RV travelers visiting Acadia National Park should consider late-fall overnight cold and campground closing schedules, even when skies are clear. The NWS point forecast for Gardens of Acadia, updated at 4:01 a.m. EDT on October 27, called for a high of 45°F that day and a low of 30°F overnight. Campgrounds in the park had already finished their 2026 seasons, so open roads on the day of a visit did not mean RV overnight stays were available.
Areas Affected
The forecast point is at an elevation of 853 feet on Mount Desert Island. October 27 was forecast to be clear, with northwest winds of 9 to 13 mph, followed by a clear night with north winds easing to 6 to 9 mph. These figures do not mean temperatures will be the same throughout the park. The NPS also notes that conditions at higher elevations, including Cadillac Mountain, can differ substantially from those in Bar Harbor and elsewhere on the island.
Wednesday, October 28, was forecast to be mostly sunny with a high of 46°F, followed by a partly cloudy night with a low of 41°F. The daytime high on October 29 was expected to reach 56°F, but travelers whose plans included the night of October 27 could not base their overnight preparations on the milder temperatures expected later. The forecast reviewed was valid from 8 a.m. on October 27 through 6 p.m. on November 2; the expiration time was in Eastern Standard Time.
Under the park’s operating schedule, the usual closing date for Park Loop Road and paved roads is December 1, while Schoodic Loop Road and Point Road remain open year-round. That schedule does not guarantee travel during severe weather. Coastal drives and summit visits should be planned as separate routes, and travelers should check the NPS’s current closure information again before leaving.
What RV Travelers Need to Know
According to the NPS’s 2026 operating schedule, Blackwoods Campground ended its season at 10 a.m. on October 19, while Seawall and Schoodic Woods campgrounds closed at 10 a.m. on October 12. Duck Harbor also closed on October 5. The NPS does not allow winter camping, camping outside designated areas, or overnight parking in the park. Visitors that week therefore needed to separately confirm lodging and RV facilities that were actually open outside the park; closed campground parking lots could not be used for overnight stays.
The 2026 vehicle-reservation period for Cadillac Summit Road ended on October 25, but that is separate from the ban on RVs and trailers. Vehicles exceeding 21 feet in length, including bicycle racks and hitch-mounted equipment, are not permitted on the road. The end of the reservation season should not be taken to mean an RV can be driven to the summit.
Visitor services were also winding down. The Hulls Cove Visitor Center was scheduled to remain open through October 31, but the Jordan Pond House restaurant ended its season on October 26. By confirming whether lodging outside the park was open and what heating and electrical hookups were available, then comparing the day’s NWS point forecast with park road notices, travelers could plan short coastal visits separately from overnight travel.
Sources: NWS Gardens of Acadia point forecast · NPS 2026 facility operating schedule · NPS camping regulations · NPS Cadillac Summit Road vehicle restrictions · NPS current closures and weather information
Photo: NPS/Victoria Stauffenberg · Original photo and terms of use · Public domain: Full Granting Rights · Taken June 6, 2018.