as the other Yellow Path and is apt to be wet in the meadow. (I have free climbed up Enoch mountain many times over the years, once near the summit there are traces of several hiking trails going off in different directions. One is the White Path, which passes just below the summit of Enoch Mountain, on the Bowl side of the mountain. It comes to a small saddle area before moving down a very steep area where it comes to the woods below. A branch off of the White trail moved upward at the saddle area, marked with rock piles, I never followed that path. From the woods rock piles lead through woods and to open granite, where rock piles continued to lead upward than across flater ground until it connected to the Champlain South Ridge Trail This section of trail was known as the Red and White Path).
The White Path than runs along the side of Enoch (a spur of Newport) and with a branch to the left across Homans Field runs through a pretty grove until one comes to the Blue and White branch which leaves to the right and runs to the Bowl with a Brown branch near the top of the Beehive. Than the White runs down across a brook and finally with a sharp turn to the left again crosses the brook and ascends the hill to the road near Great Head.
Where the White Path turns to the left or east of the Yellow and White starts and runs close under the Beehive and up through the valley between Gorham and the Beehive, past Cliffs Pond just beyond which the Brown Path starts on the right and runs to the Bowl with a branch up on the Beehive; the Yellow and White than ascends a steep bank and soon on the left will be found a spring of clear cool water; than on over the divide one descends to the Otter Creek Road at the head of School House Hill. One of the paths listed here is clearly the Bowl Trail today, not sure where Cliff Pond fits in before the Bowl).
A short distance north on the Otter Creek Road near the house of Isaac Tripp, the Green and White Path runs up to the Bowl. (I have located the Green and White Trail many years ago, it follows a small brook up to the Bowl).
Near the top of this path the Black Path starts and runs back over Newport, where the brook leaves the Bowl. Following the Green and White one comes to the Brown which goes down to the Yellow and White and than the Green and White goes on around the Bowl to where the Blue and White and Blue, White and Blue all meet the Green and White at the large rock.
The Green Mountain system starts on the Cromwell Harbor road at the rear entrance to the Kebo Valley Club. The path makes a quick descent to the brook than rises and bears to the right with a branch starting here to the left which runs up over Kebo Mountain and will eventually be carried along the meadow on the side of Dry Mountain and come out on the Otter Creek Road beyond the driving park. The main path runs along the valley for a considerable distance, than crosses the brook and finally reaches the Gorge and runs in the bed of the brook up between Green and Dry Mountains. (Clearly the path that runs between Green Mountain and Dry Mountain, today named Cadillac Mountain and Dorr Mountain, is the Gorge Trail today).
Near the head of the brook one reaches Pulpit rock which affords a good resting place and charming vistas; than on up the gorge and at the top the path branches to the east up Dry Mountain and west up Green to the Mountain House. From here one can descend by the carriage road to the Eagle Lake road or keep on over the long south crest of Green coming out near the School House beyond Otter Creek. (The carriage road mentioned is the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road today).
From this path a spur leads down towards Pemetic Mountain coming out on the Bubble Pond road and making a connection with the Pemetic mountains, Bubble Mountain and Sargent's Mountain system.
From the Green Mountain Carriage Road just inside the toll gate, a new path runs south and west towards Eagle lake and joins a path which runs from Eagle lake up to and over Pemetic Mountain. Following down the lake one strikes a path along the shore close to the water which comes out on the carry between Eagle lake and Jordon Pond. The path mentioned here was known as the Toll House Path, and ran from the toll gate "see my blog on the Buckboard road" down through woods and field to where it comes to the same area where the Stone Arches would be built. From the Stone Arches the path followed the edge of the lake, in several places traces of that old abandoned trail can still be found, running past the site of where the Green Mountain Railroad was located, until it came to an intersection by the side of the lake, one branch leading to the carry between eagle Lake and Jordan Pond, another branch leading left toward Bubble Pond).
The path from the lake towards Pemtic also has a branch running along the sides of Bubble Pond west side, and coming out on the road which runs into the pond from Northeast Harbor. Arriving at the head of Eagle Lake one can take the Carry and go to Jordon's Pond and than down the east shore of the pond to the Jordan Pond House. A carriage road runs along the west shore of Jordon's on through the valley between Sargent's and the Bubbles and bearing north and east comes out at Eagle lake and running to the west short of the lake, strikes the Eagle lake road at the Currin House. From this path runs other paths connecting all the systems of this part of the island and as described.
(Currin House was located at the head of Eagle Lake, off to one corner, and the Currin Path ran along one entire side of the lake along the right side. I have walked the edge of the lake and short sections of the path can still be located today, though thick growth swallows up other sections).
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