ABANDONED TRAILS OF ACADIA NATIONAL PARK: HISTORY OF THE DORR BICYCLE PATH

So another mystery surrounding the Dorr Bicycle Path has come to light which has helped put a rest a few puzzling questions I have had concerning that area around and by the Beaver Pond at the foot of Champlain Mountain. This new information came as I was digging through some Village Improvement Association newspaper articles concerning the Roads and Paths Committee as the Bicycle path was being constructed. This bicycle path, as it turns out, was not a path at all, it was a road which looped around the Beaver pond, grated and graveled in. This bicycle road would of run along the base of Champlain Mountain, extending in the direction of Sieur de Monts Spring, which now explains why I found signs of old roads between the rear corner of the pond running in the direction of Bear Brook and the Spring. It also helped solve another mystery, the road in the woods which many have passed by perhaps countless times and never seen. It also appears to have been part of the Dorr bicycle Path, or grated road, for the V.I.P. report states the bicycle road extended from the area around the pond over to the Roberts horse trotting track. Roberts, owner at the time of the horse track at the site where Jackson Lab (the Mouse Factory) now sits, was incorporated into the bicycle path with his permission and was said to be a fine addition to the bicycle path. So exactly where is this "road in the woods" located at? Park at that pull over just beyond the Beaver pond and walk back down toward the pond, but on the opposite side of the road, and as your walking be looking down the banking into the woods, and just before the woods end at the clearing you will see a section of the road running through the woods, which begins at the steep base of the Park Loop Road. At the time the Park Loop Road was constructed, a section of the old bicycle road was buried under fill to raise the level of the Park Loop Road, but if you follow the angle of the road in the woods if clearly use to head straight for the Beaver pond. And just a bit of history here on the pond, it was not always called the Beaver pond, back in the day it was named the "Muck Hole." In one report of the V.I.A. they talk about complaints they were getting from people of horse back riders making use of the bicycle path and it was suggested that steps be taken to keep the horses off of the path. The banks of the pond were said to be unsightly during the construction period due to all the tree's that had to be cut down, but the banks were lined with loam to make the area better appearing.
Beaver activity along with the construction of the Park Loop Road through that area helped seal the fate of the bicycle path, the road burying sections of it and beaver activity raising the water level of the pond to where a large section of the path ended up under water.

Old stone steps leading from Bear Brook Trail to new path around beaver pond

Later, I believe it was the CCC crews came in and constructed a new path along two sides of the pond higher up away from the water, though at this point the new path was in fact a path, it appears, with a connecting trail from it to the now Bear Brook Path. This new path helped get hikers over to the Black and White path in the far rear corner of the pond, which followed the brook up between Champlain Mountain and Huguenot head, when that trail reached a saddle like area between those two summits you had a choice of taking a short hike to the left and reaching the summit of Champlain Mountain, or hiking right to reach the summit of Huguenot, today that trail is abandoned, as was one other trail that lead to the summit of Huguenot.

Newer path around beaver pond

Many who hike the Beechcroft Trail believe they are passing over that summit on their way to the summit of Champlain, but that is not the case, hikers are actually passing around the base of the summit in a half circle before heading off for Champlain.
Below are a couple photos I took last summer of a section of the original bicycle path, or road, as it leads from the far rear corner of the pond, through the woods and comes out across from the Bear Brook Picnic area, that area having been known in the day as Robin Hood Park.

Original Dorr Bicycle Path

Original section of Dorr Bicycle Path

As you can see from the photos, at least stretches of the original bicycle path, or toad, are still very much there today.

V.I.A. REPORT - BICYCLE PATHS - Sept. 18, 1895

"The work done by the Bicycle Path Committee this summer has been to lay out, and in so far as the funds at its disposal have permitted, to build a path about a mile in length skirting the Northwest base of the Newport Mountain, and opening at either end into the cross-roads for driving and riding, which is now being jointly built by the Village Improvement association and the owners of the land between the Schooner head and Otter Creek town roads.
This path was selected for this first year's work because of the unusual beauty of the woods it opened up near to the town and because of the courteous consent of Mr. Martin Roberts to allow his half mile trotting track, which is at present the best bicycling ground upon the island, to be used in conjunction with the path. The greater and by far the most expensive part of the path is now completely built, graveled and rolled, the bush has all been taken off and burnt and the unsightly banks left by grading have been covered with loam. The thickness of the woods, the wet character of much of the ground and the side-hill slope of the remainder has made this part of the path exceptionally expensive, its total cost having been somewhat about $850, of this amount $660 has already been raised by subscription and more is promised."

V.I.P. - A NEW DEVELOPMENT - 1895

Bar Harbor Record
July 17, 1895

(Note; sections of the first two paragraphs could not be read, however they were clearly talking about a new approach of making trails, that would not only include hikers but also people on bicycles.)
Briefly it is intended to make a new series of paths available not only for foot passengers however, but suitable for bicycles as well. If there is a pleasure in the pathless woods, certainly that pleasure will not be lessened by offering the inducements of easy access and safe going afoot and on the wheel.
It is easy to formulate the requisites of such paths. They must be nearly as level as possible, they must have safe road beds, they must lead through beautiful scenery and must begin and end at desirable points, To make them means much expenditure of time, money and energy, but the advantages gained will be so great that if they are properly understood, hearty support will be given by all residents, cottagers and the sojourner at our hotels.
The idea of those who have the matter in charge, is to take advantage of town and other roads where they are sufficiently and good to be available to "bush-out" and improve existing wood-tracks and make them suitable for wheeling, and to construct connecting links always maintaining the same level, and always seeking the most beautiful scenery that can be found.
To give a definite idea of what it is proposed to do a short account of the chosen route will perhaps be the best method, but it must be promised that those mentioned are purely provisional and depend in the very first instance on the kindness of the owners of land for percussion to construct the desired paths.
Beginning in what is called "How's Park" a path can be readily built along the course of the new water pipe, giving short access to Eagle lake, by a route which is level throughout its whole length and which will eliminate the difficulties of the terrible hill that rises over the shoulder of Green Mountain. That such a road is picturesque and attractive need not be urged here. Too many of us have followed the "Royal Fern and Bracker" footpaths to feel doubt of that.
From "How's Park" the Bloomfield and Woodbury Roads (both among the most level and best kept on the island) will be followed until we get to "Kebo". From the Eagle Lake Road at that point a short, easy and level path can be built, almost without the falling of a tree, certainly without the destruction of any natural beauty, to a point on the Cromwell Harbor Road beyond the high hill, which is so unpleasant to climb, and from this later road a path can be constructed, taking advantage of existing wood roads, which crossing the Otter creek road will - all the way upon a dead level, end on the Schooner Head Road near Bear Brook, heading through the exquisite forest, which lies at the base of Picket and Newport Mountains, where are to be found today the greatest of Hemlocks, spruces and birches on the island.
Will our readers help this projected scheme which will do so much to make known the hidden beauties of the island?
To estimate the cost is necessarily difficult, for it is neither road making nor path building, but something completely new. The proposed paths are to be six feet wide, all rocks, roots, etc. grabbed up or buried, and all bad or swampy places filled so as to make not a "speeding" track but a road essentially safe to wheel or walk upon. Appropriate signs will be conspicuously posted. All over hanging limbs and bushes will be cut away and the natural changes of the very beautiful routes proposed will be carefully and tenderly preserved. As far as is possible to estimate it is confidently believed that this can be done within a fortnight after the consent of owners has been obtained, and that approximately four miles of new paths will be secured, at an expense of not more than $1000.
And who will profit thereby? Assuredly bicyclists and the pedestrians, but will it be only they? Will not all who are interested in our island gain largely by this scheme? Every development which makes our land more attractive and its beauties more accessible must be for the benefit of all. Nine out of ten who come here at all, come because the place is beautiful, and if new beauties can be shown and new attractions can be offered at such tiffing cost is it not wise to foster and encourage such plans?
It is well to open our forests to the view of all. New lands as fair as those now covered with homes, will be shown and brought into the market. these paths will take the place for a time at least for those fine roads which we hope some day to see, offering new and beautiful drives and drawing more and more pleasure seekers here to appreciate the independents which are offered.
commend this plan. Until we have new carriage roads as those just mentioned, there can be no better substitute offered than these projected roads. The affair has been placed by the association in the hands of a committee, the chairman of which is the originator of this clever plan, and we feel sure that under his energetic management it will be pushed to a speedy and admirable conclusion.

Note; I was on the edge of my seat reading this, waiting for the name of the chairman of this new committee to be named, but the article never named that person who would be placed in charge of seeing these "New" carriage roads get built, though one wonders if it was Mr. Dorr himself. The plan laid out above uses 'How's Park" located on Bloomfield street, as a starting point and ends at the base of Newport and Picket mountains, yet in another article on these new bicycle and hiking paths, it states the area near the base of Newport and Picket was chosen as a starting point because of its beauty, and that is where the first of these "Bicycle and walking paths" were constructed. Did these new roads ever stretch from How's Park to the Eagle lake Road, and from there down to Cromwell Harbor road and on to the area around the Beaver pond, that I don't know, but clearly large sections of those old Woods Roads are still visible today if you know where to look for them.