Visiting Acadia National Park: The Complete Guide

If you’re looking for a place to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Acadia National Park is the perfect spot. The park encompasses over 50 miles of coastline with spectacular views, hiking trails that lead up to panoramic vistas and plenty of places to explore. It’s also home to Cadillac Mountain, which has been called “the most photographed mountain in America” due to its iconic image on postcards and calendars.

Acadia National Park is located on Mount Desert Island in Maine and is one four National Park Service sites in the state of Maine. The park spans most of the island and a few of the smaller associated islands.  Acadia is the oldest national park in the U.S. east of the Mississippi.  The park is home to mountains, woodlands, lakes, and ocean shorelines.  The park is one of the first places in the United States to see the sunrise and has one of the best sunrise spots on the summit of Cadillac Mountain.  Much of the park’s early infrastructure was built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Here is the National Park Obsessed guide for visiting Acadia National Park.

Are you planning a trip to Acadia National Park? Click here for the complete guide to visiting Acadia National Park written by a National Park Expert. 
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The Quick Guide to Visiting Acadia National Park

Map of Acadia National Park

Click on the Acadia Map above to download the official brochure map. If you’d like a PDF copy of this Acadia Map click here.

Acadia National Park Basics

Region: Northeast / New England

Park Size: 52,485.17 acres (82.00 sq miles) (212.40 sq km)

Location: Hancock and Knox counties

Closest Cities: Bar Harbor, Maine

Busy Season: May to September

Visitation: 3,437,286 (in 2019)

How much does Acadia National Park Cost?

Acadia National Park costs the following:

  • 7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $30
  • 7-day Motorcycle Pass – $25
  • 7-day Individual Pass – $7

An annual Acadia National Park Pass costs $55 but it is not recommended you buy this pass. For an extra $25 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units.

When is Acadia National Park Open?

Acadia National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Acadia National Park?

Yes, Acadia is one of the most dog-friendly National Parks. Dogs are welcome on most of the park’s trails and carriage roads. Please review the Acadia Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Acadia.

Where are Acadia National Park’s visitor centers?

Rockefeller Welcome Center – Open Year Around

Hulls Cove Visitor Center – April to October

Islesford Historical Museum – June to September

Sieur de Monts Nature Center – May to October

Thompson Island Information Center – May to October

Village Green Information Center – May to October

Land Acknowledgments for Acadia National Park

The National Park known as Acadia National Park sits on Monacan and Manahoac land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

When was Acadia National Park created?

Acadia National Park was created on July 8, 1916 as Sieur de Monts National Monument. On February 26, 1919, Congress re-designated the national monument as Lafayette National Park. The park was named after the famed American Revolution participant, Marquis de Lafayette.

Finally, on January 19, 1929, the park’s name was changed again to Acadia National Park to honor the former French colony of Acadia.

Acadia National Park protects ecological integrity, cultural history, scenic beauty, and scientific values within the Acadia archipelago and Schoodic Peninsula and offers visitors a broad range of transformative and inspiring experiences among the park’s diverse habitats, glacially sculpted mountains, and bold, rocky coastline.

Acadia National Park Foundation Document

Fun Facts about Acadia National Park

  • Acadia is one of a handful of parks made from land donated by private invidiauls inculding John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
  • John D. Rockefeller, Jr. designed the park’s carriage roads and stone bridges.
  • There are 1.4 million objects in the Curatorial Program.
  • The highest point in Acadia National Park is the summit of Cadillac Mountain which is 1,530 ft (470 m) above sea level.. This is the highest view on the east coast.
  • The lowest point in Acadia National Park is the Atlantic Ocean at 0 ft (0 m)..
  • Acadia by the numbers
    • 26 mountains
    • 45 miles of carriage roads
    • 158+ miles of hiking trails
    • 24 archeological sites

When to Visit Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park Visitation

Acadia is busiest from June to October.

Acadia National Park Weather

Acadia National Park is located on the coast of Maine in the Atlantic Ocean. The region is known for hot and humid summers with cold winters.

Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book in Acadia National Park?

The National Park Passport Book is the BEST and cheapest National Park souvenir. Every National Park Obsessed person should have one of these books.

If you are new to the National Parks, you can learn more about the National Parks Passport program here or jump right in by ordering:

IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government-issued passport.

There are 15 official stamps for Acadia National Park. Here is the list of National Park Passport Stamps you can get in Acadia National Park:

  • Bar Harbor, ME
  • Blackwoods Campground
  • Cadillac Mountain
  • Duck Harbor, ME
  • Hulls Cove Visitor Center (Existence unconfirmed)
  • Isle au Haut
  • Isle au Haut, ME
  • Islesford, ME
  • Jordan Pond
  • Schoodic Peninsula
  • Schoodic Woods
  • Seawall Campground
  • Sieur de Monts Nature Center
  • Thompson Island
  • Thunder Hole

Bonus Stamps

  • Acadia Rocks
  • Bar Harbor With Lobster
  • Bark Ranger
  • Celebrate Our Past Acadia National Park 1916 2016 Centennial Inspire Our Future
  • Chamber Of Commerce
  • Image Of Lobster
  • Image Of Tick With Check Mark
  • Junior Ranger
  • Schoodic Institute At Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park Passport Stamp Locations

Here are all the locations to find the Acadia National Park Passport Stamps. Not every stamp is available at every location.

  • Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce
  • Blackwoods Campground
  • Cadillac Mountain Gift Shop
  • Duck Harbor Campground Bulletin Board
  • Hulls Cove Visitor Center Park Store
  • Isle au Haut Ranger Station
  • Islesford Historical Museum
  • Jordan Pond Gift Shop
  • Schoodic Peninsula Information Center at Entrance to SERC Campus
  • Schoodic Peninsula Welcome & Education Center at Rockefeller Hall on SERC campus
  • Schoodic Woods Ranger Station / Information Center
  • Seawall Campground Entrance Station
  • Sieur de Monts Nature Center
  • Thompson Island Information Center
  • Thunder Hole Information Center

Acadia National Park Gift Ideas

Acadia Gift Shops

If you are looking to buy Acadia National Park themed gifts while in the park, here are the in-park gift shops

National Park Obsessed’s Detailed Guides to Acadia National Park

General Information on Visiting Acadia

Acadia National Park Lodging

Frequently Asked Questions about Acadia National Park

National Parks Near Acadia National Park

Are there bears in Acadia National Park?

On paper, Acadia National Park should have bears. The park has everything Black Bears love. Acadia is full of food sources for black bears such as skunk cabbage and blueberries. Realistically, your odds of seeing a black bear in Acadia are very low. There are a handful of sighting each year but that is it.

Why is Acadia National Park famous?

Acadia is famous for its sunrises and fall foliage.

Do I need a pass for Acadia National Park?

Yes, you will need pay an entrance fee to enter Acadia National Park. The entrance fee is $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle or $15 per person. An Acadia annual pass is $55. If you are planning on visiting 2 or more National Park Service sites, you should get the America the Beautiful Pass.

Currently, Acadia only requires entry reservations for Cadallaic Mountain from June to October.

National Park Service units within a 4 hours drive

  • Roosevelt Campobello International Park
  • Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
  • Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
  • Appalachian National Scenic Trail
  • Lowell National Historic Park
  • Minute Man National Historical Park
  • Salem Maritime National Historic Site

National Park Service units within an 8 hours drive

  • Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
  • Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
  • Springfield Armory National Historic Site
  • Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
  • Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
  • Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
  • John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
  • Boston African American National Historic Site
  • Longfellow House–Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site
  • Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
  • Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
  • Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
  • Weir Farm National Historic Site
  • St Paul’s Church National Historic Site
  • Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
  • Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
  • Boston National Historical Park
  • Saratoga National Historical Park
  • Adams National Historical Park
  • New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park
  • Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
  • Roger Williams National Memorial
  • Cape Cod National Seashore

Pin for Later: Visiting Acadia National Park: The Complete Guide

Are you planning a trip to Acadia National Park? Click here for the complete guide to visiting Acadia National Park written by a National Park Expert. 

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF LAND

On this site, we promote travel to the United States and beyond that are the traditional lands of  Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to these lands’ past and present people.

To learn more about the people who call these lands home, I invite you to explore Native Land.

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