National Park Entrance Fees:
All park visitors are required to pay an entrance fee to Acadia National Park upon entry May through October. Passes can be purchased at the Sand Beach Entrance Station (along the Park Loop Road), the Visitor Center at Hulls Cove, at the Blackwoods and Seawall Campgrounds, as well as the Bar Harbor Village Green, and the Thompson Island Information Center. Credit cards are accepted at all locations. Acadia National Park passes are now also available online from recreation.gov. As of 2026, the various passes and fees are:
- $35 for a non-commercial vehicle (good for 7 days, includes everybody in vehicle)
*Non-US residents must pay an additional $100 per person fee. - $30 for a motorcycle (good for 7 days for the individual)
- $20 for a single person entering by foot or bicycle (good for 7 days for the individual)
- $70 Acadia Annual Park Pass (good for one year from the month of purchase)
- $80 Interagency Annual Pass (allows entrance at any Federal recreation site that charges a standard entrance fee for one year from purchase date) A good choice if you are planning on visiting several other national parks throughout the year.
- $80 Lifetime Interagency Senior Pass (allows U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over lifetime access to any Federal recreation site that charges an entrance fee) This is simply the deal of the century for retired individuals and may be the one thing I look forward to most as I grow older.
Seasons and Dates of Interest:
Tourist season in Acadia National Park is typically June through August with the extended tourist season running through October for fall foliage tours. While summer is the time of year when most people visit Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park is actually open year-round, although amenities and access are more limited during the winter months.
- The Island Explorer free shuttle service operates between June 23 and mid-October with more limited fall service beginning on September 1.
- Many motels, inns, and restaurants open for the season in May and close for winter in mid to late October, depending on conditions.
- Several hiking trails in Acadia National Park are typically closed between March 15-August 15 for peregrine falcon nesting. Affected trails include The Precipice Trail, Jordan Cliffs Trail, Beech Cliffs Trail, and Valley Cove Trail.
- Between December and mid-April, much of the Park Loop Road is closed except for the oceanside stretch to Otter Cliffs. The winter closure includes the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road.
- During winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the carriage roads, snowmobiling, and ice fishing are popular activities. Hiking is possible but ice is everywhere so crampons or MicroSpikes are useful. Be prepared for cold and unfavorable conditions. See the NPS Winter Activities guide.
Average Monthly Temperatures for Acadia:
Average monthly temperatures for Bar Harbor are listed below. Note that temperatures can be much colder on top of the exposed peaks.
| Month | Daily high | Daily low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 31°F | 14°F |
| February | 35°F | 17°F |
| March | 42°F | 25°F |
| April | 53°F | 35°F |
| May | 65°F | 45°F |
| June | 74°F | 54°F |
| July | 79°F | 59°F |
| August | 78°F | 59°F |
| September | 71°F | 52°F |
| October | 59°F | 42°F |
| November | 48°F | 33°F |
| December | 37°F | 21°F |
Lodging and Dining:
There is a plethora of lodging options on Mount Desert Island, from affordable motels to more luxurious resorts. Also a good option for families are vacation home and cottage rentals. Lodging is mostly centered around the bustling Bar Harbor area, but good options also exist in Northeast Harbor, in Southwest Harbor on the "quiet side," and in other areas of the island.
Those looking for a quieter experience will appreciate staying on the west side of Mount Desert Island. Cheaper lodging can also be found back in Ellsworth on the mainland.
Restaurants are also quite numerous in Bar Harbor as well as some of the other towns, but most restaurants are seasonal, opening in May or June and closing in October as the tourist season dwindles. Roadside lobster pounds are also a fun and easy way to enjoy lobster and other seafood treats without the cost or time of a full sit-down meal.
Some of my personal favorite places to eat are Stewman's Lobster Pound (restaurant in Bar Harbor), Jordan's Restaurant (family restaurant in Bar Harbor), Bar Harbor Lobster Pound (roadside lobster pound along Route 3, west of Bar Harbor), Thurston's Lobster Pound (lobster pound/restaurant in Bernard, on the "quiet side" near Bass Harbor), Beal's Lobster Pier (lobster pound in Southwest Harbor), Cafe This Way (seasonal breakfast spot in Bar Harbor), and Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound (roadside lobster pound in Southwest Harbor).
Camping Options:
Acadia National Park has three main campgrounds: Blackwoods Campground (located off of Route 3, 5 miles south of Bar Harbor near the southeastern coast), Seawall Campground (located 4 miles south of Southwest Harbor on the "quiet side" of Mount Desert Island), and Schoodic Woods Campground (located on the Schoodic Peninsula near Winter Harbor on the mainland).
These campgrounds are open from May to October with Blackwoods Campground open year-round with limited capacity. Camping is also available at Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut. See the NPS camping page for exact dates and fees.
There are also several good private campgrounds on Mount Desert Island. IMPORTANT: Random backpacking is not permitted along the trails or beaches of Acadia National Park.
