Some of the many attractions of the quietside are the nearby hiking trails. A couple of weekends ago, my wife and I hiked 
Beech Mountain because we read that the old fire tower at the summit would be open to the public. Acadia National Park only allows visits up to the top of the tower once a year and we didn't want to miss it. We used trails # 5, 6, and 7 on the Trail Map published by this chamber. #5, The Valley Trail, is one of our favorites. It winds through huge pieces of granite that were knocked off the sides of the mountain during the last ice age. The boulders are covering with ferns, mosses and lichens.The picture to the left was taken on Oct. 15th 
from the fire tower looking south toward Southwest Harbor.
Beech Mountain because we read that the old fire tower at the summit would be open to the public. Acadia National Park only allows visits up to the top of the tower once a year and we didn't want to miss it. We used trails # 5, 6, and 7 on the Trail Map published by this chamber. #5, The Valley Trail, is one of our favorites. It winds through huge pieces of granite that were knocked off the sides of the mountain during the last ice age. The boulders are covering with ferns, mosses and lichens.The picture to the left was taken on Oct. 15th 
from the fire tower looking south toward Southwest Harbor. The picture on the right is from the tower facing toward the north. The end of Echo Lake is just visible. Beyond that is the northern end of Somes Sound.
