Acadia All-American Road
A drive around Mount Desert Island's granite mountains, rocky shore and lakes in Acadia National Park, including Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and Cadillac Mountain.
Also known as Park Loop Road and Route 3 on Mount Desert Island
Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source
- Length40 miles[1]
- Drive timeAbout three hours to drive and see the byway[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
- RoadsNot verified
- Start and endThe Park Loop Road tour starts at Hulls Cove Visitor Center and includes a one-way loop section past Sand Beach[3]
- Fees and passesNational park entrance fee required. Driving up Cadillac Mountain needs a separate vehicle reservation in the main season (late May to late October in 2026).[4]
- Best seasonMid-April to December 1, when the Park Loop Road and the park's paved roads are open[2]
- SurfaceNot verified
- Vehicle notesPart of the Park Loop Road is one-way. It gets very crowded in spring, summer and fall; the fare-free Island Explorer bus usually runs mid-June to mid-October.[3]
- Seasonal closuresThe Park Loop Road and other paved park roads are open April 15 to December 1.[2]In winter, the Park Service says usually only the section from the entrance station to Otter Cliff Road stays open to cars (Park Loop Road page).
Before you go
Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.
About the drive
The Acadia All-American Road takes you around Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, past rocky shoreline, granite-capped mountains, lakes and spruce-fir forest. FHWA notes the carriage roads and trails, the boats in Frenchman Bay and the old cottages of Bar Harbor.
Start at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, then follow the Park Loop Road past Sand Beach and Thunder Hole to Jordan Pond. The road up Cadillac Mountain requires a vehicle reservation during the main season, on top of the park entrance fee.
The Park Loop Road is open from mid-April to December 1. We haven't verified a complete route line for this byway, so the map shows the stops only.
Stops along the way
-
Hulls Cove Visitor Center
The park's main visitor center.
-
Sand Beach
Acadia's largest sandy beach, on the Park Loop Road.
-
Thunder Hole
Rock inlet where incoming waves boom.
-
Jordan Pond House
Historic restaurant at the south end of Jordan Pond (seasonal).
-
Cadillac Mountain
Summit road with sweeping views; vehicle reservation needed in season.
Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Food along the way
In season during the best months to drive
The drive's best months are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov. Typical U.S. seasons from our Fresh Market Guide; local harvests vary.
- Acorn squashSep, Oct, Nov
- AlmondsAug, Sep, Oct
- ApplesAug, Sep, Oct, Nov
- ApricotsMay, Jun, Jul
Sources
- America's Byways: Acadia All-American Road (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Operating Hours & Seasons, Acadia National Park (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Park Loop Road, Acadia National Park (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Fees & Passes, Acadia National Park (NPS) (checked 2026-10-22)
- Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.
Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.
Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).