We Finally Reached the Edge of Maine: Overlanding Acadia National Park
They call Maine the Pine Tree State, but if you visit in early October, it looks more like a cathedral of fire.
Kristopher and I have spent weeks on the road, slowly making our way east to catch this specific window of autumn. Our goal? To reach the rugged coastal edges of Acadia National Park. We wanted a relaxed trail ride to soak in the views, and for most of the day, it was exactly the kind of overland journey you dream about. But as any traveler knows, the road always has a few surprises waiting.
Taking the Slow Road Through the Maine Woods
Before the trip took an unexpected turn, the day was absolutely perfect. We bypassed the busy paved routes and took our 2020 Jeep Gladiator down a network of remote forest service roads.
This wasn’t a day for technical rock crawling or testing our limits. It was about embracing a slower pace. To keep the ride smooth over the endless miles of washboard dirt, we aired our tires down to about 20 PSI. It made all the difference, allowing us to comfortably roll through tunnels of gold and crimson leaves. There is an incredibly distinct smell to the deep Maine woods in autumn—a mix of damp earth, drying pine needles, and the faint, approaching scent of salt air.
Where the Mountains Meet the Sea
Seeing Acadia National Park for the first time is overwhelming. You can look at all the photos in the world, but nothing prepares you for the sheer scale of the granite cliffs dropping violently into the Atlantic Ocean.
The ruggedness of this coastline is legendary. We found a quiet overlook to park the rig, step out, and just listen to the tide crash against the rocks. It’s a powerful, grounding sound, and a beautiful reminder of exactly why we built our overland setup in the first place—to escape the noise and find these edges of the map.
We pulled into our camp spot a little earlier than usual to enjoy the evening. The temperatures drop quickly on the coast once the sun starts to set, so I opened up the Alu-Cab ModCAP camper kitchen to get a jump on dinner. The menu for the night was a simple, warming, one-pot vegan sweet potato and black bean chili. It’s one of our favorite easy camp meals to prep after a long day of driving.
Everything was set for a perfect, cozy night in the woods. But as the chili simmered, we noticed a major shift in the vibe.
Buddy, who is usually the first one exploring the perimeter of camp and begging for a taste of whatever we are cooking, was completely quiet. He didn’t have his usual energy, and worse, he completely refused his dinner. If you know Buddy, you know that missing a meal is a massive red flag.
We quickly shut down the camp kitchen, killed the lights, and got him settled into the camper to rest. Sitting there under a brilliant canopy of coastal stars, our incredible achievement of reaching Acadia faded into the background. My mind was racing, wondering what was wrong and if we were going to need an emergency vet come morning.
Overlanding isn’t just about the miles you log or the beautiful places you see; it’s about the family you bring with you. We got the stunning views we came for, but as we went to sleep that night, our mission had completely changed.
Want to see the full journey to the edge of Maine? Check out the video below to ride along with us on the trail, and stay tuned for our next update to find out what happened with Buddy.
