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Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, ME

Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorIconicOutdoor Adventure

Cadillac Mountain

Cadillac Summit Rd, off Park Loop Rd · Bar Harbor, ME

Why you should go…

Cadillac Mountain rises about 1,530 feet in Acadia National Park, and the park calls it the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the United States. A winding, paved 3.5-mile summit road leaves the Park Loop Road. At the top you find the short paved Cadillac Summit Loop Trail, interpretive signs and a gift shop. From October 7 to March 6 it is the first place in the country to see the sunrise, and RVs and trailers are not allowed on the road.

  • #acadia national park
  • #sunrise
  • #scenic drive
  • #mountain summit
  • #hiking

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Cadillac Mountain, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Downeast Acadia

    Free

    Maine's Downeast and Acadia region, from Acadia National Park to the tidal bays of Washington and Hancock Counties.

    2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Acadia National Park

    $25–$50

    Drive Park Loop Road, hike to mountain summits and bike historic carriage roads on Maine's Mount Desert Island.

    4.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Bass Harbor Head Light Station

    $25–$50

    See an 1858 lighthouse perched on the rocky southwest tip of Mount Desert Island from overlooks and a cliffside stairway.

    10 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory

    Under $25

    Ride an elevator up a bridge tower to a glass-walled observatory 447 feet above the Penobscot River.

    32 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Knox State Historic Site

    Under $25

    A granite 1800s fort on the Penobscot River, paired with an elevator ride up the Penobscot Narrows Bridge observatory.

    32 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Camden Hills State Park

    Under $25

    Drive or hike up Mount Battie for a view over Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay, then roam miles of wooded trails.

    41 mi awayMore like this