Mount Desert Reflection - Little Long Pond, Mt. Desert, Maine

I have been to Acadia National Park a number of times and have thoroughly enjoyed everything that the only national park in the northeast has to offer. It wasn't until I started to co-host Jeff Clow's Maine Lighthouse, Lobster and Coast Tour that I explored outside the park. There are some great spots that many visitors don't realize are there without some driving around.

Acadia is actually on an island off of the coast of Maine. It is the largest island in the state, which consists of 3,165 other islands (yes, you read that right). Acadia was formed by donations of land by many philanthropists led by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in the early 1900's. While the park takes up a significant portion of the island, there are many small towns and homes that dot the landscape. On the southern part of the island near Seal Harbor is this "little" pond, aptly named Little Long Pond. It is privately owned, but the signs indicate that the public may use it as long as they respect the property. On the morning that I shot this, the water was as smooth as glass. The building on the right is actually a swimming hole for kids in the summer. The landscape in the background is actually the southern back of Acadia.