Are you planning to visit Acadia National Park? Before you get here, it’s important to know the difference between an entrance pass to the entire park and a vehicle reservation just to get to the top of Cadillac Mountain. You can purchase both at Recreation.gov before you leave home.

Vehicle reservations are required for Cadillac Summit Road.

Acadia is one of the ten most popular national parks in the United States, drawing more than 4 million visitors a year. The number of tourists has increased by about 60 percent in a decade, leading to severe overcrowding at many points in the park.

In 2019, the National Park Service completed a five-year process to approve a comprehensive transportation plan that could take a decade or more to fully implement.

Actions are decided with an adaptive management strategy that continuously monitors, evaluates and optimizes solutions towards the best possible results.

Vehicle reservations are not required for visitors entering any other area of the park, or by foot, motorcycle or taxi. Cadillac is not served by the Island Explorer bus system.

In addition to purchasing a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road, visitors must have a park entrance pass to enter the park. Park admission passes are available at the park or online at Recreation.gov.

Vehicle reservations cost $6. They are sold in advance online at Recreation.gov. They are not available for purchase in the park.

Please print or save a digital copy of the vehicle reservation along with the confirmation QR code, which will be scanned to confirm the reservation. Connectivity in the park is unreliable.

Cadillac Summit Road

Cadillac Summit Road offers a three-mile drive to the top of the park’s highest peak. Along the way, there are several scenic pull-outs to enjoy the view.

Parking is available at two locations at the summit, where restrooms, a gift shop, and scenic overlooks can be found along the paved walkway. There is no Island Explorer bus service on Cadillac Summit Road. Sunrise times range from 4:45 a.m. in mid-June to 6:15 a.m. in mid-October.

Road conditions

The narrow, two-lane road leads to the 1,530-foot summit of Cadillac Mountain. Drivers should use caution when traveling on the road and walk alongside pedestrians. Recreational vehicles and trailers are prohibited.

Parking availability

Paved pull-outs for short-term parking are located along the road to enjoy the scenery. Do not cross traffic to exit the opposite side of the road. Parking is available in two locations at Cadillac Summit.

Vehicle length limit

Recreational vehicles, trailers, and vehicles longer than 21 feet (including bike racks and hatch attachments) are prohibited on Cadillac Summit Road.

Vehicle booking details

Booking windows

Cadillac Summit Road requires vehicle reservations from Wednesday, May 22 through Sunday, October 27, 2024.

30 percent of Cadillac Summit Road Sunrise and Day Time vehicle reservations will be available for purchase 90 days prior to the reservation date.

70 percent of Cadillac Summit Road Sunrise and Day Time vehicle reservations will be available for purchase at 10am (ET) two days prior to the reservation date.

Sunrise reservations have a 90-minute entry window. Daytime reservations have a 30-minute entry window.

Vehicle reservations provide on-time check-in, but no departure time is required until 10 p.m., when the road is closed to vehicles.
Reservations do not allow re-entry.

The number of vehicle bookings are as follows:

Sunrise: Booking a vehicle in seven days
Time of Day: One vehicle booking per day
.
Vehicle booking is per vehicle, not per person. Motorcycles, motor scooters, and mopeds are considered vehicles, and a vehicle booking is required for each.

Vehicle reservations do not assign a specific parking space. Parking outside designated areas is prohibited. Parking is available in two locations at Cadillac Summit.

If you are unable to use it, please cancel your reservation. Vehicle reservations can be changed at no cost to another time and/or date prior to the time and date of reservation.

Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) holders must have a CUA vehicle reservation to access Cadillac Summit Road from May 22 through October 27. See our Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations for Commercial Use Authorization Holders page for details.