Acadia Park Loop Road Road Trip Guide
Start and end at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center near Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine. The visitor center is the standard access point and has the entrance pass station. · About 27 miles total including the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road and the Jordan Pond spur; the core one-way loop section is roughly 20 miles.
Route at a Glance
Distance
About 27 miles total including the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road and the Jordan Pond spur; the core one-way loop section is roughly 20 miles.
Drive time
Non-stop driving is about 1 hour, but plan a full day (6-8 hours) to use the pullouts, walk short trails, and stop at Jordan Pond and Cadillac Mountain.
Route
Start and end at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center near Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine. The visitor center is the standard access point and has the entrance pass station.
Which way to drive
Drive clockwise. The eastern section past Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliff is one-way southbound, so clockwise is the only legal way to follow the full loop.
About the Acadia Park Loop Road Drive
The Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park circles 27 miles around the eastern half of Mount Desert Island, Maine, connecting the park's major highlights in a single drive. The road is mostly one-way (clockwise), with the two-way section running between the Visitor Center and Jordan Pond. The ocean section along Ocean Drive passes Thunder Hole (a sea cave that booms at half-tide), Otter Cliff (a 110-foot granite wall dropping into the Atlantic, one of the highest headlands on the Eastern Seaboard), and Sand Beach (a rare pocket beach of crushed shell and quartz). The inland section passes Jordan Pond House (famous for popovers and tea since 1893) with views of the Bubbles — two symmetrical rounded mountains rising above the pond. A spur road climbs to the summit of Cadillac Mountain (1,530 feet), the highest point on the US Atlantic coast north of Rio de Janeiro.
Free Acadia Park Loop Road Audio Road Trip Guide with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free GPS audio guide for the Acadia Park Loop Road drive. Stories play automatically as you reach each stop — Cadillac Mountain summit (1,530 feet), Thunder Hole, Jordan Pond and the Bubbles — so you keep your eyes on the road. Works offline.
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Major Stops Along the Route
- 1Hulls Cove Visitor Center — Entrance point; show or buy the required park pass and pick up maps. Open roughly mid-April to late October.
- 2Sieur de Monts — Spring, the Wild Gardens of Acadia, and the Abbe Museum; start of the one-way section.
- 3Sand Beach — One of the few sand beaches on the island; water is cold and rarely tops the mid-50s F. Large lot fills by mid-morning in summer.
- 4Thunder Hole — Inlet where waves compress air and boom; loudest 1-2 hours before high tide. Stairs lead to a viewing platform.
- 5Otter Cliff — Roughly 110-foot granite sea cliff; a popular rock-climbing site overlooking the Atlantic.
- 6Jordan Pond — Clear glacial pond with a 3.3-mile shore loop trail and the Jordan Pond House restaurant, known for popovers.
- 7Cadillac Mountain Summit — 1,530 ft, the highest point on the U.S. North Atlantic coast. Summit Road needs a separate timed vehicle reservation from late May to mid-October.
Don't-Miss Sights Along Acadia Park Loop Road
- •Cadillac Mountain summit (1,530 feet) — the highest point on the North Atlantic coast, famous for being one of the first places in the US to see sunrise from October through March
- •Thunder Hole — a natural sea cave in the granite shoreline that creates a thundering boom and 40-foot spray when incoming waves hit at half-tide
- •Jordan Pond and the Bubbles — a crystal-clear glacial pond reflecting two symmetrical 800-foot domed mountains, with the historic Jordan Pond House serving popovers since 1893
- •Sand Beach — a 290-yard pocket beach of crushed shell and quartz fragments between granite headlands, with ocean water temperatures rarely exceeding 55°F
Best Viewpoints
- •Cadillac Mountain summit (sunrise; the first U.S. mainland spot to catch sunrise during fall and winter)
- •Otter Cliff overlook
- •Sand Beach overlook
- •Jordan Pond north end (view of the Bubbles)
- •Thunder Hole platform near high tide
Worthwhile Detours off Acadia Park Loop Road
- •Otter Cliff — a 110-foot granite cliff dropping straight into the Atlantic, one of the highest ocean headlands on the Eastern Seaboard and a world-class rock climbing destination
- •Carriage Roads — John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s network of 45 miles of broken-stone roads with 17 hand-cut granite bridges, closed to cars and open to bicycles, horses, and walkers
Fuel, Food & Services
No fuel stations on the loop itself; fill up in Bar Harbor before entering. On-route food is limited to the seasonal Jordan Pond House, so carry water and snacks. Restrooms are at the visitor center, Sand Beach, Jordan Pond, and the Cadillac summit.
Road Conditions
Two-lane paved road; the eastern section is one-way with parking allowed in the right lane. Speed limit is 25-35 mph. No tunnels or severe hairpins, but the Cadillac Summit Road is steep and winding. Cell coverage is spotty inside the park, especially on the western side and near Jordan Pond.
Best Season to Drive
Late May through mid-October. The road is typically closed to vehicles from December 1 to mid-April (open to walkers and cyclists when plowed). Foliage peaks in early-to-mid October; July and August are busiest, with lots filling by 9-10 a.m.
RVs & Trailers
RVs and trailers are not recommended; the one-way section's roadside parking and the narrow, steep Cadillac Summit Road are hard for large vehicles. Cadillac Summit Road prohibits vehicles over 21 feet and any towing. Use the seasonal, free Island Explorer shuttle if you have a large rig.
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