News Release

Vehicle reservations for Cadillac Summit Road on sale starting February 25

Date: February 22, 2022
Contact: Katie Liming, 207-288-8806

To continue providing a safe and enjoyable visitor experience, the National Park Service (NPS) will require vehicle reservations for Cadillac Summit Road in Acadia National Park from May 25 through October 22, 2022. Vehicle reservations are sold on a rolling basis, and the first reservations will be available for purchase online at Recreation.gov starting February 25 at 10 a.m. EST. 

"In 2021, we successfully implemented the vehicle reservation system for Cadillac Summit Road, which eliminated the unsafe traffic and parking congestion problems we experienced at the summit in past years," Kevin Schneider, Acadia National Park Superintendent, said. "With the demands of growing visitation, vehicle reservations will continue to be a useful management tool for improving the visitor experience."

Cadillac Summit Road offers a three-mile scenic drive to the top of the highest peak in the park. Parking is available in two locations at the summit along with restrooms, a gift shop and scenic overlooks connected by a paved walk. 

Important information for making a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road:  

• Vehicle reservations cost $6 each and must be purchased on Recreation.gov in advance of your visit. They are not available for purchase in person at the park.  

• In addition to purchasing a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Summit Road, visitors must have a park entrance pass and display it in their vehicle. Park entrance passes are available online at Recreation.gov.  

• Starting February 25, vehicle reservations are sold on a rolling basis. 30 percent of vehicle reservations are made available 90 days ahead of each date. The remaining 70 percent are released at 10 a.m. EDT two days ahead of each date. 

• After making a reservation, visitors should open the attachment in the Recreation.com confirmation email and print or save a digital copy of the vehicle reservation ticket with the QR code, which will be scanned to verify the reservation. Internet and cellular connectivity are unreliable in the park. 

• Vehicle reservations may also be made through the Recreation.gov call center. Contacting the call center does not provide an advantage for securing a reservation. Call centers are open daily from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. EST. The following reservation call lines are available: 

Toll Free: 877-444-6777 

TDD:  877-833-6777  

International: 606-515-6777 

• Vehicle reservations are not required for visitors who enter the area by foot, bike or taxi. Cadillac Summit is not served by the Island Explorer bus system.  

• Vehicles over 21 feet long (including bike racks and hitch attachments), RVs and trailers are prohibited.  

• Commercial operators doing business in the park are required to use a separate vehicle reservation system and must first obtain a Commercial Use Authorization to access it. 

Acadia is among the smallest and most popular national parks in the United States with more than 4 million visits in 2021. Growing visitation has caused severe traffic and parking congestion at the park’s most popular destinations, including Cadillac Summit. To address these issues, the NPS completed a Transportation Plan in 2019 that provides a range of management actions for the park. The plan included a vehicle reservation system for the Cadillac Summit Road, which was fully implemented in 2021. 

For more information, please visit nps.gov/Acadia and Acadia National Park’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.