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Acadia National Park Park Regulations
By following the regulations listed below, you can make your visit more enjoyable and help protect park resources. This is not an all-inclusive list of regulations.
Must be reported to park rangers if property damage or personal injury are involved.
Consuming alcohol in any public building, in parking lots and pull-outs, or on designated swim beaches is prohibited. It is illegal to be in the park when under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. The possession of alcoholic beverages by a minor (less than 21 years old) is prohibited.
All motorized vehicles are prohibited on park trails and carriage roads. All-terrain vehicles are not allowed anywhere in the park.
Bicycle use is permitted on paved roads, carriage roads on park property, parking areas, and other designated unpaved roads. See the Superintendent's Compendium for a full list of unpaved roads open to bicycles. Use and possession of bicycles is prohibited on all hiking trails and carriage roads located on private property.
Boating is permitted on most lakes and ponds in the park.
Camping is permitted only in designated campsites at Blackwoods, Seawall, and Duck Harbor (Isle au Haut) Campgrounds.
Feeding wildlife is prohibited. This includes gulls and any roadside begging animals. All stored foods must be in a hard-sided locker or vehicle, or kept in such a manner as to be inaccessible to foraging animals.
Contained charcoal and wood fires are prohibited except in provided fireplaces or receptacles or private grills in established campgrounds and picnic areas. Dead and down wood may be collected for campfires in the park provided that
1) wood is not collected from within the campground unless it is in park-provided wood piles and
2) chainsaws are not used to gather wood.
Must be unloaded and cased or otherwise packed in such a way as to prevent use.
The possession or use of fireworks or firecrackers is prohibited.
Permitted in accordance with State of Maine laws. A state license is required for freshwater fishing. Licenses may be obtained at town offices on Mount Desert Island. No license is needed for ocean fishing.
The use of horses and other pack animals is permitted on the following trails, routes and roads: Carriage roads, except as noted below. The Western Mountain Connector Trail, when the Western Mountain Road and Lurvey Spring Road are closed to motor vehicles. Motor vehicle roads when closed to motor vehicles. Established crosswalks. The following unpaved roads: Hio Fire Road, Man-O-War Brook Fire Road, Marshall Brook Fire Road, and Valley Cove Fire Road.
Other conditions concerning the use of horses and other pack animals: The Witch Hole Pond and Paradise Hill Loops of the carriage roads are closed to pack animals. The Eagle Lake Loop of the carriage road system is closed to pack animals except between junctions # 7 and # 8 as shown on the park's official Carriage Road Users Map. Pack animal use is specifically prohibited on hiking trails, off routes, and on motor roads when open to vehicular traffic. Pack animal use is permitted within the developed area of Wildwood Stables.
The park is open 24 hours a day. However, Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse closes to visitors and motor vehicles at dark, while Carroll Homestead, Lake Wood, and Thompson Island Picnic Area are closed to motor vehicles at dark.
Hunting and trapping are prohibited.
Use of in-line skates, skate boards, or similar skating or coasting devices is permitted only in paved sections of the campgrounds when closed to motor vehicles.
A number of islands in the park are closed at certain times of the year to protect nesting bird species. These areas include: Location of Closure Date of Closure Schoodic Island February 15and August 31 (Or until it is determined that nesting is not occurring on the island, as determined by the park wildlife biologist) Sheep Porcupine Island February 15and August 31 (Or until it is determined that nesting is not occurring on the island, as determined by the park wildlife biologist) Rolling Island February 15and August 31
February 15and August 31 Long Porcupine Island February 15and August 31 (Or until it is determined that nesting is not occurring on the island, as determined by the park wildlife biologist) Heron Island April 1and July 31 Bald Porcupine Island April 1and August 31 (Or until it is determined that nesting is not occurring on the island, as determined by the park wildlife biologist) Thrumcap Island April 1and August 31 (Or until it is determined that nesting is not occurring on the island, as determined by the park wildlife biologist)
Parking is limited to parking lots and paved pull-outs; the right lane of the Park Loop Road from Bear Brook Picnic Area to the Stanley Brook Road junction, unless otherwise posted; gravel pull-outs along the one-way sections of road; and the shoulders of the two-way section of the Park Loop Road, provided that the vehicle is parallel to the roadway and no closer than nine feet from the centerline, and the vehicle's wheels nearest to the centerline are no more than 3' off the pavement.
Pets should not be left unattended and must be leashed (six feet or less) or otherwise physically restrained at all times. Pets are allowed in all park locations except Wild Gardens of Acadia, Duck Harbor Campground (Isle au Haut), ladder trails, and inside public buildings, as well as Sand Beach and Echo Lake Beach from May 15 to October 15. It is requested that dogs are not brought on any ranger-led activities. Service dogs or sight-guiding dogs may accompany their owner to all park locations.
Picnicking is permitted parkwide, except in campgrounds where it is prohibited without a camping permit.
Permits are required for activities such as scientific research and collecting, commercial photography/filming, commercial tours and activities, etc. Please see the Superintendent's Compendium for a complete listing of activities and events requiring a permit.
The possession, injury, destruction, removal, or disturbance of park property or natural resources, including animals, plants, minerals, cultural, and archaeological objects is prohibited. This includes collecting rocks, cobbles, plants, marine organisms, other natural materials, and historic objects and artifacts. RVs: RVs are permitted in the park, but some areas are not accessible due to low bridge heights or limited turnaround space.
The following areas are closed as indicated:
Park Loop Road between Fabbri Picnic Area and Wildwoods Stables is closed to vehicles taller than 12' 0".
Park Loop Road between Sieur de Monts and the entrance station is closed to vehicles taller than 12' 2".
Stanley Brook Road is closed to vehicles taller than 10' 4".
Fish House Road, in Otter Cove, is closed to vehicles taller than 11' 6".
Duck Brook Road is closed to vehicles taller than 12' 4".
Operating vehicles on park roads in excess of 15 tons gross weight is prohibited. Service, emergency and contracting vehicles are exempt from this restriction with prior written permission from the superintendent.
RVs and buses are prohibited on Sargent Drive, posted by the Town of Mount Desert. The southern end of Schooner Head Road, also known as Great Head Road, between the Schooner Head Overlook intersection and Great Head Parking Lot is closed to vehicles longer than 20 feet and to trailers. Bass Harbor Head Road is closed to buses and RVs longer than 20 feet, and trailers. The size of recreational vehicles in Blackwoods and Seawall Campgrounds may not exceed 35' in length and 11' 8" in height. Extension pull-outs must fit within the site pads provided.
Federal law requires that seat belts are worn when driving or riding as a passenger in a national park.
Snowmobiles are permitted on the following routes: Park Loop Road and Cadillac Mountain Summit Road. Two segments of the carriage roads: The section 1.8 miles in length from the parking area at the north end of Eagle Lake down the east side of the lake to connection with the Park Loop Road at Bubble Pond. The section 0.6 miles in length from Wildwood Stable to connection with the Park Loop Road south of the entrance road to the Jordan Pond North Lot. Hio Fire Road from Seawall Campground north to State Route 102. The paved camper access roads within Seawall Campground. Marshall Brook Truck Road from Seal Cove Road to Marshall Brook. Seal Cove Road from park boundary in Southwest Harbor to State Route 102 in Seal Cove. Western Mountain Road from park boundary west of Worcester Landfill to Seal Cove Pond. The two crossroads connecting Western Mountain Road and Seal Cove Road. Long Pond Fire Road including Spur Road to Pine Hill. Lurvey Spring Road from junction with Long Pond Road in Southwest Harbor to intersection with Echo Lake Beach Road. The Echo Lake Entrance Road from State Route 102 to Echo Lake Beach Parking Area.
Maine ocean islands provide the only nesting sites for Atlantic puffins in the United States. Eastern Egg Rock in the midcoast region, Seal Island and Matinicus Rock at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, and Machias Seal Island and Petit Manan Island off the downeast coast provide habitat for more than 4,000 puffins each summer.