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Looking for an Acadia-like hiking experience without the crowds of Mount Desert Island? Head farther Downeast through to Donnell Pond Public Land, which spans the towns of Franklin and Sullivan and the unorganized townships of T9 SD and T10 SD. Amid the unit’s 15,500 acres, you’ll discover mountains, trails, views and elbow room aplenty. 

Along the Route 182 corridor (aka the Blackwoods Scenic Byway), the preserve protects a sizeable portion of the Tunk Lake and Spring River Lake shorelines and a number of small, remote ponds. Rising high over this section is Tunk Mountain, a 1,157-foot peak offering extensive Alpine-like areas, wide-open granite ledges, and far-reaching vistas. 

The Tunk Mountain Trail leads to Salmon Pond and Mud Pond before climbing to the scenic highpoints on Tunk Mountain. Diverging partway along, the Hidden Ponds Trail links Salmon Pond Little River Pond via a loop. Combine both blue-blazed trails for a very pleasant trek of around 5 miles, all through the specially designated Tunk Lake Ecological Reserve. 

The Tunk Lake Ecological Reserve covers the Tunk Mountain Pluton, a broad intrusion of igneous rock and one of the most distinctive geological landmarks and natural areas in the region. The reserve also includes three rare and exemplary natural communities: raised-level bog ecosystem, low-elevation bald, and lower-elevation spruce-fir forest. 

Tunk Mountain’s southeastern slopes feature a series of sloping ledges and views to Catherine Mountain, Caribou Mountain, Spring River Lake, Tunk Lake, and the “hidden ponds” of Mud, Salmon, Little Long and Tilden. The panorama reaches far across the Downeast landscape to Pigeon Hill on Petit Manan Point along the Gulf of Maine. 

The scenery gets more expansive the higher you climb, taking in the mountain profiles of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island and miles of open ocean. At Monument Vista, a cast bronze plaque honors Harold Pierce, a Maine native whose family carried out his conservation vision by donating the land on Tunk to the state of Maine in 1994. 

At the ridge crest high on the mountain’s northeast shoulder, the trail enters The Nature Conservancy’s Spring River Preserve, which along with its adjoining Spring River−Narraguagus Forest property, protects some 23,500 acres and is managed in its entirety as an ecological reserve. 

To be sure, the trail avoids the Tunk summit and proceeds a short distance over the crest to the mountain’s north face, where a huge, sweeping slab of granite yields a 180-degree view to the north. Lead Mountain, Passadumkeag Mountain, the hills around Amherst, Big Chick and Little Chick Hills in Clifton, and even far-off Katahdin fill the grand scene. 

Fifteen miles of trails wind through the southern sector of Donnell Pond Public Land. The namesake Donnell Pond, its waters hemmed in by steep mountain walls, is popular with paddlers, campers and hikers. Primary access is from the Schoodic Beach trailhead, which is reached from U.S. Route 1 via Maine Route 183 and the Schoodic Beach Road. 

Trails lead to the open, pink granite summits of Schoodic Mountain (1,079 feet) to the west and Black Mountain (1,009 feet) to the east, while more trails penetrate the Donnell backcountry. The Caribou Loop is a challenging 6-miler that takes in both summits of Black, the remote Rainbow Pond outlet, and the great cliffs on Caribou Mountain (970 feet). For bonus points and a longer hike, add the side trail to Redman’s Beach on Donnell Pond. 

There are walk-in campsites at the beautiful beach at the south end of Donnell Pond. A host of remote campsites — on Donnell Pond, Tunk Lake and Spring River Lake—can be reached by canoe, kayak and boat. The practice of “Leave No Trace” principles is essential to maintaining these sites in good condition for a quality experience for all users. 

A portion of the 85-mile Down East Sunrise Trail crosses the Donnell property and offers yet another avenue for exploring the natural beauty of this wild place. Though it’s open to motorized recreation, hikers and mountain bikers will enjoy the route, especially the stretch along the south side of Schoodic Mountain west to the lovely environs around Schoodic Bog. 

Donnell Pond Public Land is open year-round, and a trip into its hushed woods in winter is a truly wonderful experience. Visit www.parksandlands.com for all the information and maps you’ll need to plan your own special Donnell Pond adventure. 

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is a Triple Crown hiker, freelance writer, and author of three hiking guides. Connect with Carey on Facebook and Instagram and at [email protected].