All About Camping in Acadia National Park

Is there anything better than breathing in the salty ocean air, listening to the birds sing, and smelling the woodsy aroma of a forest?  Imagine yourself camping in Acadia National Park — all of those things can be yours!

Camping in Acadia is a magical experience that will enhance your vacation on beautiful Mount Desert Island.

This park has three frontcountry campgrounds (meaning you can drive your car to them and you don’t need a special permit).   If you are interested in backcountry camping, the closest thing you’ll find is this remote campground in Duck Harbor.  Otherwise, backcountry camping is not permitted.

This guide is all about the frontcountry camping possibilities within the national park.  It is designed to help you decide which campground is perfect for your needs!

What You Need to Know About Camping in Acadia

• Each standard campsite only accommodates six people and two small tents.  If you have a larger group, you will need to book two campsites or look for a campground that offers double or group campsites.

• There is a 14-day stay limit during the summer months, and Senior/Access Pass holders can get 50% off of the camping fee (this does NOT include the Annual America the Beautiful Pass).

• There are no designated first-come, first-served sites available within the park during the summer months.

• In some instances, only one vehicle is permitted per site, but overflow parking is usually available (RV’s, 5th Wheels, and trailers count as a vehicle).

• All camping equipment must fit on the campsite pad…it’s your responsibility to book a site large enough to accommodate your camping equipment. To protect the park, do not walk or set up camping equipment on the vegetation!

• Because of the devastating non-native pests that wood contains, bringing your own firewood for campfires is highly discouraged. Wood can be purchased near the campgrounds.  

• Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance on Recreation.gov.

Getting to the Campgrounds in Acadia

Blackwoods and Seawall are located on Mount Desert Island and are nearest to Bar Harbor and the most popular sights in the park.  Schoodic Woods is located approximately 1.5 hours from Bar Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula.  Take a look at the park map before making your reservations!

How to Get a Campsite in Acadia

All campgrounds in Acadia require advanced reservations, and you can make them 2 months in advance here.

If you’re visiting during the summer and don’t already have a site reserved, you’ll likely be out-of-luck for camping in the park. Thankfully, there is a large number of private campgrounds near the park.

If you’ll be in the park during the off-season, the Blackwoods Campground does offer first-come, first-served sites.  In April – May and November, you can pick a site and pay at a self-registration kiosk located near the ranger station. 

During December – March, a winter permit is required {pick up at the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce}, and you’ll have to hike into the campground from the entrance road.

To choose your ideal campground, take a look at the in-park options here:

Blackwoods Campground

The Blackwoods Campground is the most central place to camp in the park.  It is located just minutes from the Park Loop Road, Jordan Pond, Cadillac Mountain, and Bar Harbor, making this spot the ideal place to kick-off your Acadia adventure!

This campground offers a variety of campsites, including group sites, tent-only sites, and RV-only sites.  You’ll find two loops, A and B.  A-Loop offers a mix of tent and RV sites.  B-Loop is primarily for tents but can accommodate some RVs that are less than 20 feet.  Showers are not located in the campground but can be found in the nearby community of Otter Creek.

Open Season: May – October
Max RV Length:  35 feet and strictly enforced.
Hookups: No.
Generators:  Allowed in A-Loop during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.  No generators permitted in B-Loop.
Dump Station: Yes.
Reservations Required:  During the summer months, YES! Click here to check availability.
Fee:  $30 per night.
Number of Sites:  306.
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Acadia’s Pet Policy
Restrooms:  Flush toilets with running water.
Accessibility:  16 sites are wheelchair accessible.

Seawall Campground

Located on the west side of Mount Desert Island, the Seawall Campground is further removed from the busy Bar Harbor crowds, lodges, and restaurants.  It offers a more peaceful stay near some beautiful hikes and the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

This campsites in this campground are wooded and only a 10-minute walk to the ocean!  You’ll find a variety of campsites, including group sites, tent-only sites, walk-in sites, and RV-only sites.  There are five loops, A, B, C, D, and G.  A-Loop offers a mix of tent and RV sites.  B-Loop is primarily for tents because of tight turns and low overhead clearance.  C-Loop has a lot of options for RVs, D-Loop consists of walk/hike-in sites only, and G-Loop is for group camping only. 

Showers are not located in the campground but can be found in nearby towns.

Open Season:  Wednesday before Memorial Day – October 15.
Max RV Length:  35 feet and strictly enforced.
Hookups:  No.
Generators: Allowed in C-Loop during the hours of 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.  No generators permitted in loops A, B, D, and G.
Dump Station: Yes.
Reservations Required:  Yes, click here to check availability. 
Fee:  $22 – $30.
Number of Sites:  200.
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Acadia’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms:  Flush toilets with running water.
Accessibility:  12 sites are wheelchair accessible.

Schoodic Woods Campground

Located on the Schoodic Peninsula about 1.5 hours from Bar Harbor, this campground is the newest and nicest of the three.  The sites are well-groomed, spacious, and just a quick drive to those beautiful Acadia views!

This area of the park isn’t close to the main points of interest like Cadillac Mountain and Jordan Pond, so if this is your first visit, you may want to try to stay at one of the other campgrounds to be closer to your day’s activities.

This campground has a variety of campsites, including group sites, tent sites, walk-in sites, and RV sites.  There are two loops, A and B.  A-Loop offers a mix of tent and RV sites, but is primarily for vehicles less than 25 feet long.  B-Loop is perfect for RVs of almost any length.  Showers are not located in the campground but can be found in nearby towns.

Open Season:  Wednesday before Memorial Day – October 15.
Max RV Length:  60 feet
Hookups:  Yes.  All sites {except for walk-in and group sites} have at least 20 amp electricity, but many have up to 50 amps.  Water hookups are available in some B-Loop sites.
Generators:  No.
Dump Station:  Yes.
Reservations Required:  Yes, click here to check availability.
Fee:  $22 – $40
Number of Sites:  94
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Acadia’s Pet Policy.
Restrooms:  Flush toilets with running water.
Accessibility:  82 sites are wheelchair accessible.

Planning a trip to Acadia can be overwhelming.

How do you make a solid plan if you’ve never been to the park before? How do you keep everyone in your group excited and engaged?

You can spend hours on the internet searching for things to do, but you still won’t find the insider tips and first-hand knowledge that I’ve gained from working as a park ranger.

If you’re hoping to see the best sights without getting stuck in traffic, circling parking lots, or being surrounded by people, check out this Acadia Itinerary.

You will see all of the can’t-miss spots, plus get lodging and dining guides, driving directions, and insider tips!

Now that you’ve seen your camping options, are you ready to make sure you don’t miss any of the best sights in the park?

Click NEXT to see the 10 things you can’t miss on your first visit!