Do I need a reservation for Acadia?

No. Nothing is required to enter Acadia National Park itself in 2026, but parts of the park are booked separately: Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation from May 20, 2026 to Oct 25, 2026, between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. It applies to Cadillac Summit Road — the 3.5-mile road from the Park Loop Road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Vehicle reservations are not required for any other areas of the park, or for visitors who enter the area by foot, bike, or taxi. You still pay the entrance fee ($35 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.

Is there an entrance fee at Acadia?

Yes. A private vehicle pass is $35 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Acadia reservations & entry requirements, 2026

The 2026 season at Acadia

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation applies during part of 2026.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

Park entrance
Required
You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
- Private vehicle: $35, valid for 7 days.
- Motorcycle: $30.
- Per person on foot or bicycle: $20.
- An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
- The entrance pass is a separate purchase from the $6 Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation — you need BOTH to drive up Cadillac. The $70 Acadia Annual Pass is park-specific, not the interagency America the Beautiful pass. Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person on top of the standard entrance fee, unless they are admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass.
Timed entry
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- No timed entry or reservation is needed for the rest of Acadia — only Cadillac Summit Road. The single exception is the Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation, covered by its own rule. An entrance pass is still required everywhere.
Vehicle, road, or corridor
Required on some dates
Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation applies during part of 2026.
- Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation
  Dates
  May 20, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026
  Hours
  4 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  Fee
  $6
  Opens
  Rolling window · 10 a.m. Eastern Time
  Applies to Cadillac Summit Road — the 3.5-mile road from the Park Loop Road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain
  - "Vehicle reservations cost $6." This is per vehicle and is IN ADDITION to the park entrance fee — "Visitors must have a park entrance pass to enter the park in addition to purchasing a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road." An America the Beautiful pass does not cover the $6.
  - SUNRISE reservation windows by date: May 20-July 4 am to 5:30 am; August 4:30 am to 6 am; September 5 am to 6:30 am; Oct 1-15 5:30 am to 7 am; Oct 16-25 6 am to 7:30 am.
  - DAYTIME reservation windows by date: May 20-July 6 am to 8 pm; August 6:30 am to 7:30 pm; Sept 1-15 7 am to 7 pm; Sept 16-30 7 am to 6:30 pm; Oct 1-15 7:30 am to 6 pm; Oct 16-25 8 am to 5:30 pm.
  - The daily hours recorded on this rule are the widest envelope (the May 20 - July window, 04:00 to 20:00); use the per-period lists above for exact dates.
  - "Vehicle reservations provide a timed entry, but do not require a departure time until 9 pm, when the road closes to vehicles.".
  - "Vehicle reservations are not required for any other areas of the park, or for visitors who enter the area by foot, bike, or taxi.".
  - RVs and trailers are prohibited on Cadillac Summit Road.
  - A printed or saved digital QR code is scanned at the check station; the check station operates May 20 - Oct 25.
  - An Acadia campground reservation (Blackwoods, Seawall, Schoodic Woods, Duck Harbor) does NOT include or exempt the Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation. The NPS vehicle reservation page lists exactly three exemptions — entering the area by foot, by bike, or by taxi — and says nothing about campers or lodging guests. Campers must buy the $6 reservation like anyone else.
- Park Loop Road and Acadia's other paved: The dates on this rule record the OPEN window as printed by NPS, not the closure.
Book on recreation.gov(opens in a new tab)
Shuttle
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Island Explorer shuttle — free, optional, and it does NOT go to the Cadillac summit. "Island Explorer buses do not serve the summit of Cadillac Mountain." Riding the bus is NOT a way around the Cadillac vehicle reservation. "Visitors who ride the bus to enter the park are required to have an entrance pass." No ticket or reservation is needed — it is fare-free.
Your campground or lodging
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Blackwoods, Seawall and Schoodic Woods campground reservations — monthly six-month release. Ten percent of sites are not covered by the monthly bulk release; the NPS page does not explain how that remainder is distributed. Per-campground 2026 opening dates and nightly rates are not available from the NPS camping page, so they are not listed here.
- Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut — whole season released on one date. Reached only by mailboat from Stonington; the boat is a separate booking not covered by NPS. Unlike the mainland campgrounds this is a single fixed-date drop, not a rolling release.
Selected activity
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Special use, research and Otter Cliffs group climbing permits. None of these apply to an ordinary day visitor. Individual hiking, sightseeing and recreational climbing need no permit. Park-wide for special use and research; Otter Cliffs for organized group climbing

Fees and passes

Entrance fee rates at Acadia National Park
Private vehicle	$35
Motorcycle	$30
Per person, on foot or bicycle	$20
Valid for	7 days
Park annual pass	$70

The entrance pass is a separate purchase from the $6 Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation — you need BOTH to drive up Cadillac. The $70 Acadia Annual Pass is park-specific, not the interagency America the Beautiful pass. Non-U.S. residents aged 16 and over pay an additional $100 per person on top of the standard entrance fee, unless they are admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

A pass covers the entrance fee only. It does not include the $6 Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation — the park states it both ways: you need an entrance pass IN ADDITION TO the reservation. A fee-free day waives the entrance fee, not the Cadillac reservation. An Annual or America the Beautiful pass waives the $100 per-person non-U.S.-resident fee. From 2026 the servicewide fee-free days apply to U.S. residents only.

Fee-free days

Feb 16, 2026
May 25, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
Jul 3, 2026
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
Aug 25, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it, plus the $100 nonresident fee where it applies. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

Cadillac Summit Road — the 3.5-mile road from the Park Loop Road to the summit of Cadillac MountainCadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation · May 20, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026
Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula and Isle au Haut portions of the parkAcadia entrance pass · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservationNot covered by an in-park booking. An Acadia campground reservation (Blackwoods, Seawall, Schoodic Woods, Duck Harbor) does NOT include or exempt the Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation. The NPS vehicle reservation page lists exactly three exemptions — entering the area by foot, by bike, or by taxi — and says nothing about campers or lodging guests. Campers must buy the $6 reservation like anyone else.
Acadia entrance passNot covered by an in-park booking. A campground reservation does not include the entrance fee.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Acadia?: No. Nothing is required to enter Acadia National Park itself in 2026, but parts of the park are booked separately: Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation from May 20, 2026 to Oct 25, 2026, between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. It applies to Cadillac Summit Road — the 3.5-mile road from the Park Loop Road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Vehicle reservations are not required for any other areas of the park, or for visitors who enter the area by foot, bike, or taxi. You still pay the entrance fee ($35 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Acadia?: Yes. A private vehicle pass is $35 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservationReleased on a rolling window. Release time: 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Two release blocks, both at 10 am Eastern: 30 percent of Sunrise and Daytime vehicle reservations go on sale 90 days in advance, and the remaining 70 percent go on sale two days in advance of the reservation date. So the great majority of inventory drops 48 hours out, not months out.
Acadia entrance passSold at the park and online at Recreation.gov; no advance window.

Official booking and park information

Book Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservationrecreation.gov(opens in a new tab)$6 reservation fee
Official park alerts and conditionsnps.gov(opens in a new tab)Alerts override anything on this page.
Official fees and passesnps.gov(opens in a new tab)

What this does not cover

Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.
Individual campsite and lodge availability, which is handled by the booking system.

Effective dates and sources

Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-30 · applies to Park entranceFee table read 2026-07-30: "Private Vehicle: $35.00" valid for "seven days"; "Motorcycle: $30.00" valid for "7 days"; "Per Person: $20.00" valid for "seven days"; Acadia Annual Pass "$70.00". Same page: "Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Acadia National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless they are admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass."
Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation"Vehicle reservations are required for Cadillac Summit Road from Wed May 20 through Sun Oct 25, 2026." "Vehicle reservations cost $6." "30 percent ... at 10 am (ET) 90 days in advance"; "70 percent ... at 10 am (ET) two days in advance of the reservation date."
Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No timed entry or reservation is needed"Vehicle reservations are not required for any other areas of the park, or for visitors who enter the area by foot, bike, or taxi."
Fees & Passes - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-30 · applies to Acadia entrance pass"Private Vehicle: $35.00" valid for "seven days"; "Motorcycle: $30.00"; "Per Person: $20.00"; Acadia Annual Pass "$70.00". Same page: "Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Acadia National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless they are admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass."
Island Explorer - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Island Explorer shuttle"Island Explorer is a fare-free, propane-powered bus service"; "Island Explorer buses do not serve the summit of Cadillac Mountain."; "Visitors who ride the bus to enter the park are required to have an entrance pass."
Operating Hours & Seasons - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park Loop Road and Acadia's other paved2026 seasons table: "Park Loop Road & Paved Roads: Apr 15 - Dec 1"; "Unpaved Roads: May 15 - Nov 15"; "Schoodic Loop & Point Road: Year-round"; "Cadillac Mountain Vehicle Reservation Check Station: May 20 - Oct 25".
Camping - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Blackwoods, Seawall and Schoodic Woods campground"For Blackwoods, Seawall and Schoodic Woods campgrounds, starting on Dec 1, 90 percent of campsites are released six months in advance on the first of each month at 10 am EST."
Camping - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut"For Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut, all reservations will be released at 10 am April 1 for the entire season." Season dates from hours.htm: "Duck Harbor, Isle au Haut Campground: June 17 - Oct 5".
Permits & Reservations - Acadia National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Special use, research and Otter Cliffs group"You may require a special permit for some events in Acadia." "To do research in the park, you must apply for a research permit through the Research Permit and Reporting System." "Organized groups climbing at Otter Cliffs may need an advance permit."

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-30

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Acadia, not by editorial preference.

Acadia National Park entry requirements