Park Loop Road
Park Loop Road, Acadia National Park: Address, Phone Number, Park Loop Road Reviews: 4.5/5
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.
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Top ways to experience Park Loop Road and similar attractions
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
3 within 3 miles
Attractions
69 within 6 miles
Ocean Trail
968
0.2 miHiking Trails
Otter Cliff
299
0.4 miGeologic Formations
Thunder Hole
1,060
0.3 miGeologic Formations
Gorham Mountain Trail
318
0.5 miHiking Trails
Great Head Trail
224
1 miHiking Trails
Champlain Mountain & Beehive Loop Trail
588
1.2 miHiking Trails
Sand Beach
903
1 miBeaches
Precipice Trail
259
2.3 miHiking Trails
Cadillac Mountain
3,575
Mountains
Cadillac Mountain North Ridge Trail
168
Hiking Trails
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,584 reviews
Excellent
1,252
Very good
263
Average
58
Poor
9
Terrible
2
Travel_All_that_you_can
10 contributions
Fall colors galore!
Oct 2021
Not sure how many times we drove the loop but each time it felt like we saw something new (or found an off shoot road/trail to take). The colors were amazing - best time of year to go is about early-mid October (watch the MaineFoilage.com). Not crowded, plenty of parking - wonderful!
Written November 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
cphannah
Franklin, TN139 contributions
Nice views
Oct 2021
We loved seeing so many views from the car. It was really nice, when we could find a parking spot, to get out and have a seat on the rocks to soak it all in. Once we were beyond the ocean-side driving, it was pretty forests. The road to the top of Cadillac Mountain was open, so we went. There was no parking available. My husband dropped me off and circled around so I could take a few pictures. Wasn't worth it.
I'm glad we saw this park, but don't need to go there again.
I'm glad we saw this park, but don't need to go there again.
Written October 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Chuck2010
Palmyra, PA2,575 contributions
TIPS for the Park Loop Road - Senior 55+ Focus
Oct 2021
Got One Day for the Park: Do the Park Loop Road
TIPS for a Senior 55+ : no moderate/strenuous hiking needed; leisurely walking will do
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Plan for five to seven hours, including stops, for the entire 27-mile road
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Highlights not to miss: Plenty of Superb Photo Spots
Hulls Cove Visitor Center: Starting Point
(Did you know that you need to walk up 55 steps to the center!)
The first overlook amazing view of Frenchman Bay.
The next overlook, Cadillac Mountain Dorr and Champlain Mountains
Schooner Head Overlook
Sand Beach
Ocean Path - walk the distance you like
Thunder Hole
Otter Point
Little Hunters Beach
Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond House - food, snacks, ice cream, chill out
Cadillac Mountain Summit – Need an online reservation Ticket to enter
TIPS for a Senior 55+ : no moderate/strenuous hiking needed; leisurely walking will do
-------------------------------
Plan for five to seven hours, including stops, for the entire 27-mile road
-------------------------------------
Highlights not to miss: Plenty of Superb Photo Spots
Hulls Cove Visitor Center: Starting Point
(Did you know that you need to walk up 55 steps to the center!)
The first overlook amazing view of Frenchman Bay.
The next overlook, Cadillac Mountain Dorr and Champlain Mountains
Schooner Head Overlook
Sand Beach
Ocean Path - walk the distance you like
Thunder Hole
Otter Point
Little Hunters Beach
Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond House - food, snacks, ice cream, chill out
Cadillac Mountain Summit – Need an online reservation Ticket to enter
Written October 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
AJOhio
Cleveland, OH109 contributions
Scenic but Heavy Traffic
Oct 2021
This is the main road through Acadia National Park. You can use it to access most of the trails and other attractions or just experience it as a scenic drive. It's really beautiful but unfortunately experiences heavy traffic. Parking can be difficult to find if you are trying to reach a trail or just stop and enjoy the views.
Written October 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Gafilpoo
Bluffton, OH384 contributions
See a lot of the park, but you have to get out of your car
Oct 2021
The official park loop road takes you to all the key attractions and trail heads in Acadia Nat'l Park on Mt. Desert Island. But don't expect to see the park by just driving through. You will need to park and walk to see most of the interesting sites. Part of the road is one-way clockwise. If you pass something, you can't go back. Is the busy season, they allow parking in the right lane in the one-way area, because demand far exceeds supply of parking. Go early in the day. You will need multiple days to truly take in all the Loop Road sights and hikes
Written October 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Maltipoo16
New York791 contributions
Beautiful views of Acadia
Sep 2021 • Family
Park loop road gave us beautiful roadside views of Acadia. In addition, it was a great way to get around the park quickly. The road also makes a lot of the attractions very handicapped accessible, which I really enjoyed seeing.
Written October 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rooindie
Farmington, CT915 contributions
Not a must do
Sep 2021
I can't say I understand the fuss about the park road. We had purchased a book on the road in advance, so we knew the history and some stops to make in advance. The couple of overlooks we went to were "fine", but the views are 10x better from the hikes we did. Mostly it just felt like driving through a forest, but where you had to be alert for all the people walking on the side of the road or being parked where they weren't supposed to be.
Written October 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Joanne S
Fort Mill, SC404 contributions
Spectacular...and crowded
Sep 2021 • Friends
Incredibly beautiful...and bumper to bumper traffic with no parking available at many of the vistas. Too beautiful to miss, but be ready to exercise is patience.
Written September 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
tinaNtravel
San Jose, CA1,509 contributions
You can get to most of the highlights from the loop
Sep 2021
As the name implies, the Park Loop Road takes you around the park, where you can stop at many of the highlights. In several places the road is one way and you can park to the side of the right most lane. We visited over Labor Day weekend and the park was quite crowded with cars parked bumper to bumper along the main stretch of the loop. Be sure, when you park, that you park entirely on the road and not off to the far right, on the grass. We parked to the far right, with our tires on the grass when we first arrived, and came back to find a parking warning on our car. I walked up and down the road a bit and found that every car that had the warning, had tires on the grass, whereas the cars that didn’t, were fully on the road. Also, if you are visiting when it is crowded, if you see a spot on the road more/less close to what you want to see, then take it. When we were there, every parking area was full, and if you pass up spots on the side of the road and find no parking elsewhere, you can’t just turn around and look again – you need to drive all the way around the loop again. The loop may not seem long, but it is, if the park is crowded, and you need to wait in a long line of cars entering the park at one point in the loop.
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
tonira
Atlanta, GA14 contributions
Great views - Don't do the tour app
Jul 2021
We had handicap parking so parking was not an issue but for others - it was probably a nightmare. Views and sites are great. It would be stupid to go to Acadia and not do the look road. We tried downloading the tour app = was a waste of money - did not work because of such bad WIFI.
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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, MA9,271 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, NJ1,442 contributions
Can you do this in early Nov??
redeco
Warren, MA9,271 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, TX259 contributions
Of what exactly are you referring? Hi to the National Parks website to check.
Deborah E
5 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, MN995 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.
