Park Loop Road
Park Loop Road
4.5
About
A major national park in Maine where the attractions and sights are well known along the 20-mile Park Loop Road.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Park Loop Road and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
3 within 5 kms
Attractions
73 within 10 kms
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,615 reviews
Excellent
1,269
Very good
270
Average
65
Poor
9
Terrible
2
S4136XSdavidb
Texas459 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Don't know how you could visit Acadia Natl Park without driving on this road. Lots of things to see, well-marked. Will intersect with hiking trails and the famous "carriage" roads. The haert of the National Park.
Written 6 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TaurusMom
Iowa629 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We got on the Park Loop Road by accident. It was fine, we were not in a rush, but you are "stuck on it" since it's a one-way road. I should have planned better, but again, it wasn't a problem for us.
Written 28 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Irishlazz
Barre, VT379 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Love just about everything about Acadia, loop road included. Was happy to not encounter people going the wrong way (we did last year, twice!). Am very disappointed in the timed reservation system setup for the road up to the summit of Mt Cadillac. There MUST be a better way... Also - a nightmare finding parking for the Jordan Pond area trails.
Written 6 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sanju_222323
New Jersey14,124 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
Park Loop Road is a 27-mile loop through Mount Desert Island. If you’re short on time (like us), you can still enjoy the scenery of Acadia National Park from the comfort of your car. Acadia’s Park Loop Road follows 27 miles on a paved highway passing some of the best attractions in the park.
Along the way, you’ll see lakes, mountains, rocky coasts, and forests. Some of the notable stops are:
Sand Beach
Thunder Hole
Otter Cliff
Jordan Pond
Cadillac Mountain
All vehicles must display a park entrance pass so it is clearly visible through the front windshield.
IMP: Starting in Bar Harbor, drive the Park Loop Road clockwise. as you drive along the shore, you will pass the trailheads for the Precipice Trail and the Beehive Trail, and then come to Sand Beach, Ocean Path, and Thunder Hole. Park Loop Road continues around Otter Point and then heads inland towards Jordan Pond. As you head north, you will pass the turn off to Cadillac Mountain and then arrive back at Bar Harbor.
Along the way, you’ll see lakes, mountains, rocky coasts, and forests. Some of the notable stops are:
Sand Beach
Thunder Hole
Otter Cliff
Jordan Pond
Cadillac Mountain
All vehicles must display a park entrance pass so it is clearly visible through the front windshield.
IMP: Starting in Bar Harbor, drive the Park Loop Road clockwise. as you drive along the shore, you will pass the trailheads for the Precipice Trail and the Beehive Trail, and then come to Sand Beach, Ocean Path, and Thunder Hole. Park Loop Road continues around Otter Point and then heads inland towards Jordan Pond. As you head north, you will pass the turn off to Cadillac Mountain and then arrive back at Bar Harbor.
Written 4 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingBum10
United States2,702 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
This loop takes you around the entire park. You can stop in different overlooks and areas where there are things to see or places to go hiking. With stops it took us around 3 hrs.
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ELKW
United States11,862 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
drive through this road seems to be the most popular task in the Acadia NP, you have several points to stop, including some overlooks, and some attractions such as Thunder Hole, the time we went there is not too crowed (late morning to afternoon), we can find parking space except at the Sand beach, but you can park along the road, then walk for a while to the sand beach.
Written 6 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott F
Warsaw, VA18 contributions
Jun 2023
We knew in advance we were only going to spend a day in Acadia so the audio rental was a great way to learn of the cultural/natural history of the park. It was nice to go at our own pace and stop at trail heads to incorporate hikes of our choosing.
Written 26 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jane K
Eighty Four, PA31 contributions
May 2023
Drove the loop road, lots of different views of the rocky coast and ocean. Stopped at the high tourist spots.
Written 24 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen V
3 contributions
Nov 2022
Great views along the road, especially when passing the ocean. However, the NPS closes the road, except for 2 small parts, from 12/1-4/15 every year. Many National Parks remain open all year and only close the roads during inclement weather. With over 4 million people visiting Acadia now, you'd think they could afford to leave this road open all year...
Written 12 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VacationAdam
Springfield, OH147 contributions
Sep 2022
This loop takes you around to some amazing views and interesting points along the park. You can see so much of it especially if you buy the self guided driving tour..
Written 10 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Road557502
4 contributions
Does the Loop Road provide an exit if one does not want to drive to the top of the mountain?
redeco
Warren, MA9,464 contributions
Right...you can drive around the Loop Road without going up to the top of the mountain. Lovely drive.
Randall
MLucat
Lake Katrine, NY2 contributions
Camping Spots? In or near Acadia
Which are the most beautiful camping spots to look at?
Family of 4 with two teenagers...
Thank!
Donna E
Coopersburg, PA205 contributions
We did not camp so I'm not sure where to find a campsite. I know there are quite a few right outside the park but not sure about inside the park
Hgtravl
Marlton, NJ1,651 contributions
Can you do this in early Nov??
redeco
Warren, MA9,464 contributions
Here's what the website says:
Operating Hours/Seasons. Acadia National Park is open all year long. ... The Park Visitor Center, museums, picnic areas, Seawall Campground, and many of the roads close during the winter. The road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, as well as most of the Park Loop Road, closes from December 1 through April 14.
So, it looks like November is ok.
Randall
Karl-2013
Johns Creek, GA7 contributions
Is there a digital download or USB version available?
ppettyHtown
Houston, TX283 contributions
Of what exactly are you referring? Hi to the National Parks website to check.
Deborah E
9 contributions
How much time do you need to do the loop with stops?
Ron C
Taunton, MA97 contributions
3-4 hours is a good number, depending of course on any short trips off road or meeting fun and interesting folks! There are seasonal times in the Summer where the traffic gets tough and May or September is always a target for my travels.
Steven S
Minneapolis, MN1,012 contributions
Would it be better to pay for a tour or drive loop road yourself in June? I heard there can be a lot of traffic. We will be there June 12 this year which is a Wednesday.
Seth M
Barre, VT225 contributions
There can be a lot of traffic, but I imagine that it wouldn't be so bad in early June. Even if there is traffic I suggest driving the road yourself. There are so many places to stop and pull over that people are able to do their own thing. That not only allows you to personalize your stops, it also means there is an ebb and flow in the traffic. I also think it gives you a better idea of where things are at so you can choose destinations you want to return to. We did the Park Loop Road on the first day of our stay and that really helped us get a feel for the place and help us understand the maps and relative locations of places as well.
Netter333
Atlanta, GA4 contributions
Are there any opportunities to see a Lighthouse from these trails that are on the "Park Loop Road"?
Seth M
Barre, VT225 contributions
There weren’t any lighthouses visible from the trails I went on. There is a nice lighthouse on the southern part of the western half (quiet side) portion of the island. I also think there are some boat tours you can take to access lighthouse views.
125amylovestotravel
Ann Arbor, MI2 contributions
Beth, how did your fourth grader get you in free? I have a fourth grader and we are soon traveling to Maine. Thank you
highest_expectations
Towson, MD13 contributions
We are heading there in a week, have fun! I just tried to post the link, but trip advisor won't allow it. Type in Every Kid in a Park and it will get you there. All you will do is print off a pass and it will cover your entire family. You either carry the pass with you, or stick it on your dashboard.
Boli X
2 contributions
Is the only entrance of the Park Loop Road at the visitor center near Bar Harbor? We will stay near northeast harbor and hope to enter the road from around Jordan Pond. Thx!
smithez
Oxford, PA36 contributions
No, you can access loop road from several spots on the island. Jordan Pond is off of Park Loop Rd.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingPark Loop Road (Acadia National Park) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Park Loop Road
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Park Loop Road:
- 4 Hour Private Tour: Acadia National Park, Cadillac Summit & Somes Sound (From ₹ 58,323.61)
- 3 Hour Private Tour: Acadia National Park, Cadillac Summit & Park Loop Road (From ₹ 49,991.67)
- 6 Hour Private Tour: Acadia, Cadillac Summit, Somes Sound & Lobster Pound (From ₹ 70,821.53)
- Ultimate Acadia National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour (From ₹ 1,248.96)
- Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor Self-Guided Driving & Walking Tour (From ₹ 2,082.15)
- Hotels near Park Loop Road:
- (1.19 km) Blackwoods Campground
- (8.36 km) Sand Bar Cottage
- (7.86 km) Atlantean Cottage
- (8.01 km) Bar Harbor Manor
- (8.38 km) Saltair Inn Waterfront B&B
- Restaurants near Park Loop Road:
- (1.34 km) Burning Tree
- (8.08 km) Thrive Juice Bar & Kitchen
- (8.24 km) The Stadium
- (7.95 km) Cafe This Way
- (8.06 km) Mount Desert Island Ice Cream