Located in Acadia National Park near the base of Champlain Mountain, this Bear Cave appears on very old maps as the Bear's den. It dates back to the 1800's and had a path leading from Eden (renamed Bar Harbor) all the way to the den. In those days bears were common on the island, at some point after Acadia National Park was formed, the park service began a policy where bears were tranquilized and removed from the island. In more recent years that policy was ended and bears are slowly making a come back in the park, though bear sightings are still very rare. In all the years I have lived here I have only seen one bear, and that was on the quiet side of the island.
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| CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN - BEAR'S DEN Acadia National Park |
After the park was formed, and the Park Loop Road was constructed, it was believed the Bear Cave, or Den, was lost forever. We went looking for it a number of times but could not find it, mainly because the construction of the Park Loop road had destroyed a large section of the old path.
One day my oldest son, Wesley, said he was going out looking for it. He returned later that night with good news, he had located it and gave me instructions to the site. As it turned out, the old Bear cave was hiding in plain sight all those years.
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| CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN - BEAR'S DEN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK |
To locate the Bears Den, drive along the One Way section of the Park Loop Road until you come to a large pond on your right, there will be a pull over up ahead at a curve in the road just beyond the pond. Park and cross the road and walk along the side of the roadway until the wall of ledge comes down even with the road and look into the woods. Straight ahead you will see a dark area, that is the Bear Cave. The cave goes into the mountain side at an angle and a well worn path leads to the entrance.
Here is a photo of the cave taken on May 2, 2018 taken from the Bear's Den.
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| BEAR'S DEN - CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK |
This photo was taken from outside the Bear's Den. In this photo the cave goes on a little further into the mountain side to the far right, this was a perfect location for bears before the Park Loop Road was built.
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| THE BEAR'S DEN Abandoned Trails Of Acadia National Park |
On our last visit to the den we came across this little fellow guarding the cave.....
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| PORCUPINE - CHAMPLAIN MOUNTAIN Acadia National Park |
The bear cave on the loop road has been filled in by the park
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ReplyDeleteYou clearly were at the wrong location - we just came from the cave and it is still very much there. Park at the pull over just past the beaver pond, where the granite ledge comes down to meet the woods the cave is right there. This old bear cave dates back to when the Indians called the island home so I was pretty certain they would not have filled it in.
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