Eagles Peak Campground

MDI bus system adds Ellsworth route

ELLSWORTH, Maine — The seasonal bus system that provides free rides on and around Mount Desert Island during the summer has plans to add stops in Ellsworth to its schedule this summer.

When the bus system starts operating again on Thursday, June 23, it will run a morning bus from Ellsworth to the Acadia National Park Visitors Center and then another back to Ellsworth from the visitors center in the evening, according to Island Explorer officials. The service to and from Ellsworth is being funded by donations from Timberland Acres RV Park, Eagles Lodge Motel, Witham Family Partnerships, Ellsworth Evening Rotary and Friends of Acadia. The Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce, the city of Ellsworth and Acadia National Park also have helped make the Ellsworth service possible, officials said.

Downeast Transportation General Manager Paul Murphy indicated last week that he and other Island Explorer officials are “cautiously optimistic” about adding the Ellsworth route. With the support of major donations from L.L. Bean and other sources, Downeast Transportation operates the seasonal, propane-powered bus service on MDI.

“We are very enthusiastic and excited about adding the new Ellsworth service,” Murphy said. “We know there is a growing market in Ellsworth.”

Murphy added that the Ellsworth-based donors who are making the added service possible are “very optimistic” about its popularity. He said that, over the long run, the number of Island Explorer buses or runs in Ellsworth could increase.

“We’re hoping this is going to lead to more robust service over time in Ellsworth,” Murphy said. “it will depend on ridership, funding, [and] vehicular resources, among other things.”

Current plans call for the Ellsworth bus to depart the local Ramada Inn at 9:20 a.m. each morning and, five minutes later, to depart from the Hampton Inn on the opposite side of High Street. Three minutes later, it will stop at the Eagle’s Lodge Motel and then, in another five minutes or so, it will stop at the Timberland Acres RV Park on Route 3 in Trenton as it makes its way toward MDI.

The bus is expected to arrive each morning at 10:05 a.m. at the Visitors’ Center, where riders then can hop on another bus into downtown Bar Harbor, where all the Island Exporer bus routes converge. The return trip to Ellsworth will leave the Visitors Center at 4:55 p.m. each afternoon.

Murphy stressed that the service, by law, is open and free to the public. Anyone can hop on at any of those stops, not just lodging guests, he said.

The Camping Critic: Eagles Peak Campground, Robesonia, PA

I know many people who love Eagles Peak Campground and have made it their permanent destination. This campground seems to be tailored to their permanent sites and permanent guests.  We visited in October on Columbus Day weekend.  It was a halloween themed weekend with lots of activites such as a hayride, haunted house, trick or treating, etc.  Our site was located with  permanent site holders and some of our neighbors were less to be desired and the sites were very close together.  I had to overhear several conversations that I would have prefered not to hear or have my children hear.   The haunted house was very scarey and suitable for older children only.  At the risk of upsetting some friends I have to say that we were not happy with our weekend at Eagles Peak and will not return but the people who have permanent sites seemed very happy.

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