Traffic & Travel Tips

During the summer months, especially July and August, the Park Loop Road and parking lots along the Park Loop Road and at carriage road entrances can be extremely crowded. Parking is permitted only in designated (posted) areas, parking lots, and established roadside pullouts. Be sure to reference the Parking section of the guide for additional, less-crowded parking areas throughout the Park. Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park, is a very small island and quickly gets over-crowded during the summer and fall months so to make your trip the most enjoyable follow these tips: 1) Start your day early! If you want to experience the park with very few people - even during the peak months - get up early! In general, the park starts to get very busy once 10:00 am rolls around and will stay that way throughout the day into the early evening hours. 2) Avoid the weekends if at all possible, especially if you plan to visit Park Loop Road. On a beautiful summer day expect the Park Loop Road to be a traffic jam and parking to be difficult to find - especially at Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Jordan Pond. 3) Take the free Island Explorer shuttle bus as much as possible. Now that COVID conditions have improved, the shuttle is running on a more normal schedule. You can access all points of the park (except Cadillac Summit) via the shuttle. But they too are busy, so plan early! 4) Get your pass and Cadillac Summit Road reservation before you arrive at the park. From May 26 through Oct 19, vehicle reservations are required for Cadillac Summit Road between sunrise and sunset. You can purchase them here: https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/400000 5) Hike from Bar Harbor into the park! You can take Jesup Path from the Village Green and meander through the woods near Kebo Valley Golf Club and across a bog to Great Meadow, a freshwater marsh.