Camping in Acadia National Park
It’s time to go camping in Acadia National Park, Maine!
Located just 50 miles from Bangor, Maine and about 160 miles from Portland, Acadia National Park offers over 150 miles of trails for hiking and biking, 45 miles of carriage roads, and over 25 miles of historic motor roads!
It’s a dream destination as the oldest National Park on the East Coast and spans over 47K acres! The property includes Mount Desert Island, Isle Au Haut, and the Schoodic Peninsula.
Sometimes referred to as the ‘Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast’, Acadia National Park is home to one of the best outdoor playgrounds the US has to offer. Open year-round, you can plan your visit around a summer road trip, fall leave change, winter ski trip, or spring break!
As one of the top 10 most visited National Parks, Acadia has over 3.5 million visitors each year.
Camping in Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park offers a variety of scenic terrain from mountains and forests to wetlands and beaches! Whether your trip lasts 1 night or 1 week, you’ll find much to do in the nearby towns, especially Bar Harbor!
The area offers both private campgrounds and ones located directly inside Acadia National Park making it easy for travelers looking for an overnight campsite!
In this post, we’ll cover camping in Acadia National Park as well as private campgrounds nearby.
Let’s get started-
Acadia National Park Campgrounds
Acadia National Park offers 3 main camping areas, in addition to five lean-to shelters on Isle Au Haut.
There are two campgrounds on Mount Desert Island and one campground on the Schoodic Peninsula. Depending on your needs for your trip, you might want to choose to stay in one campground over the others, as they offer different amenities and sites.
Blackwoods Campground Acadia
Located just 5 miles south of Bar Harbor inside Acadia National Park [Maine] with reasonably cheap camping fees. Grab a tent or RV site for $30 or a group tent site for $60 and bring some friends along.
Non-electric RV sites are also available for only $30 a night. Running water, flush toilets, and a dump station are all available at the campgrounds.
Make sure you plan accordingly, as only one vehicle is allowed to park at each campsite, so prepare to use the overflow parking areas and shuttle your group back and forth if needed.
Just a 10 minute walk to the beach, Blackwoods Campground offers tourists a ticket to explore Maine’s coast, beautiful scenery, and a variety of recreational activities. Choose to bike, hike or catch the Island Explorer Shuttle to take you around for FREE.
Blackwood is open from May to October with gates closing for the winter.
Mid-June through mid-October is the prime season for this Acadia campground, so please be sure to make a reservation using the online reservation site. Sites are made available in the online reservation system on a 2-month rolling basis, so you can plan ahead! There are no walk-up sites, reservations are required.
Blackwoods Campground Reservations
Seawall Campground
18 miles from the quaint town of Bar Harbor inside Acadia National Park, Seawall offers small and large tent sites as well as RV camping for rigs up to 35 ft. Located on the western side of Mount Desert Island, you’ll enjoy the best of Acadia with options for hiking, biking, historic sites, canoeing, and beautiful scenery!
All campsites are within a 10-minute walk to the ocean, which is a wonderful stroll to enjoy. Sites are wooded and do not provide electric service. There is an on-site dump station and dishwashing station for your use during your visit. And although there are no shower facilities located onsite, if you need a bathhouse, there is a fee-based shower facility located just 1 mile from the campground along with a small camping store for supplies!
Site fees range from $22 for a walk-in tent site, to $30 for a drive-in tent or RV site. To book a site for your RV, it must meet the size restrictions since navigating is an issue. Group tent sites are also available for $60 each.
Seawall does have a Ranger Station and on-site staff available from 9am-8pm. They also offer interpretive programs; which we definitely suggest you consider attending!
The Acadia’s Island Explorer shuttle bus offers FREE shuttle service for travelers back and forth from the park to local destinations, attractions, events, and the regional airport. Shuttle service is only available from late June through mid-October.
The park itself is open from late May to October and offers reservations on a 2-month rolling basis so book in advance!
Beware: Navigating and maneuvering RVs inside this campground is not the easiest. In fact, let it be known this campground is not big rig friendly and driving inside can be difficult.
Seawall Campground Reservations
Schoodic Woods Campground
Located on the Schoodic Peninsula, inside beautiful Acadia National Park [Maine], the Schoodic Woods Campground offers a 100% wooded campsite just a short walk from the beach!
With the ability to host large and small RVs and campers as well as the traditional tent camper, this campground does not disappoint. All sites, with the exception of group and hike-in tent sites, have electricity for campers to use during their stay. Some drive-in tent sites and small RVs have 20 amp services, while other sites have 20/30/50 amp. If you grab a site inside the ‘B-loop’ you’ll also have access to water during your stay.
Nightly rates for Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia National Park are:
- Group tent sites- $60
- RV with water and electric (20/30/50 amp)- $40
- RV with electric only (20/30/50 amp)- $36
- Drive-up tent/small RV (20 amp)- $30
- Hike-in tent sites (primitive)- $22
Discounts are available for Senior and Access pass holders.
The campground offers flush toilets, potable water, and a dump station! Sites are made available on a 2-month rolling term, so booking in advance is highly recommended for this popular Acadia campground.
The Acadia’s Island Explorer shuttle bus also offers FREE shuttle service for travelers back and forth from this park to local destinations and attractions. Shuttle service is only available from late June through mid-October.
This campground does not have a shower house for campers to use. A fee-based facility is located nearby in the town of Winter Harbor, along with a laundry mat and grocery store.
Enjoy almost 10 miles of hiking and biking paths, and amazing views, as well as a 6-mile one-way loop offering fantastic views of lighthouses, islands, and picturesque scenery. If you take the loop, don’t forget your camera, because vehicle turnouts are provided along the route for you to stop and take in the views!
Schoodic Woods Campground Reservations
Acadia National Park Camping: Private Campgrounds
Acadia East Campground
https://acadiaeastcampground.com/
A rustic peaceful campground surrounded by tall trees, Acadia East is a tent and hammocks-only campground that urges you to experience traditional camping! Reservations and check-in are all self-serve, meaning you book online and check yourself in!
Perfect for couples, kids, families, and solo campers, this campground is also dog friendly so make sure to bring your furry friend along!
They provide trails and a single restroom. But don’t worry about where to take showers or do laundry because there’s a laundry mat and hot showers available just 10 minutes away at the Schoodic Marine Center!
This park includes
- Tent sites
- Restroom
- Dog off-leash allowed
Bar Harbor Campground
www.thebarharborcampground.com
This family-friendly campground has a beautiful ocean view, clean bathrooms, hot showers, a heated pool, a playground, and more!
They have affordable prices and are the closest campground near the town of Bar Harbor. Enjoy camping in Acadia National Park at this campground in either a tent or RV!
They also have paved roads so you can bring your bike, skateboard, roller skates, or scooter along and have a blast on smooth terrain!
Just remember, reservations are not allowed here and everything is on a first come first serve basis. This park also does not accept credit cards as payment.
This park includes:
- RV sites
- Tent sites
- Heated pool
- Hot showers
- Restrooms
- Playground
Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA
www.koa.com/campgrounds/bar-harbor-oceanside
Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA is a beautifully put together campground, with deluxe cabins, a laundromat, restrooms, showers, a swimming pool, playgrounds, and much more!
The only campground on the west side of the island, Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA has an amazing ocean view and a snack bar. Perfect for families with kids, couples, and singer campers. If you do decide to stop by make sure you ask about discounted tour tickets!
This park includes:
- Cabins
- RV sites
- Tent sites
- Swimming pool
- Playground
- Snack bar
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Laundromat
Bass Harbor Campground
A calm, shaded, wooded spruce and birch forest campground with trails, tide pools, and naturalist activities included.
This campground allows tents, RVs, pop-ups, cabins, and yurts! Great for families since they offer a playground and separate adult/children swimming pools.
They have hot showers, a dog park, cable tv, a camp store/gift shop, on-site laundry room, and more. If you do end up coming remember this is a dog-friendly campground so bring your pup along with you!
This park includes:
- Showers
- Restrooms
- Dog park
- Cabins
- Yurts
- Rv sites
- Tent sites
- Playground
- Heated pool
- Laundry mat
Flanders Bay Cabins & Mountainview Campground
Located within a short drive of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, this pet-friendly rental property is perfect for couples and small families!
Stay in a cute cabin and enjoy mountain or ocean views! Every stay at Flanders Bay is a perfect opportunity to relax. Make a trip of it and go for a nice stroll and explore the quiet, beautiful shoreline or rocky terrain!
- Cabins
- Pet-friendly
- Full Kitchen
- Bathrooms
Hadley’s Point Campground
Hadley’s Point Campground is a quiet, grassy, partly wooded campground that offers a 5-minute work to a public saltwater beach!
Each campsite has their own fireplace and picnic tables and the cabins are tucked away in the woods. Good for families and couples, there’s something at the park for everyone from basketball, shuffleboard, a playground, a swimming pool, and even on-site honey wagon service!
This park includes:
- Cabins
- Tent sites
- Playground
- Swimming pool
- Basketball
- Shuffleboard
- Coin-operated laundry
Mount Desert Campground
Enjoy a unique campground on Mount Desert Island with both waterfront and wooded sites available to rent. Just minutes from Bar Harbor, the Mount Desert Campground is your ticket to camping in Acadia National Park!
Biking, hiking, and kayaking are some favorite ways to spend the days for tourists and locals. If you plan to go kayaking, you actually just rent one from the campground along with canoes and stand-up paddle boards!
Be aware that pets are not allowed during peak season.
This park includes:
- Small RV sites
- Tent sites
- Kayaks for rent
- Picnic tables and firepits at each site
- Ice cream parlor
- Saltwater fishing
Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort
www.barharborcampingresorts.com
Desert Narrows Camping Resort is a big campground where you can spend your hours canoeing or kayaking on the beautiful quiet river! They also offer whale watching, biking, and lighthouse tours, and you can even go into town and experience even more, like quaint antique shops and even art galleries!
They allow tents, RVs, and even have some cabins! They have volleyball, a swimming pool, a clubhouse, and basketball, as well as a kid’s playground and game room! Check the activity schedule to see what’s in store for your visit!
This park includes:
- Cabins
- RV sites
- Tent sites
- Biking
- Laundry
- Store
- Game room
Want to camp here for FREE? This campground is part of the Thousand Trails/Encore Membership! Get more information about a camping pass and save on your next trip!
Narrows Too Camping Resort
www.barharborcampingresorts.com
This resort is a Thousand Trails campground with ocean-view RV sites! It’s also pet friendly so feel free to bring your fur babies along if you decide to go camping near Acadia National Park!
This campground’s amenities include a swimming pool, wifi, store, laundry, a clubhouse, picnic/BBQ area, restroom, shower, and a dog park. There are also hiking trails you can take, that dogs, both big and small would love!
This park includes
- RV sites
- Tent sites
- Cabins
- Laundry
- Clubhouse
- Heated pool
- Wi-Fi
- Dog park
Want to camp here for FREE? This campground is part of the Thousand Trails/Encore Membership as well! Get more information about a camping pass and save on your next trip!
Quietside Campground & Cabins
Quietside Campground offers 30+ wooded sites in a rustic campground setting! With RV sites, tent sites, and 6 log cabins (with electricity) and 2 rustic cabins (without electricity) to rent, they’re a small campground in Acadia that offers a little something for everyone!
RV sites are basic in amenities, offering water and electric service, while tent sites offer a tent platform. Firepits and picnic tables are included in each site, and they have 2 full-service bathhouses on-site for your use!
This park includes:
- Cabins
- Tent sites
- RV sites
- Bathrooms
- 30 amp services available
Smugglers Den Campground:
www.smugglersdencampground.com
Smugglers Den Campground – partly wooded RV park with a big children’s playground, swimming pool, laundromat, basketball court, restroom area, horseshoes, and more!
Good for families and friends, this Acadia campground offers over 100 RV sites, RV rentals, tent sites, cabins, and vacation rentals combined!
A short walk to many of Acadia’s hiking trails and just a short drive to many of the island’s best attractions, after a day or so- you might feel like you’ve done it all!
Visit the Echo Lake Beach or Sand Beach! Grab tickets to a local event, or just hand out and make new memories!
This park includes:
- Cabins
- RV sites
- Tent sites
- Restrooms
- Laundromat
- Swimming pool
- Basketball court
- Horseshoes
- Playground
- Trails
- Mini beach
Somes Sound View Campground
A very wooded campground located by the Atlantic Ocean, offering woods, mountains, and ocean. You can either set up camp on an RV site, a tent site with a platform, or just rent a cabin! Each site includes a fire ring and picnic table!
Located on the same property that holds a granite quarry, this campground offers travelers a place to go camping in Acadia with a rich history!
It has a heated pool, a playground for kids, kayak rentals, free paddle boarding in the quarry, boar mooring rentals, boat dock/launch, and much more! They are also dog friendly so make sure to bring your dogs with you!
This park includes:
- Cabins
- RV sites
- Tent sites
- Heated pool
- Bathhouse
- Playground
- Paddle boats
- Kayak rental
- Porta potties
- Dog friendly
Wow! We’ve covered a lot!
By now you’re well aware that camping in Acadia National Park offers so many options! There are just too many to name them all, but our hope is that we’ve covered the best options for your next trip.
From tent and hammock camping to RVs, you can choose a privately owned park or a campground inside the National Park.
Whatever you decide, make sure you use those 2-month reservation windows to book early and get a spot during the prime season!
