Comment by bsimpson | Hacker News Reader

Comment by bsimpson | Hacker News Reader

I'm from the West Coast. My national park experience includes Yosemite, Volcanoes, Arches, Zion, Bryce, Redwood, Crater Lake, and Lassen. (I've technically also been to the Grand Canyon, but it was so foggy, it was more like going to the Sears Portrait Studio - you couldn't even see the canyon.)

I used to say "I've never been to a national park and wondered why it's a national park - they all have an obvious and immediate majesty to them."

Then I went to Pinnacles, and Acadia. I'd honestly forgotten about Pinnacles until I started writing this comment. It's also one of the newest parks, so even though it was underwhelming, it didn't impede my belief in park majesty.

Acadia, though, just doesn't have the magic. It's an island, which is strange because that means there's a town in the park where people live. Honestly I think I liked the coffee shop I had breakfast in more than the rest of the park. There's a summit you can take photos from and a hike that goes along the rim of the island. That seemed to be it. As a West Coast boy, it didn't have the same specialness as the other parks I've seen. Even my Mainer friends say "we don't know why Acadia is a park - there are so many other places in Maine that are at least as pretty."

If this guy thinks Yosemite, Zion, Arches, and the Grand Canyon are among America's worst parks, he's bonkers or trolling.

> they all have an obvious and immediate majesty to them.

"Grandeur" is not the only criteria for nice national parks. I'm from the east coast, and while all of the breathtaking views in California were amazing, after a few years of living there I began to get frustrated that I couldn't find anywhere "cozy" to visit during the weekends. Some locations along the Russian River probably came the closest, but the jagged rocks and coniferous trees still didn't manifest the sort of "warm and snug" feeling one gets while river tubing along a mountain river in the Blue Ridge mountains. Temperature deciduous rainforests are actually quite rare across the planet, and particularly when the leaves change colors, it's a sight to behold.

Interesting perspective, thank you.

Strong disagree on Pinnacles being underwhelming. The California condors acord woodpeckers and alone are worth the visit. The caves are also very cool if you go when they're open.

Acadia is a beautiful park and it definitely reaches National Park level for the East coast. I don't really agree with your assessment there, especially since it doesn't sound like you saw much of Acadia if you think it's only Cadillac mountain and a single hike.

The East coast just doesn't have as many untouched lands as the West. West coast parks, pretty much all the parks West of the Mississippi, are next level. If you're accustomed to that then none of the East coast parks are going to wow you.

> Even my Mainer friends say "we don't know why Acadia is a park - there are so many other places in Maine that are at least as pretty."

I believe that private ownership of land is the biggest answer.

Acadia is a bit of an odd setup with a patchwork of private and public land (along with some of the recent additions from the Rockefellers). But, while many areas on the Maine coast are very nice I'd still argue that Acadia in unique. Obviously different from the big lakes and Baxter.

Have you been to Orcas Island or the San Juan islands in Washington?

I think Acadia is a great National Park, especially for the East coast. But I moved to Seattle a few years back and only more recently got out to Orgas Island. It's insane how similar it is to Acadia.

I live in New England and did a weekend sea kayaking trip to the San Juans for reasons I don't really recall when I was in the area anyway. My recollection was that it was fun but, as someone for whom Maine was just a few hour drive away, not something I'd make a point of doing again given how similar the two areas were.

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