Can you drive through Acadia National Park?

Acadia National Park is known for its hikes, its landscapes, and its peacefulness. But what about driving? Is it a viable way to visit Acadia National Par? This is what this article is about. In this article, you will learn everything about using your car in the area. So, can you drive through Acadia National Park?

You can totally drive through Acadia National Park thanks to the loop road. That will cost you $25 per vehicle because you need to pay the entrance fee to the park. You should stop at Thunder Hole, Gorham Mountain, Bass Harbor Light House, Jordan Pond, Penobscot Mountain, and Bubble Rock.

How long does it take to drive the Acadia National Park Loop Road?

As mentioned just before, there is a loop road to visit Acadia National Park by car. So, just like in Badlands National Park, or Glacier National Park, you can enjoy most of the landscapes from your seat. But how long will it take? This is a great question if you want to plan your day beforehand. How long does it take to drive Acadia National Park Loop Road?

Acadia National Park Loop Road is 27-mile long. So, at a pace of 30 mph, it would take only an hour to drive the whole Loop Road. However, it is recommended to stop at several points. With those stops included, the Acadia National Park Loop Road can take up to four hours to drive.

It’s not because you can enjoy most of the landscapes from your vehicle that you should rush the Loop Road in an hour! Maine’s landscapes are beautiful, and the ones in Acadia National Park are among the best of them. The landscapes look a bit like the ones you can find in the Adirondacks, with the colorful trees during the fall season, but also with the Washington State vibe that you can also find on Vancouver Island or Cape Breton Island.

Where should you stop on Acadia National Park Loop Road?

To experience Acadia National Park the best way possible, you should stop at several points. Some of those stops are short ones to enjoy a quick view, whereas others are long ones to hike for instance. I will detail them for you right now. So, where should you stop on Acadia National Park Loop Road?

• Thunder Hole
• Gorham Mountain
• Bass Harbor Light House
• Jordan Pond
• Penobscot Mountain
• Bubble Rock

Thunder Hole

This is a place where you should bring your children if you are on a family trip to Acadia National Park. There, waves crush between rocks, creating huge waves. Of course, you should make sure to keep your children safe, because waves can get very impressive.

Gorham Mountain

Located next to Thunder Hole, Gorham Mountain is also a great place for family trips in the park because it is an easy hike. Gorham Mountain is just above 500 feet high, but it offers great views of the area.

Bass Harbor Light House

Bass Harbor Light House is a great place to visit if you also want to see some buildings along the road. It was built in 1876 for only $5,000. Its iconic red light is definitely something you should check out.

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond is a 100 feet-deep lake (in the middle). It looks like a lake you could find in the Adirondacks, with a lot of evergreen trees along the coastline. You can also paddle in Jordan Pond when the weather is great.

Penobscot Mountain

Penobscot Mountain is not the easiest to reach in the park. To get to the summit, you should park your car at the Jordan Pond car park, and then hike. This hike is not for everyone because the trail is not well maintained and because it can be a bit accidental.

Bubble Rock

However, Bubble Rock is much easier to see. It is a simple half a mile hike on the Bubbles Trail. There is a special car park for it so you should not have trouble parking your car here (which is not true for every parking lot of the national park).

Now if you want more inspiration about destinations to visit in Acadia National Park, you should definitely watch the following video.

The final question is, will that be worth it for you? Of course, there are lots of great places in Acadia National Park, just like in every national park, like Yosemite, Death Valley, Denali, Grand Canyon, or Arches National Park. But Maine is not that easy to access! So, to know if Acadia National Park is worth visiting or not, we need to talk about money.

How much does it cost to drive the Acadia National Park Loop Road?

When it comes to the prices in national parks, it can sometimes be confusing. Here, it is very simple. Acadia National Park simply charges an entrance fee to the visitors. So, how much does the Acadia National Park Loop Road cost?

The Loop Road in Acadia National Park is free. But you need to pay the Acadia National Park entrance fee to drive it. So, you will need to pay $25 per vehicle to drive the Acadia National Park Loop Road.

Now, I feel like you have all the pieces of data you need to know if you want to drive through Acadia National Park or not. To summarize, it is totally possible to drive through Acadia National Park thanks to the loop road. That will cost you $25 because you will need to pay the entrance fee to the park. And you should park the car at stops I told you to earlier in the article. That’s all for me. If you have other questions on this topic, you should ask them in the comments section below. See you!