Friday morning was bright and sunny so I decided to paddle Eagle Lake.  I had checked out the launch site the day before and although there isn’t much parking, it looked like a pretty nice place.

Getting there early, I was able to unload the kayak at the water’s edge and still park at the launch site.  Eagle Lake is completely within Acadia National Park, and being only about 4 miles west of Bar Harbor, is apparently part of the local water supply.  There’s no development along the shore and limited access so even though you’re practically within walking distance of the town, it feels much more isolated.  It’s a beautiful lake – about 2 miles long and half a mile wide.  One of the Carriage Trails loops around the lake so you may occasionally catch a glimpse of folks walking or biking through the woods.  Other than that, don’t be surprised if you have the entire lake to yourself.

Again, I found myself really enjoying the clear water and rocky bottom.  Depending on the sunlight, it was not uncommon to be able to see boulders 10 feet below and then within moments be in less than a foot of water with rocks barely missing the bottom of the boat. Somehow it felt like paddling in an aquarium – without the fish.

In the afternoon I did some more exploring and wound up at Echo Lake.  Although it has a public boat launch, it’s mostly a popular swimming area. Since I didn’t particularly feel like paddling, I grabbed the camera and decided to check out one of the nearby trails.  I headed off on the “Beech Cliffs” trail and was surprised to come up on a series of iron ladders before reaching the summit.  Nice views of Echo Lake below and a casual stroll back to the parking area.

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