Acadia National Park covers 49,071 acres in Maine. It became a national park on February 26, 1919, the 13th of today’s 64 parks to get that title. It recorded 4,079,318 recreation visits in 2025, the 7th most of the 63 parks with a 2025 count.
Today at Acadia
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Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for Hulls Cove Visitor Center. Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.
In the park service’s words
Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. At 4 million visits a year, it's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. Visitors enjoy 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Entrance fee and passes
The standard entrance pass is $35 per vehicle. Valid 7 days.
The $80 America the Beautiful pass for U.S. residents covers this fee and everyone in your car. It pays for itself after 3 visits at this price, and it is accepted at every national park.
Visitors who are not U.S. residents pay a $100 nonresident fee per person age 16 and older here, on top of the entrance fee, unless they hold the $250 nonresident annual pass. Acadia is one of the 11 parks that charge it. See nonresident fees.
Entrance is free for U.S. residents on the 2026 fee-free days.
Reservations and permits in 2026
Driving Cadillac Summit Road needs a separate vehicle reservation ($6) from May 20 to October 25, 2026. Walking, biking or hiking up does not.
Check the park’s own site before you go, because these systems change from year to year.
Best time to visit
- Best time to visit Acadia: May, June and September. The weather is at its most comfortable then, and crowds are lighter than at the peak.
- Busiest month: July, with about 791,193 visits in a typical recent year. That is 2.4 times as many as May.
- Quietest month: February (13,558 visits), when weather or closures keep most people away.
Bar height: visitors that month, compared with the busiest month. Temperatures: average daily high and low (°F); rain and snow: monthly averages. Best marks the months we suggest.
More detail: the best time to visit Acadia, month by month.
Plan your visit
- Best time to visit: crowds and weather month by month
- Itinerary: ready-made plans for 1 to 3 days
- Things to do: 51 hikes and 38 other activities
- Camping, RVs and lodging: 4 campgrounds
- Getting there: Nearest gas to Hulls Cove Visitor Center: Shell in Bar Harbor, 0.4 miles away. Closest airport Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (6 mi)
- Know before you go: safety, what to pack and what to leave at home
Popular hikes
- Hike Beehive Loop (1 to 3 Hours): This is a 1.4 mile loop trail that ascends a 450 ft cliff face. Exposed cliffs, iron rungs, and granite staircases climb this trail revealing scenic ocean views.
- Hike Jesup Path and Hemlock Path Loop (30 to 60 Minutes): This forested path continues to a boardwalk with multiple interpretive signs and benches. It opens up to a meadow before looping back on an old fire road. Views of Dorr Mountain are interspersed in this walk along a birch and hemlock forest.
- Hike Perpendicular and Razorback Loop (1 to 2 Hours): The loop features a gravel shoreline path along Long Pond and a steep ascent on granite staircase of over 300 stone steps built by the CCC to reach the summit of Mansell Mountain.
- Hike Bar Island Trail (45 to 90 Minutes): Walk along a gravel sand bar during low tide to reach Bar Island. Once on the island, hike another mile to the highest point on the island for views of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay.
- Hike Wonderland Trail (30 to 60 Minutes): This 1.4 out and back trail on an old gravel fire road is family-friendly and provides direct access to the coastline with birding opportunities.
Webcams
Weather, in the park service’s words
The park service says:
Located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Acadia experiences all four seasons. Summer temperatures range from 45-90F (7-30C). Fall temperatures range from 30-70F (-1-21C). Typically the first frost is in mid-October and first snowfall begins in November and can continue through April with an average accumulation of 73 inches (185 cm). Winter temperatures range from 14-35F (-10 - 2C). Spring temperatures range from 30-70F (-1-21C).
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Nearby national parks by road
- Shenandoah (Virginia): about 15 h 45 min by car (755 miles)
- Cuyahoga Valley (Ohio): about 17 h 35 min by car (887 miles)
- New River Gorge (West Virginia): about 19 h 15 min by car (965 miles)
- Indiana Dunes (Indiana): about 22 h 25 min by car (1,122 miles)
Drive times run between the closest visitor centers of each pair, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads. Link several parks with the road trip planner.
Sources
Last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Acadia National Park?
The standard entrance pass is $35 per vehicle. Valid 7 days. Non-U.S. residents also pay a $100 per person nonresident fee unless they have the $250 nonresident annual pass.
What state is Acadia National Park in?
Maine.
When did Acadia become a national park?
February 26, 1919.
How many people visit Acadia?
4,079,318 recreation visits were counted in 2025.
Do you need a reservation for Acadia in 2026?
Driving Cadillac Summit Road needs a separate vehicle reservation ($6) from May 20 to October 25, 2026. Walking, biking or hiking up does not.
When is the best time to visit Acadia?
May, June and September. July is the busiest month and May the quietest while the park is fully open.
