Acadia National Park
Cadillac Summit Road reservations
When your date goes on sale, what to do if it's gone, and how to get up without one.
When does my date go on sale?
Pick the date you want, and see the day and time it becomes bookable.
Rule from Recreation.gov: Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations (Seasons & Booking), checked October 27, 2026. Confirm on the official site before you rely on it.
Driving up Cadillac Mountain needs a $6 vehicle reservation from Recreation.gov during the reservation season (May 20 to October 25 in 2026), on top of the park entrance pass. Reservations are per vehicle and come in Sunrise and Daytime types. Walking, biking or arriving by taxi needs none.
How the release works
- 30% of each day's Sunrise and Daytime reservations go on sale at 10 a.m. Eastern, 90 days before that date.
- The other 70% go on sale at 10 a.m. Eastern, two days before that date.
- Limits: one Sunrise reservation per vehicle every seven days, and one Daytime reservation per vehicle per day.
- Reservations aren't sold at the park. Print or save the QR code; phone signal is unreliable.
- Vehicles over 21 feet (bike racks included), RVs and trailers can't drive the road, even with a reservation.
The 2027 season
The National Park Service hasn't posted 2027 dates yet. In 2026, reservations were required from May 20 through October 25. If 2027 starts on a similar date, its first 90-day release falls in mid-to-late February. The tool above uses 2026's season until 2027's is posted.
Sold out? Ways up anyway
Book through Recreation.gov first. It's the only place to reserve. If your date is gone:
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Watch for cancellations
- Recreation.gov's availability alert: free. Use "Set Availability Alert" on the Cadillac page. Cancellations come back because the $6 fee is refunded only if a driver cancels 48 hours ahead.
Go up without a reservation
- Walk, bike or take a taxi: none of those needs a vehicle reservation.
- The Island Explorer bus doesn't go up Cadillac.
- Ride with a licensed tour company: operators with a park Commercial Use Authorization hold their own vehicle reservations, released for the whole season in late February. Ask the operator before you book that the tour drives to the summit. Following a tour in your own car still needs your own reservation.
Stay near Bar Harbor
Get the reminder by email
One email the week before the big New England openings (Maine's season day, Massachusetts' opening day, Cadillac's first releases), and when Rhode Island announces its new system. Nothing else.
The reminder list opens soon.
You'll get a confirmation email first. Unsubscribe with one click in any email. See the privacy policy.
Do I need a reservation to walk or bike up Cadillac Mountain?
No. NPS says vehicle reservations aren't required for visitors who arrive on foot, by bike, or by taxi. The Island Explorer bus doesn't serve Cadillac Summit Road.
Do tour buses need a Cadillac reservation?
Tour companies with a park Commercial Use Authorization use a separate commercial reservation system; NPS releases those for the whole season in late February. Riding in the operator's vehicle means you don't buy your own. If you follow a tour in your own car, you need your own vehicle reservation.
Can I get a refund if it's foggy?
Only if you cancel at least 48 hours before your start time. Recreation.gov says the $6 fee is otherwise non-refundable, including for fog, clouds or rain. You can change to another date or time at no cost before your reservation.
Sources
- NPS: Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations, checked October 27, 2026.
- Recreation.gov: Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations (Seasons & Booking), checked October 27, 2026.
- NPS: Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservations for Commercial Use Authorization Holders, checked October 27, 2026.
Rules change. Always confirm on the official site before you rely on a date.