This view on top of the Beehive Trail in Acadia is enjoyed by hundreds of people every summer day in the national park. As one follows the adjoining Gorham Mountain and Bowl trails (in the picture the pond is the Bowl), the plaque on the fourth slide appears, dedicated to a “Waldron Bates” (d. 1909), an avid nature lover whose leadership oversaw key preservation of Acadia’s natural beauty for future generations. Under his leadership over 25 miles of trails were developed for hikers, and the first guidebook map of trails (which included the Gorham Mountain trail) was published under his guidance in 1896. One of his signatures were his distinctive cairns (see fifth image), now called “Bates Cairns”, which point the way for hikers along the many paths. Hiking in Acadia in these past few days, I relied on those markers to find my way up the mountain paths.
