Acadia warns of crowds

Acadia National Park told visitors on April 14 to expect a busy 2026 summer and to plan ahead before arriving. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said most of Park Loop Road reopened to motor vehicles on April 15, marking the start of the main season. One section, between Kebo Street and Sieur de Monts, is closed through June 12 except for Memorial Day weekend. (nps.gov) Driving Cadillac Summit Road still requires a separate vehicle reservation from May 20 through October 25, 2026. The park said 30 percent of sunrise and daytime reservations go on sale 90 days ahead, and 70 percent go on sale two days ahead at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. (nps.gov) Acadia is already managing spring bottlenecks before the summer rush. Current park alerts say Cadillac Summit Road is closed through April 30 for construction, and half of the Cadillac Summit West parking lot will be closed from May 1 through June 18. (nps.gov) The park’s crowd warning comes after another heavy year across the National Park System. The National Park Service reported 323 million recreation visits in 2025, down 2.7 percent from the record set in 2024. (nps.gov) Acadia remains one of the system’s busiest destinations. The park says it draws about 4 million visits a year, ranking it among the 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. (nps.gov) The reservation rules are narrower than a full park-entry system. Acadia requires an entrance pass year-round, but the vehicle reservation applies only to the drive up Cadillac Summit Road and is not sold at the park. (nps.gov) The National Park Service’s visitor-use database says 2025 park reports are final, while 2026 figures are still preliminary and will not be finalized until early 2027. For now, Acadia’s message for summer 2026 is to book key access early and expect congestion on peak days. (irma.nps.gov)