- Acadia National Park
The best camping in Acadia National Park, ME
The best camping in Acadia National Park, ME
Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Acadia National Park adventure.
Camper favorites near Acadia National Park
Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.
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The best camping in Acadia National Park, ME guide
Overview
About
Driving the 27-mile Park Loop Road as it curves along the Maine coast and swoops past Cadillac Mountain is a “choose your own adventure” situation. Shall you scramble up a lofty “ladder trail” or hike to an island across a sand bar with ocean views? Or simply go tide-pooling in a rocky cove? The upper-crusty influence of the park’s founders is most evident on the 45 miles of finely graveled carriage roads, now hosting bicycles instead of horse-drawn buggies. For an ever-classy end to a day, visit the Jordan Pond teahouse at the base of Mt. Penobscot for tea and a popover.
Acadia National Park Glamping
Glamping options abound on the outskirts of this beloved Maine park. Encompassing headlands and islands along the coast of Maine, Acadia National Park has long been a popular place to get away from it all, offering miles of opportunities for adventure in the form of hiking trails, beaches, and waterways. While camping options in the park are limited to RV and tent sites, there are five lean-to shelters at Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut. If you want something a bit more glamorous, a fair few options can be found within a quick and easy drive of the park's main area. Acadia glamping options include rustic cabins in the woods, canvas tents (some with heating), A-frame cabins, and homely renovated campervans along with plenty of yurt rentals. Glampsites typically have beds, toilet access, camp kitchens, and other creature comforts, and while some include bedding, others require campers bring their own sleeping bag and pillows.
Yurt Rentals Near Acadia National Park
Cozy up in a yurt just outside of this coastal Maine favorite. Coastal Maine’s Acadia National Park is known for its magnificently rugged headlands, plus its miles and miles of scenic hiking trails and motor roads. Acadia is also a fantastic place to go camping in the summer—if you're lucky enough to secure a campsite. While tent campers and RVers have options throughout the park, those wanting to stay in a yurt rental will need to head to one of the private options outside of the park's boundaries. Fortunately, there are lots of Hipcamp options to choose from not too far from the park, meaning you can spend the night in the warmth and comfort of a yurt and then head out the next morning for a day of fun in the park. Yurts near the park tend to be plush, with beds or futons for a comfy night's stay, and some are big enough to accommodate up to eight people.
Notable campgrounds
- Best for hikers: From Blackwoods Campground, campers can hike to the coast and Cadillac Mountain.
- Best for bicycling: Schoodic Woods Campground borders a one-way, scenic loop road.
- Best for families: South of Southwest Harbor, Seawall Campground offers picnic tables and is great for hiking, biking, kayaking, and swimming.
Tips for snagging a campsite
- Reservations are required for all four campgrounds in the park. There are no first-come, first-served walk-in campsites.
- Make reservations online through the National Park Service up to three months in advance for Blackwoods, Seawall, and Schoodic Woods campgrounds.
- Blackwoods is open from early May, while Seawall and Schoodic Woods open in late May.
- Reservations for the five tent sites at Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut (reached by mailboat) are available beginning April 1 every year. Duck Harbor campsites are open from mid-May.
When to go
High season is July and August, when the weather is warmest, up to 90°F, and kids are on summer vacation. Spring and falls are also pleasant, but temperatures are about 10 to 20 degrees cooler. Leaves typically change color in mid-October. All campgrounds close in mid-October, and the Park Loop Road closes by December 1. Two short sections that can be reached from outside the park—Jordan Pond Road and Ocean Drive—remain open. In winter, visitors can cross-country ski and snowshoe the carriage roads but hiking trails can be icy and treacherous.
Know before you go
- Most of the park is located on Mount Desert Island, also home to the town of Bar Harbor.
- The Schoodic Peninsula is part of the mainland. It is an hour’s drive between the peninsula and Mount Desert Island (and there are no shuttles).
- Island Explorer operates 10 shuttle routes between the park and local communities from late June through mid-October.
- A commercial ferry travels between Bar Harbor and the village of Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula. In summer, the Island Explorer shuttle picks up visitors in Winter Harbor and carries them to sites along the Park Loop Road on the peninsula.
- The Bicycle Express shuttle runs from Bar Harbor to the park carriage roads from late June through late August.
