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Acadia National Park Guide

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Acadia Ocean Path | Acadia National Park Guide | Mt Desert Island
Acadia Ocean Path

Our Acadia National Park Guide is full of tips on how to plan a park visit. Our Acadia guide includes information on park weather, maps, entrance passes, and getting around. The guide also includes information on Acadia carriage roads, hiking, and camping.


Use our Acadia National Park Guide to plan your perfect getaway. See our articles on Acadia National Park Things to Do for suggestions on how to spend your time in the area.

Monument Cove - Acadia | US National Parks | Acadia National Park Guide
Monument Cove - Acadia
Acadia National Park Guide At A Glance | New England Travel blog

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Wildwood Stables | Acadia Carriage Roads | Things to do in Acadia National Park
Wildwood Stables

WHERE IS ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia National Park is part of the US National Parks system. The park is in northern Maine, USA. It is located about 160 miles north of Portland, Maine, or 280 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts.


AREA OVERVIEW ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia National Park is home to some of the most wild and spectacular scenery in the northeastern United States. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the park is spread over Mt. Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, and Isle Au Haut. Most of the park’s 47,000-acres are on Mt. Desert Island.

Bar Island at Low Tide | Acadia National Park Guide | New England Travel Blog
Bar Island at Low Tide

Many park attractions are clustered around the Acadia Park Loop Road. In this area, miles of hiking trails and carriage roads run through the mountains and forests of interior Mt. Desert Island. Along the park’s expansive coast, the shore is home to such natural wonders as Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliffs.


Nearby Bar Harbor abuts the park. The town is a well-appointed home base for exploring Acadia. Bar Harbor has been entertaining visitors as a summer resort town for over two-hundred years. The town has hotels, restaurants, pubs, shopping, waterfront activities, rental shops, and tour operators to accommodate all kinds of travelers and budgets.

Cocktails at the Eagle's Nest | Acadia National Park Guide | Down East Maine
Cocktails at the Eagle's Nest

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK WEATHER

Acadia National Park is a 4-season destination. The weather fluctuates greatly between seasons. It is a maritime climate with humidity, clouds, and wind year-round. Summer temperatures will fluctuate in the mid-70s to mid-80s‘F. Winter is snowy and blustery with temperatures in the mid-teens to mid-20s’F.


The best time to visit Acadia National Park is in September or the first two-weeks of June or October, when the weather is comfortable and the crowds/traffic are not at their maximum.

Fog over Bubble Pond | Things to do in Acadia National Park | Acadia Guide
Fog over Bubble Pond

HULLS COVE VISITOR CENTER

The main visitor center in Acadia National Park is the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. The complex is located off Route 3 in Bar Harbor. The center has a large parking lot. Hulls Cove is a good location to speak with park rangers. At the Hulls Cove Visitor Center guests can:

  • Pick up Acadia National Park maps of hiking trails and carriage roads

  • Buy Entrance Passes

  • Make a vehicle reservation for the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road (required May – October)

  • Check park opening hours (change seasonally)

  • Be updated on park closings, alerts, advisories, and programs

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK MAP

Credit: US National Park Service

Acadia National Park Map | credit: US National Parks
Acadia National Park Map

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK ENTRANCE OPTIONS

In 2023, there are three main types of entrance passes: Vehicle ($35 for 15 passengers or less), Motorcycle ($30 for 1-2 passengers), and Individual ($20 for a hiker, biker, or pedestrian). Passes are sold in 7-day increments. There are differing prices for some youth and other groups.

Park passes can be purchased online, at automated fee machines, at fee stations, and at some third-party sellers (particularly during the off-season). Entrance passes must be printed and on display. (If the pass is purchased online, remember to print it before leaving home.)

Hiking Acadia National Park | Things to do in Maine | New England Travel
Hiking Acadia National Park

GETTING AROUND ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Here are some options for getting around Acadia National Park:


Personal Vehicle

The most convenient way to navigate Acadia.

Bicycle

Biking is a popular way to see Mt. Desert Island. Bikes are allowed on public roads, park roads, and the Acadia carriage road system. The Acadia Park Loop Road and carriage roads can be accessed from the town of Bar Harbor. However, Mt. Desert Island is large, it often rains, and traffic is heavy in the summer months. Unless you are an expert bike, it is wise to plan on an alternate means of transportation.

Island Explorer Bus

A free bus service with routes taking in lodging, campgrounds, neighboring villages, and Acadia attractions. The buses are designed to lessen traffic and transport visitors between hiking trails, carriage roads, shopping, and dining options. Check the website before leaving home as routes, stops, and timetables change according to the seasons and other circumstances.

Driving Acadia Park Loop Road | Acadia National Park Guide | Mt Desert Island
Driving Acadia Park Loop Road

PARKING IN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Parking can be a challenge in Acadia National Park, especially during the busy summer months and fall foliage. Parking is free inside the park with the purchase of an entrance pass. Throughout the park, vehicles spill out onto the road when the parking lots near attractions fill up. Take care for pedestrians along the side of the road as you drive. Here are some of the parking lots located in the park:

Frenchman Bay | Bar Harbor Maine | Acadia National Park Guide
Frenchman Bay

Cadillac Mountain: 145 spaces; 0 oversized spaces (need vehicle reservation May – October)

Echo Lake: 89 spaces; 0 oversized spaces

Jordan Pond: 152 spaces; 12 oversized spaces

Sand Beach: 101 spaces; 0 oversized spaces


ACADIA CARRIAGE ROADS

Park patron, John D. Rockefeller, supervised the construction of 45-miles of gravel carriage roads and 16-stone bridges in the early 1900’s. The roads were originally intended to showcase the park’s lakes, ponds, and forests to visitors via horse-drawn carriage. Today, the carriage roads are open to hikers, horses, and bikers; but no motorized vehicles (except class 1 e-bikes).

Biking Acadia Carriage Roads | Acadia National Park Guide | Things to do in Maine
Biking Acadia Carriage Roads

The gorgeous carriage roads take visitors far away from the crowded Acadia Park Loop Road. The carriage road loops can be challenging with long slopes and some steep portions. E-bikes are popular here. There is signage on the Acadia carriage roads at major intersections. However, bring a map because the signs can be difficult to interpret.

Horse Drawn Wagon on Acadia Carriage Road | Acadia National Park Guide | Maine Travel
Horse Drawn Wagon on Carriage Road

HIKING ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia National Park boasts over 150 miles of trails within its borders. Trail environments range from rocky mountainous terrain to granite coastlines to glacial ponds to boggy habitats. The park is well-known for its difficult rung and ladder trails that ascend to panoramic summits. However, there are also large numbers of nature trails and scenic walks that are well-suited for families.

Trail | Hiking Acadia National Park | Things to do in Maine | New England Travel
Acadia Hiking Trail

Many books have been written about the best hikes in Acadia National Park, but you don’t have to buy one. Just pick up a free map at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center and plan out your day. Acadia’s hiking trails, carriage roads, and fire roads present endless trekking opportunities

Pink Granite and Pine Trees | Acadia National  Park Guide | US National Parks
Pink Granite and Pine Trees

CAMPING IN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

There are four campgrounds located within the park borders. Camping in Acadia National Park is one of the best ways to immerse in the park experience. The camping season typically runs from May to October. There are four campgrounds located within the park:

Relaxing in Acadia | Down East Maine | Acadia Guide | Mt Desert Island
Relaxing in Acadia

Blackwoods Campground (Mt. Desert Island): Tent and RV hook ups, no electricity

Seawall Campground (Mt. Desert Island): Tent and RV hook ups, no electricity

Schoodic Woods Campground (Schoodic Peninsula): Tent and RV hook up, electricity

Duck Harbor Campground (Isle Au Haut): 5 Tent sites, no electricity

Storm Approaching Bar Harbor | Acadia National Park Guide | Maine Travel
Storm Approaching Bar Harbor

Enjoy your Maine wild-blueberry pancakes and martinis, Laura and Randy

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View of Sand Beach from Ocean Path | Acadia National Park Guide | New England Travel Blog
View of Sand Beach from Ocean Path

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