As the day broke on Day 4, I felt well-rested and ready to turn a new leaf. After overcoming my fears of solitude the day prior and building on my survival skills, I finally felt like I was adjusting to solo life in the wilderness. I knew I needed to stay in this positive mindset, so I started my day with a quick meditative yoga flow outside of my cabin tent. Yoga has always helped to center me and remember what’s important in life. Plus, there’s nothing quite like practicing yoga in the beauty of nature. I moved my camp kitchen supplies out from under my sunshade tarp and laid out my yoga mat for a 45-minute flow. With my mind right and my body feeling good, I was ready to dive into the adventures of Day 4!
Table Of Contents
Read on to see everything I did on my last full day outdoors, from seeking wildlife to channeling my energy into creativity. Let’s get into it!
Before going deeper into solitude, catch up on “Day 3: Survival and Solitude – Learning from the Wilderness.“
Chasing Wildlife Views
Now, of course, I don’t literally mean chasing wildlife, but one thing I always try to do on my trips to National Parks is watch wild animals! With their abundant ecosystems and thriving wildlife, our protected parks are some of the best places to watch wild animals in their natural habitats. Thanks to Acadia’s proximity to the coast, this park is best known for marine life sightings and plentiful bird populations. With my binoculars and journal in hand, I headed back to Blueberry Hill, this time by bus, ready to see some magic. When I arrived, I found a quiet spot to sit and wait for the wildlife to appear.
I ended up spending 3 hours camped out on a canvas tarp at Blueberry Hill, and in that time, I saw several awe-inspiring wildlife moments, mostly birds spotted through my binoculars. At one point, I walked up to the rugged coastline, where I saw some of the most beautiful sea creatures hanging in the tide pools. I used this as an opportunity to practice my outdoor iPhone photography to capture these moments and memories; I knew for sure I’d want to share them with my family back at home.
Channeling Energy Into Creativity
I caught the wildlife bright and early, since that’s typically when they’re most active. By the time I made it back to camp, I was in desperate need of a late lunch. I filled up on a PB&J and fruit by the campfire, but started to feel the heaviness of my solitude again. For me, this often manifests as restlessness, which is exactly how I was feeling. On other solo camping trips, I’ve found that channeling this restless energy into creativity is the best way to free myself of it.
I didn’t have much in the way of art supplies, but I did have my journal and a pen – plenty to sketch the beautiful natural landscapes around me. I grabbed those from my canvas bag and headed to the hammock to start sketching. I was lucky to have all the natural beauty I could need for inspiration right at camp, though I wouldn’t blame other solo adventurers for hitting a local trail for even more subjects to draw. I also sketched my campsite for memories’ sake, capturing my trusty cabin tent and all my camping tent accessories in a sentimental line drawing.
While looking around my environment for another subject, I spotted a small berry bush in the distance. I instantly had the idea to gather some to create a natural ink, which I then used to stamp other natural items into my journal. I came away with an array of beautiful pinkish-purple imprints of leaves, flowers, mushrooms, rocks, and acorns, which I layered with my pen drawings to add dimension and interest to my work.
Reflective Sunset Hikes
When my creative juices ran dry and my restlessness was quelled, I headed to another nearby trailhead to catch the sunset and reflect on my trip. This time, I chose Frazer Point via Frazer Creek, another short 2-mile out-and-back hike starting at my campground and ending by the water. My mind was in a much better place since the day before’s hiking fiasco, so I felt more than confident to head back out on the trails solo.
When I got to the water, I sat down on a poly tarp with my journal to do a bit of reflecting on what I’d learned so far and my personal goals going forward. The entirety of the outdoors can feel healing, but there’s something special about the serenity the waves of the water bring – I truly believe it’s the perfect place to reflect. One lesson that really stuck out to me this trip was the importance of stillness. Whether it’s for a minute or for an hour, giving yourself the space to stop, breathe, and think can make all the difference when dealing with the emotions that come up during a solo adventure. Stillness is where growth happens.
I also took some time to write down things I was grateful for, from external things like the beautiful National Park I got to spend time in, to internal ones like my ability to overcome challenges and willingness to grow. With all of my trip reflections documented in my journal, I hiked back to camp to wind down for the night.
Wrapping Up Day 4
I couldn’t have asked for a better day outdoors. My fourth day in Acadia was filled with yoga, amazing wildlife, creativity, a sunset hike, and, best of all, true inner growth. I was pleased with how far I’d come and how much natural beauty I’d been able to experience on my trip. While my last full day outdoors was coming to a close, I still had one more morning to enjoy at camp before I had to break down my setup and drive home. Be on the lookout for the last installment in this 6-part solo camping series to see just how I spent my last day in Acadia. Plus, you might learn a tip or two for successfully taking down a solo campsite. Until then!
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