BOULDER BEACH
Acadia National Park, ME
Image by Darron Franta @ www.frantaphotography.com
Boulder Beach is one of the absolute best spots on Mt. Desert island, the primary home of Acadia National Park, to capture a beautiful sunrise.
Each morning the sun will rise over the Atlantic and cast its warm glow on the smooth, rounded boulders that literally cover the beach at this location. It's not hard to take some magical shots here. However, the true impact of your image will likely depend on the wave action and the atmosphere you receive on the day you visit.
Photos and location summary by Darron Franta
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The walk/trail down to Boulder Beach is short and relatively easy. However, it does have a few challenges pay close attention to.
As you leave the Ocean Path, you will need to descend a slight incline and scramble over some large rocks to reach the beach/boulders. Once there, you will need to navigate the rounded boulders and that can prove to be tricky. The challenge is not only walking on them, but also finding out that many can be slick, and some may also be loose and will shift or tilt when you step on them. If you are going there to shoot sunrise, this walk will likely be done in the dark with a headlamp so arrive early and just take your time and try not to rush.
If you do plan to shoot sunrise at this location, I would recommend visiting and scouting the area in the daylight so that you will know the exact path you should take in the predawn darkness. This will also help to acclimate yourself to walking on the boulders.
What Lens(es) Do You Need
There are many compositions available while at Boulder Beach, so I would bring a wide angle and medium telephoto lens.
The above image was taken with an ND filter @ 100 ISO, f20 at 16mm and 8 seconds.
Nuances of Shot
This shot is fairly straightforward. You simply need to find a location along the beach that is complementary to the sunrise, clouds and the lens that you are using. Experiment with different tripod heights and exposure settings.
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GPS Coordinates & Elevation
Sea Level Ft. Elevation
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the Boulder Beach parking area
From Bar Harbor - from Bar Harbor, take Route 3 south out of town for 1.2 miles. Take a left on Schooner Head Rd. After you take this left, you will immediately veer to the right, staying on Schooner Head Rd. You will stay on this road for the next 2.5 miles. At the 2.5-mile mark, turn right and go 300 to 500 yards until you reach Park Loop Rd. where you will take a left. You will go through the Acadia National Park entrance and proceed for approximately 1.7 miles. While on Park Loop Rd., you will pass signs for Sand Beach and Thunder Hole.
After you pass Thunder Hole, you will see a sign and parking on your right for the Gorham Mountain Trailhead. Do not park here. Proceed slowly because approximately 500 ft past the Gorham Parking area, there will be …
Equipment Needed
Other than a sturdy tripod, there is no need for special equipment. A polarized filter and/or a graduated ND filter will also come in handy at this location.
Weather
Download KMZ Trail File
Click Here to download the KMZ file for this location.
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