Acadia National Park: Cadillac Mountain, carriage roads and lobster

Acadia is small, coastal and unusually walkable, built on land donated piece by piece by people who wanted to keep it out of development. It is the only national park in the northeast, and it feels different from the western parks: intimate rather than vast, and stitched together with villages.

Entrances and getting there

• Acadia has no single gate. Highway 3 crosses onto Mount Desert Island and the park is woven between the island's towns.
• Hulls Cove Visitor Center, just north of Bar Harbor, is the main way onto the Park Loop Road.
• The Sand Beach entrance station on the loop road is where passes are checked; buy online ahead and skip the line.
• Cadillac Summit Road climbs 3.5 miles off the loop road; from downtown Bar Harbor plan 25 to 30 minutes to the top.
• Schoodic Peninsula is the park's quieter mainland section, about an hour away.
• The free Island Explorer buses link towns and trailheads in season, so the car is optional once you are there.

The 3-day plan

Day 123

The Park Loop Road greatest hits, ending on Cadillac. The summit drive needs a timed vehicle reservation from late May through late October.

1. 08:30 Hulls Cove Visitor Center Grab the carriage road map and confirm your Cadillac Summit Road reservation time.
2. 09:30 Sand Beach A pocket of real sand between granite headlands. The water rarely passes 15 degrees, swimming is a dare.
3. 11:30 Thunder Hole Time it for two hours before high tide on a swell and the inlet booms like its name.
4. 12:15 Otter Cliff 110 feet of pink granite dropping straight into the Atlantic.
5. 13:30 Jordan Pond House Popovers and tea on the lawn, facing the Bubbles across the pond. A tradition since the 1890s.
6. 17:45 Cadillac Mountain The highest point on the US Atlantic coast. From early October to early March this is the first sunrise in the country, but sunset needs no alarm clock.

Start from this plan →

Cadillac Mountain and the sunrise thing

Cadillac is the highest point on the eastern seaboard and, for part of the year, the first place in the United States to see sunrise. Consequently everyone wants to be there at dawn, and the summit road runs on a vehicle reservation booked through Recreation.gov. They release a batch months ahead and another batch two days ahead. Set an alarm for both.

Location: Acadia National Park

The carriage roads

Forty-five miles of crushed stone roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr., closed to cars, threaded with hand-cut granite bridges. They are the best cycling in any national park and gentle enough for most riders. Rent a bike in Bar Harbor and spend a whole day on them. This is the part of Acadia people are surprised by.

The rest of the island

• Park Loop Road: 27 miles past Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff. Drive it once, then walk the good bits.
• Precipice and Beehive trails: iron rungs and ladders bolted to cliff faces. Short, thrilling and closed in spring for nesting falcons.
• Jordan Pond: flat loop trail, clear water, and popovers on the lawn at the Jordan Pond House afterwards.
• Schoodic Peninsula: the mainland piece of the park, quiet and rugged, about an hour's drive around the bay.
• Bar Harbor: the base for most visitors, with the free Island Explorer shuttle running in season.

Book it and check it

• Official park page → Entrance fees, opening hours, park maps and seasonal road status. https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
• Current conditions and alerts → Road, trail and weather status. Read this the morning you go. https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
• Recreation.gov → Campsites, timed entry and permits for most federal land. https://www.recreation.gov
• Cadillac Summit Road reservations → Required to drive up. Sunrise slots go instantly. https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086745

Common questions

How far is Cadillac Mountain from Bar Harbor?

About 7 miles by road, or 25 to 30 minutes to the summit via the Park Loop Road and the 3.5 mile summit road. In season you also need the vehicle reservation, booked on Recreation.gov months ahead or in the two-day-ahead release.

Do you need a reservation for Cadillac Mountain?

Yes, to drive the summit road in season. Reservations are on Recreation.gov, released in an early batch and a two-days-ahead batch. Walking or cycling up needs no reservation.

How many days do you need in Acadia?

Three. One for the Park Loop Road and coast, one for the carriage roads by bike, and one for a longer hike or the Schoodic Peninsula.

When is the best time to visit Acadia?

June for long days and green, September for warm sea and thin crowds, early October for colour. July and August are busy and can be foggy.

Can you visit Acadia without a car?

Largely yes in season. The free Island Explorer shuttle links Bar Harbor with most trailheads and beaches, and the carriage roads are cycled.