Bass Harbor Marsh
BASS HARBOR MARSH
Acadia National Park, ME
Image by Rick Berk @ www.rickberk.com
Bass Harbor Marsh is part of Acadia National Park, located on the "quiet side" of Mount Desert Island, not far from Bass Harbor Lighthouse. It's the largest salt marsh in Acadia, formed where two freshwater streams meet the Atlantic Ocean.
This is a fairly easy location to get to and photograph, as it's simply located right along Route 102 (Bass Harbor Road). This is one of the less well known spots in Acadia by name, but you'll often seen people stopping, especially at sunset, to admire the beauty of the marsh.
Photos and location summary by Rick Berk
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1.5 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The shot is directly off of Route 102/Bass Harbor Road. However, after parking you may need to cross the road and then hop over the guardrail to avoid oncoming traffic.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
Sea Level - Elevation
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to location of Bar Harbor Marsh
From Bar Harbor - take Route 233/Eagle Lake Road west to Route 3. Make a right turn onto Route 3, and follow to Route 102/Bass Harbor Road and turn left. Follow Route 102 south to Bass Harbor. Route 102 cuts through the marsh. There are areas to pull off of Route 102/Bass Harbor Road on both the north and south side of the road, before and after crossing the small bridge that spans the stream. For safety, it's best to climb over the guardrail and stand in the grass, rather than standing on the pavement.
Photography Tips
I used a 3-stop soft edged graduated neutral density filter to help balance the sky's brightness with the darker foreground of the marsh. I parked on the side of the road and crossed over to the north side of the marsh to get the sunset. It's best to go over the guardrail and stand in the grass to give you some space, as the road can get somewhat busy behind you.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 24 mm
Exposure – 60th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – June 10th
Time – 7:45 pm
Best Time of Day to Shoot
This location is an excellent spot at sunset, as the sun descends over the marsh and ducks behind trees as it sets. There are some calm pools that will reflect the trees and sky, and the backlit grasses help add amazing depth to the scene.
Best Time of Year
This location is best from June through Early September. From mid-September through mid-May, the sun sets off to the right, and the light isn't as pleasing in the marsh due to the stand of trees casting shadows across the marsh.
The above image was taken on June 10th
Lens(es) Needed
Wide angle to standard lenses will work best here, including lenses such as 16-35mm, 24-70mm and others in and around that range.
The above image was taken with a 24mm lens
Birds-Eye View
Permits
There are no permits required in the area.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is north by northeast at 345°.
Equipment Needed
Other than a sturdy tripod, no special equipment is needed.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
On busy days around Acadia, you may see 3-4 photographers, but if a workshop turns up, you may find as many as a dozen photographers lining up to capture the sunset.
Weather
The weather in Acadia is often pleasant in the fall and spring. Mild in the summer and brutally cold in the winter.
Cell Service
I have Verizon and service is spotty on the island
Lodging & Camping
There is no shortage of lodging opportunities in the Bar Harbor and Acadia areas, but as far as I know there is only one campground in Acadia National Park (Blackwoods). There are also many VRBO and Airbnb locations in this area.
Nearby camping and lodging
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Blackwoods Campgrounds (Acadia)
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Edgewater Motel & Cottages
137 Old Bar Harbor Rd., Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, ME
Bar Harbor Grand Hotel
269 Main St, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, ME
Nearby Restaurants
Acadia NP and the surrounding areas are GREAT places to visit and relax and there are tons and tons of very good food choices and brew pubs. When traveling to Bass Harbor my two favorite restaurants are Beal’s Lobster Pier and Thurston’s Lobster Pound.
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for yelp review
Beal’s Lobster Pier
(207) 244-3202
182 Clark Point Rd Southwest Harbor
Thurston’s Lobster Pound
(207) 244-7600
9 Thurston Rd Bernard, ME
Area Guides and Workshops
Rick Berk (25 years as a landscape photographer) - offers private group, 1 on 1 and group workshops (BlueHour Photo Ventures) for the Maine and other northeast US area. Rick lives Freeport, Maine and has traveled and photographed the NE for most of his adult life. His outstanding work can be found at www.rickberk.com