Acadia’s Park Loop opens

Acadia National Park reopened most of its 27-mile Park Loop Road to private vehicles on Tuesday, April 15, but one key section near downtown Bar Harbor will stay shut until June 12. (nps.gov) The closed stretch runs from Kebo Street to Sieur de Monts and is closed to all uses, including walking and cycling, except during Memorial Day weekend, the National Park Service said. Drivers heading to Sieur de Monts are being detoured onto Mount Desert Street, Main Street, and Route 3. (nps.gov) The phased opening is part of Acadia’s spring transition, when roads, visitor services, and shuttle routes come back online in stages rather than all at once. The park said 2026 is expected to be especially busy and urged visitors to check conditions, parking, and service schedules before arriving. (nps.gov) That warning reflects how crowded Acadia already is in a normal year. The park says it draws about 4 million visits annually, putting it among the 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. (nps.gov) Some of the biggest summer systems are still not fully running. The Hulls Cove Visitor Center typically begins its summer season in the first week of May, and the fare-free Island Explorer shuttle has historically started later in the season, after spring road openings. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) Another major access point is also still restricted. Cadillac Summit Road is closed through May 19 for construction, and the separate vehicle reservation system for Cadillac’s summit road is listed on the park’s trip-planning pages for the peak season. (nps.gov) The Park Loop Road is Acadia’s main scenic driving route, linking trailheads, ocean overlooks, Sand Beach, and other high-traffic destinations on Mount Desert Island. When even a short segment closes, traffic shifts back onto Bar Harbor streets and Route 3. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) For visitors arriving this week, the practical change is simple: the road is open, but not all the way through, and Acadia’s summer setup is still arriving in pieces. The park’s advice for April and early summer is to plan ahead before driving in. (nps.gov)