Acadia National Park protects Maine coastal headlands, wooded forests, mountains and beaches predominantly located on Mount Desert Island, one of the largest coastal islands on the eastern seaboard of the USA. The rugged landscape is crisscrossed by walking trails and carriage roads providing scenic views that are a favorite for amateur and professional photographers alike. In addition to its main area, the park includes important ecological areas on the nearby Shoodic Peninsula, Baker Island and Isle Au Haut. All areas of the park are open to visitors, subject to weather and other conditions.
One of the most popular sights within the park is Cadillac Mountain, elevation 1530 feet (466 meters), which is the first place in America to see the sunrise each day. A relatively short, vigorous hike gets you to the summit. Jordan Pond is another popular location. Visitors can enjoy tea from the visitor center along with tranquil views of the pond with the Bubbles in the distance.
If you can take your time and want something off the beaten path, take the ferry to Isle au Haut for a hike around the Island. Be sure to snap a photo of the historic Isle au Haut light at Robinson Point.
Acadia was the first national park east of the Mississippi River. Established by Woodrow Wilson in 1916 as Sieur de Monts National Monument, in 1919 it was re-designated and renamed Lafayette National Park in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer who fought alongside the colonists during the American Revolutionary War. It was renamed Acadia National Park in 1929 after the former French colony that once included Maine as part of its territory.
Physical Address
Acadia National Park
2 Cottage St., Chamber of Commerce
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Hours of Operation
Acadia National Park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. A number of park roads close during the winter including Park Loop Road, Cadillac Mountain Road, and all of the unpaved roads. Most facilities close in the winter as well.
Visitor Center Hours vary by season and location. The Rockefeller Welcome Center is open all year round.
Hulls Cove Visitor Center
15 April to 24 June: Open daily 08:30-16:30
25 June to 4 September: Open daily 08:00-18:00
5 September to 31 October: Open daily 08:30-16:30
Islesford Historical Museum
Call 207-288-3338 or 207-244-9224 for more information.
19 June to 4 September: Open daily 11:00 to 16:00
5 September to 30 September: Open Monday-Saturday 09:00-15:00, and Sunday 11:00-16:00.
Rockefeller Welcome Center
Schoodic Institute
Memorial Day–Columbus Day
Exhibits are open daily 10:00-16:00
Business hours: Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00
Columbus Day–Memorial Day
Exhibits are open Monday to Friday, 10:00-16:00
Business hours:Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00
Closed weekends
Sieur de Monts Nature Center
6 May to 18 June: Open weekends 09:00-17:00
19 June 19 to 9 October: Open daily 09:00-17:00
Thompson Island Information Center
16 May to 12 October: Open daily 08:30-17:00
Village Green Information Center
16 May to 12 October: Open daily 08:00-17:00
Entrance Fees
All park visitors are required to pay an entrance fee upon entry from May to October. Passes are non-transferable. Credit cards are accepted at all fee collection areas.
Admission to the park is free of charge for all visitors from November to April.
7-Day Pass:
Vehicle (capacity up to 15 persons) including Passengers $25
Motorcycle $20 (including one additional passenger)
Individual Cyclers, Hikers, Others on Foot $12
Children 15 and Under FREE
Annual Pass:
Acadia National Park $50
All Parks $80
Active Military and dependents FREE
Lifetime Pass:
Senior (US Citizens 62+) $10
Individuals with Disability (US Citizens) FREE
Other Passes Honored:
Golden Age and Golden Access
Free Days in the National Parks
The National Park Service sponsors occasional free days in the national parks. Check with any park property for information during the current year.
Some previously celebrated free days:
Martin Luther King Day (January)
National Park Week (April)
National Public Lands Day (September)
Veterans Day (November)
Lodging and Camping in Acadia National Park
There are four campgrounds located inside the park.
Blackwoods Campground
Open year round
From December to March, primitive walk-in camping only, permit required
Duck Harbor Campground
Isle au Haut
Open from 15 May to 15 October, permit required
Schoodic Woods Campground
Schoodic Peninsula
Open from late May to mid October (Columbus Day)
Seawall Campground
Open from late May through 30 September
Contacting Acadia National Park
Mailing Address:
Acadia National Park
PO Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Park Headquarters: +1 (207) 288-3338
Email: [email protected]
Website: Acadia National Park
Park Loop Drive
One of the best introductions to Acadia National Park is to take the scenic drive on park loop road. The route passes many of the park highlights, and parking areas allow you to take short hikes, enjoy spectacular views, and take part in other activities around the park while you make your way. There is also an Island Explorer bus following the park loop road for people who prefer not to drive themselves or who want to spend more time on foot in the park. This is a particularly attractive alternative during the mid summer high season, when limited parking and congested roads make for often unpleasant driving conditions inside the park.
The 27 mile (43 Kilometer) Park Loop Road route begins at the Hulls Cove Park Entrance
Bass Harbor Head Light is the only lighthouse on Mount Desert Island. The United States Coast Guard operates and maintains the lighthouse and surrounding buildings. While the lighthouse is not open to the public, visitors can view it up close by way of a short paved path or take a trail and stairway to view it from the shoreline. The lighthouse is located off Route 102A in the Town of Tremont and accessible by private vehicle. The Island Explorer does not directly serve the lighthouse, but it can drop passengers off the end of the entry road, which is about about half a mile from the lighthouse.
At 1,530 feet (466 m), Cadillac Mountain is not only the tallest mountain in the park, but also the tallest mountain along the eastern coast of the United States. Cadillac Mountain is accessible via a winding, narrow, 3.5-mile road. The road is closed from December through April 14 and whenever weather condtions (e.g. dense fog or ice) require.
“High Island” is the English translation for Isle au Haut, the name given by the French navigator Samuel Champlain during his explorations of the Maine coast in 1604. For more information, please visit the Isle au Haut page. If you are looking to camp on Isle au Haut (Duck Harbor Campground) visit our camping page for more information.
The 27-mile (43 km) Park Loop Road system offers outstanding views of the park’s ocean shoreline, coastal forests, and mountain silhouettes. This historic road system is open from April 15 through November, 24 hours a day, weather permitting (small portions remain open all year).
The Schoodic Peninsula offers a wide array of opportunities for discovering Maine’s rugged coast without all the congestion of Mount Desert Island. Whether exploring on foot, by bike, or by car, there is something for everyone. Learn more on our Schoodic page.
On less than one acre, the Wild Gardens of Acadia offer a microcosm of Mount Desert Island’s natural habitats. As you stroll the level gravel and pine-needle paths, see what’s in bloom and learn to recognize a variety of native plants, which are labeled to aid in identification. Watch the abundant bird life or just listen to the spring-fed brook in a most tranquil setting. Please refrain from smoking or bringing your pets into the Wild Gardens of Acadia.
Developed Trails in Petrified Forest National Park
Painted Desert Rim Trail: 1 mi (1.6 km) round trip A walk between Tawa Point and the Painted Desert Inn, offering scenic views of the Painted Desert below.
Puerco Pueblo Trail: 0.3 mi (0.5 km) loop A short walk among Native American village remains dating from 1250-1380 CE. Interpretive signs.
Blue Mesa Trail: 1 mi (1.6 km) loop Explore the vibrant blue, purple and gray of these badlands dotted with colorful petrified wood.
Crystal Forest Trail: 0.75 mi (1.2 km) loop Wander around a large field of colorful petrified logs.
Giant Logs Trail: 0.4 mi (0.6 km) loop Impressive collection of large logs. Showcase specimen Old Faithful measures nearly 10 ft across at the base. Trail guide available.
Long Logs Trail: 1.6 mi (2.5 km) loop Site of a Triassic Era log jam with many long petrified tree trunks.
Agate House Trail: 2 mi (3.3 km) round trip Visit an eight room reconstructed pueblo constructed almost entirely out of petrified wood.
The Long Logs and Agate House trails start from the same trailhead and may be combined for a longer 2.6 mi (4.2 km) hike.
Hiking in Acadia National Park
Hoping to avoid the crowds? There are over 50,000 acres of wilderness waiting to be explored in the Petrified Forest National Park. Go off the beaten track onto an old road or unmaintained trail, or use map and compass to blaze a new path. More information available at the Painted Desert Visitor Center, Rainbow Forest Museum, or online at the National Park Service website.
Top 5 Off the Beaten Path Hikes
Old Blue Forest 2.4 mi (3.9 km) round trip Hike along an unmaintained CCC trail. Enjoy huge petrified logs, desert landscape. [NPS route guide]
Jasper Forest 2.5 mi (4 km) round trip Hike along an old 1930s road through a garden of petrified wood. [NPS route guide]
Onyx Bridge 4 mi (6.4 km) round trip Leaves from Painted Desert Inn. See how a 210 million year old fallen tree forms a natural bridge. [NPS route guide]
Billings Gap 3 mi (4.8 km) round trip Hike to the Billings Gap overlook for views across the badlands and grassy valleys. [NPS route guide]
Martha’s Butte 2 mi (3.2 km) round trip Walk through wash country to the butte and a solar petroglyph. [NPS route guide]
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The best time to visit Acadia National Park is mid autumn, when the park’s beautiful fall foliage puts on a blazing display of color. Thousands of people come out during this leaf peeping time of year, usually around the middle of October. The State of Maine’s fall foliage website keeps track of of the latest color conditions, with weekly updates during the fall foliage season.
Otherwise, Acadia is beautiful at every time of year. The region experiences all four seasons, with extremes tempered by the coastal setting of the park. Each season is unique and offers something special for visitors to discover and enjoy. As always, visitors should prepare for variable weather and seasonal extremes before venturing into the park.
Spring weather is often foggy, with temperatures between 30-70 degrees F. (-1-21 degrees C.).
Summers can be hot, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees F. (32 degrees C.).
Autumn weather is variable with mild temperatures and many clear days.
Winters are cold and usually below freezing. Most of Park Loop Road is closed during the winter.
Acadia National Park is located 42 miles southeast of Bangor, Maine, on the east coast of the USA.
Arrival by Car
Driving is the most common means of transport to Acadia National Park.
Driving Directions to Mount Desert Island
From Boston take I-95 north to Bangor, Maine, then take US Highway 1A east to Ellsworth. In Ellsworth, take State Route 3 to Mount Desert Island ad follow posted signs to the park. This route has tolls and takes a little less than 5 hours.
For a longer but more scenic drive, take US Highway 1 from Boston driving along the coast most of the way. Allow all day, perhaps as much as 10 hours to complete this route.
Driving Directions to the Schoodic Peninsula
To reach the Schoodic Peninsula, take I-95 north to Bangor, Maine, then take Route 1A east to Ellsworth. In Ellsworth, head north on US Highway 1 for approximately 17 miles to Highway 186. Turn right on Highway 186 and drive 6.5 miles. Turn left at the yield sign, continue .5 miles, and turn right onto Schoodic Loop Road.
Arrival by Air
Visitors to Acadia National Park may choose to fly from Boston’s Logan Airport (BOS) to Bar Harbor, Maine (BHB) on commercial service offered by Cape Air and Jet Blue. The flight takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes with multiple daily departures.
Commercial flights are available to Bangor International Airport (BGR) in Bangor, Maine, about 42 miles northwest of the park. Allegiant, American, Delta and United Airlines offer flights between Bangor International and major destinations with connections worldwide.
GPS Coordinates
DD Coordinates: 44.3385559 -68.2733346
DMS Coordinates: 44°20’18.80″ N -68°16’24.00″ W
Geohash Coordinates: drzknrsfgczum
UTM Coordinates: 19T 557927.48429279 4909733.3564411
Getting Around
Many visitors drive around Acadia National Park on the park loop road, a 27 mile (43 kilometer) scenic loop beginning at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center and takes in many of the most popular sights in the park including Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain. Congestion can be considerable along the route, especially in summer. At peak times it is best to leave your car and go on foot, relying on the free Island Explorer buses to get around the park.
Island Explorer
The Island Explorer is a FREE shuttle bus service operating in and around Acadia National Park. Island Explorer operates nine seasonal bus routes connecting the Bar Harbor Regional Airport, local lodging establishments, nearby village centers and sights within Acadia National Park. Consult their online route finder to make sure you get on the right bus.
The Island Explorer is operated by
Downeast Transportation
PO Box 914
Ellsworth, ME 04605
Telephone: +1 (207) 667-5796
Email: [email protected]
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