Improving Visitor Experiences at the Popular Acadia National Park

Home / Articles / Improving Visitor Experiences at the Popular Acadia National Park

Located along the mid-coast of Maine, Acadia National Park protects a diverse and scenic landscape that includes rocky coastlines, forests, lakes, and bald granite mountain tops. Visitors can enjoy a range of recreational experiences along the historic Park Loop Road, hiking trails, and carriage roads.

One of the nation's most visited parks, this Maine attraction is offering vehicle reservations

Acadia National Park is among the most popular and smallest national parks in the United States with more than 3.5 million visits a year. The National Park Service has prepared a Transportation Plan to increase visitor safety, reduce traffic congestion, and help ensure that visitors can find parking at the park’s most popular destinations. As part of the plan, the National Park Service is piloting a vehicle reservation system from October 1 to 18, 2020, to prepare for a full season of operation in 2021. Vehicle reservations will be required for the Cadillac Summit Road (4:30 am - 6:30 pm) and Sand Beach Entrance (7 am - 5 pm) sections of the Park Loop Road.

While vehicle reservations reduce the competition for parking, they do not assign a specific parking space. Vehicle reservations are not required for pedestrians and bicyclists, or in anyother area of the park.

Visit the Acadia National Park Vehicle Reservation page on Recreation.gov to learn more and purchase a vehicle reservation.

 

A view from Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park (Christine Seeber, Share the Experience)

Park Loop Road is one of the main road systems on the island. This 27-mile (43 km) road is the go-to scenic drive around the east side of Mount Desert Island, connecting Acadia's lakes, mountains, and shoreline. It provides access to popular areas such as Sieur de Monts, Sand Beach, Otter Point, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain.

Visitors who travel this route will need to display their entrance pass so that it is clearly visible through the front windshield.  

For those who plan to visit the park and travel the Park Loop Road, vehicle reservations are required for the Cadillac Summit Road and Sand Beach Entrance beginning October 2020. 

See the Acadia National Park Vehicle Reservations page for more details.

 

Explore Related Trips

Bring Home a Story