Top 10 Campgrounds to Book for Your Visit to Acadia National Park

Experience the rugged sea cliffs, unique landscapes, and endless beauty that Acadia National Park has to offer.

Adventure awaits anyone who visits Acadia National Park no matter the time of year. There are knee-wobbling hikes, gorgeous natural landmarks, and even some great trails for your dog. And there’s no better way to view these epic areas than by camping under the stars within the park’s boundaries.

There are four campgrounds within the park and dozens more just outside its borders. However, there are no backcountry/backpacking tent sites or overnight parking in Acadia. All the hiking trails within the Park are for day-use only which means trails will likely be crowded.

If you plan to stay at one of the campgrounds within the park’s boundaries, you can reserve a spot at Recreation.gov up to two months in advance. While you’re at it, grab an interagency pass so you don’t have to worry about parking during your visit.

1. Blackwoods Campground

Why you should camp here: easy access to most Acadia attractions.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, required
• Best season: Summer, early fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, and RV
• RV hookups: No

Blackwoods Campground is one of the four campgrounds located within Acadia’s boundaries and is notable for being more heavily wooded than the others. Every site is canopied by towering pine trees and is only a quick walk from the ocean.

There are 281 sites in total with only 60 of those set up for RVs. Although there are no RV hookups at the sites, there is a dump station and potable water to use. There are no first-come, first-serve sites so reservations are required.

Reserve here.

Related read: 8 Spectacular Glamping Spots Near Acadia National Park, Maine

2. Seawall Campground

Why you should camp here: ideal for exploring tidepools.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, required
• Best season: Summer, early fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, and RV
• RV hookups: No

Lying on the western side of Mount Desert Island, Seawall Campground offers 202 secluded sites. Just like Blackwoods Campground, Seawall only offers a dump station and potable water for RVs. Although the campground can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet, the roads around the campground are narrow and curvy so maneuvering them can be challenging.

This is also the quieter side of the national park, away from the crowds of Bar Harbor, so your surroundings are a bit more wild than other places. There are no first-come, first-serve sites so reservations are required.

Reserve here.

3. Schoodic Woods Campground

Why you should camp here: for privacy and a front-row seat to a less-visited part of the park.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, required
• Best season: Summer, early fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, RV
• RV hookups: Yes

Schoodic Woods Campground is the only spot visitors can camp on the Schoodic Peninsula. It’s the least-visited part of Acadia National Park, making it perfect for visitors who truly want to escape into nature. Just like many parts of the park on Mount Desert Island, the road around the Schoodic Peninsula is one-way.

If you only do one hike on Schoodic Peninsula, make sure it’s the one that goes up Schoodic Head. You can drive up it too if you’d rather have a quicker visit. Views of the surrounding ocean and forests meet you at the summit. There are no first-come, first-serve sites so reservations are required.

Reserve here.

4. Duck Harbor Campground

Why you should camp here: to escape the hordes of tourists that visit Acadia every year.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, required
• Best season: Summer, early fall
• Campsite type: Lean-to shelters
• RV hookups: No

If adventure and solitude are what you’re after, look no further than Duck Harbor Campground. It’s located on Isle au Haut, so you’ll have to take a boat to get there – this also means stunning ocean views and fewer crowds.

During the campground’s high season (mid-June to late September), the boat will travel directly to Duck Harbor. All other times require a four-mile hike into the lean-to sites. There are only five lean-to sites on the island which means you’ll virtually have the place to yourselves. There are no first-come, first-serve sites so reservations are required.

Reserve here.

5. Mount Desert Narrows Camping Resort

Why you should camp here: there are magic shows and ice cream socials.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, recommended
• Best season: Spring, summer, fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, and RV
• RV hookups: Yes

With well over 250 sites, you likely won’t have a hard time reserving a spot for you and your family at Mount Desert Narrows Campground. It’s a great option for families wanting unobstructed views of the ocean and enough amenities onsite to keep the kiddos entertained.

There is a clubhouse area, basketball court, game room, swimming pool, and playground. So when Acadia National Park gets to be too boring for your children, just head back to the campground for endless entertainment.

Reserve here.

Related read: Must-See Stops on a Boston to Bar Harbor Road Trip

6. Bar Harbor Campground

Why you should camp here: it’s the closest one to Bar Harbor.

• Reservations accepted: No
• Best season: Spring, summer, fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, and RV
• RV hookups: Yes

Anyone who has ever tried to drive through Bar Harbor on a summer day knows how traffic halts within the town’s limits. It can be a nightmare to get through.

Thankfully, if you choose to book at Bar Harbor Campground, there is a free shuttle during the high season that stops at the campground about 24 times a day. You won’t ever have to look for parking ever again. As previously stated, advanced reservations are not accepted. Only cash or check will be accepted as payment as well.

7. Acadia East Campground

Why you should camp here: feel like you’re roughing it without being too far from civilization.

• Reservations accepted: Yes
• Best season: Summer, early fall
• Campsite type: Tent
• RV hookups: No

If you’d like to stay away from RVers, glamping enthusiasts, and other like-minded folk, book a stay at Acadia East Campground.

Only tent sites are available at these rustic grounds and they all have at least a 50-foot walk from your car to the site. There is no drinkable water anywhere onsite so haul in your own and don’t expect any showers. Luckily, there is a restroom, though.

Reserve here.

Related read: Create a Whimsical Experience in These Maine Treehouse Rentals

8. HTR Acadia

Why you should camp here: you can camp right on the rocky cliffs.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, recommended
• Best season: Spring, summer, fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, RV, and cabin
• RV hookups: Yes

If you want fantastic ocean views – and tons of great amenities – then pop up your tent at HTR Acadia.

On top of the epic views, the campground has a heated pool, granite quarry, fire pits, fishing, paddle board rentals, and a boat dock. It’s kind of like combining a camping trip with the summer camp experience from your youth…all just a short drive (or paddle) away from the park.

Reserve here.

9. Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA Holiday

Why you should camp here: the most pet-friendly of campgrounds on the Island.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, recommended
• Best season: Spring, summer, fall
• Campsite type: Tent, camper, RV, and cabin
• RV hookups: Yes

A stay at Oceanside KOA Holiday Campground means you can hop on the free Island Explorer shuttle to get you to all the bigger attractions around the park and the town of Bar Harbor.

What’s even better, though, is how the campground makes both two-legged and four-legged companions feel at home. With an onsite dog park, your canine companion will love a stay at the KOA too. Plus, Acadia National Park is one of the most pet-friendly national parks in the nation – your pooch can even become a Bark Ranger.

Activities for the humans include gaga ball (think dodgeball but nicer), a fun train, basketball, horseshoes, corn hole, and a playground.

Reserve here.

Related read: 14 Best Hikes in Maine for Exploring the Great Outdoors

10. Mount Desert Campground

Why you should camp here: it has the best areas to explore without having to get into your car.

• Reservations accepted: Yes, recommended
• Best season: Spring, summer, fall
• Campsite type: Tent and campers
• RV hookups: Yes

Staying at Mount Desert Campground allows visitors to see a different side of Maine. The campground has a few islands that you can get to from the campground. Sheep Island is the largest of all of them, it used to be a private island but is now managed by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

You are allowed to visit it by rowing a small boat, kayak, or canoe to its beaches. One of the super secret tent sites (actually, just ask for site A13) has access to a small island. When low tide is at its peak, you can walk right on over to this small island to do some tide-pooling and exploring (just make sure you get back over before high tide rolls in otherwise you’ll be swimming).

Reserve here.

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