Looking for the best campgrounds near Bar Harbor, ME? Bar Harbor is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Bar Harbor and user-submitted reviews.
$40 - $100 / night
"We had no idea there was a clothing optional site near Acadia and stumbled across this with hipcamp. A safe and lovely primitive site. We will be back!"
"This lake is huge so keep that in mind. We parked at the public dock that has public parking and boated over to the beach."
"This was really a beautiful spot to set up camp. I stayed here for only 1 night as I had reservations in Acadia (about 45 minutes outside Acadia) but I will absolutely come back in the future."
$49 - $69 / night
"There are 4 total campsites, and each offers a slightly different view and sense of privacy. The owner met us when we arrived. Dogs are allowed. "
"This location offers level sites, views of rolling blueberry fields, a picnic table, and other goodies from your host. Lakeisha really takes pride in this property, and it shows."
"The Maine Island Trail offers 200 islands in which to sea kayak camp and Saddleback Island is one of the many gorgeous options in the Deer Isle Archipelago. "
"You must heat the water up in another pot already, so why not just chuck in the coffee filter bag directly into the pot? Save a step."
$40 - $50 / night
"All the things you need are there - firewood, water, bathrooms and showers, and even electricity at the site. Only thing is the sites are small and close together."
"As a nature and wildlife photographer, I’m outside shooting pictures in every type of weather, both on land and sea."
$20 / night
"Camping on in the Duck Harbor Campground is nearly the stuff of legends. "
"I describe this as "backpacking light". You need to bring everything with you (except water) on the mailboat and then walk on a short distance to one of 5 campsites."
$40 / night
"We're so excited to have this property, hosted by Doug, on our platform. Park your van, or pop your tent, next to the pond."
"The space is gorgeous, right next to a pond. Important to know though, there are several campsites. It's unclear how many campers could be there on any given night but it could be many."
Rangerif the tide is right, Seawall has amazing sights! I’ve taken some amazing photos here. the Campgound is directly across from the public boat landing/picnic area. it’s a really nice area. the campground itself is very laid back for a National Park. the rangers almost act as though camping is your business and they only get involved if needed. whereas at blackwoods the rangers seem to try to be as accommodating as possible. it’s cute that they compete, and definitely are different. the sites are not usually as clean as blackwoods, they leave the “leave no trace” responsibility to the campers and if the person before you didn’t clean up, you might have to. other than that it’s QUIET! you can see the stars because there are no city lights. you don’t hear cars, AND the tent sites are very private. there are fresh water spouts everywhere, and plenty of trash/recycling areas. no electrIcity on the sItes, and rv can onlybIse geberators dIrIng lImItes hours. the bathrooms flush and have running water, but there are no showers. Echo Lake is right down the road, a great place to swim in fresh water.
RangerAlong the southwestern side of MDI, is Seawall Campground. You’re definitely on the “quiet side” in these grounds, but the landscape is serene, picturesque and absolutely must be experienced.
The grounds are a bit off the beaten path, away from Bar Harbor and the hot spots of Acadia National Park. However you won’t lack for things to do. Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound is just up the road to the north, and Bass Harbor Lighthouse is to the west. There are also plenty of opportunities for hiking and kayaking!
Within feet outside the facility, is a magnificent seawall that peers off into the Atlantic. It is spectacular. The sunrises and sunsets are a nice alternative to Cadillac Mountain, and the day use areas are perfect for picnicking and grilling.
The grounds are well-wooded and rustic, with limited amenities. Water and bathrooms are available, but there are no showers on site. A private store up the road will charge a small fee for several minutes. The Park Service also offers a number of programs at their amphitheater, including a “bark ranger” demonstration- it is hard to get more adorable than that!
Loops D and B are the best areas for tent- camping. Loops A and C were geared toward large campers and RVs, and provided much less shade and privacy. Loop D offers a large number of walk-in sites and Loop B some drive in spots. Old wheelbarrows are provided near the rest rooms in Loop D to assist with hauling gear, but they always seem to be in use.
Sites 78, 87 and 88 were among my favorites in Loop D, though 53, 54, 58, 78, 81 and 86 weren’t bad. I had site 61, but it was smaller and more open than many of the other sites. For those who want privacy without a huge hike, 67 and 71 are nice options. As far as Loop B is concerned, sites 7, 21 and 27 were the better sites.
ScoutBlackwoods has a great location on mount desert island. 15 mins from bar harbor, ocean path trail, Jordan pond and top of cadilac mountain. I came to Acadia for its beauty, so location is everything and crowds were expected. I arrived on a Monday in July and had to wait a half hour just to get into the campsite because there was a line of cars waiting to get in (mid afternoon-ish). We were surprised there were no showers on the grounds but there are some options in town for $5. There is also a rule against using any spigots or sinks to clean dishes on the grounds. Instead you are supposed to collect water, bring it to your site and clean dishes there. So pack a bucket if you’re coming to blackwoods! We arrived on a Monday and left on a Wednesday and we were kept up and woken up by our neighbors here. Quiet hours are not enfourced here. But the location is great and we are lucky to have been able to stay here! I’d recommend.
Legend**Campground Review: **
Hadley’s Point Campground is located on the north side of Mt Desert Island and just a short distance from Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Hadley’s Point is a large private campground that has tent, water& electric RV, and full hook up sites, as well as Cabins. The campground is broke up in to multiple loops (campground map can be found in my pictures) with some loops in open areas with little shade and sites close together, and other loops have more wooded sites that have some shade and privacy. All style sites include a picnic table and fire ring.
Reservations are site type, not site specific, so a little bit of a gamble. We were assigned site B27 on this visit. This site was partially shade depending on the time of day and very close to our neighbors. Other sites in the B loop did have more trees and more private, but they were full on this stay. Check-in was easy and the staff was very helpful in providing info and answering questions about the area. A host guides you to your site and assist you in positioning if needed.
The bathroom on B-loop does not have showers so we had to hike to other loops to shower. The Bathrooms and showers were very clean. The showers are metered and cost $0.50 per 7 minutes, so don’t forget your quarters!
Firewood and limited supplies were available at the office. There is a full grocery store about 10 minutes away.
We found good cell phone service with Verizon throughout the property. The campground did not have wi-fi.
The campground also has a heated pool, playground, and laundry.
With Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park close by, there is so much to do and see in the area. One of the best benefits of the area is that there is a free shuttle with multiple routes around the island, so you can leave the car and parking hassles behind and just shuttle everywhere. The Shuttle has a stop right on the campground and is dog friendly (on leash and if your dog is friendly).
Speaking of dog friendly, I’ve never been to an area that is so dog friendly. The campground staff was very forthcoming with dog friendly info and I have to mention Bark Harbor in downtown Bar Harbor. Bark Harbor is a pet store that bakes their own treats, has toys and gifts, and tons of info on dog friendly areas on the island. They have pre-printed lists of dog friendly hotels, restaurants, on and off leash hiking trails, and dog parks. Super friendly crew that keyed us into an off leash hiking area that our dogs loved!
Pro Tip: A short ¼ mile walk from the campground is an off leash dog friendly beach that you can also launch your kayak or canoe from or have a sunset beach campfire. We really enjoys this beach after a long day of hiking all around the national park.
With all the outdoor activities of the national park, kayak and boat cruises in the ocean, lobster, lobster, lobster, you’ll need a full week to explore this island. Hadley’s Point made it a perfect place for us to take it all in.
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**Product Review: **
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tested the Morsel Spork. This spork from Morel is very handy to have in your gear list. We are teardrop campers, so our space is limited. Everything has to have a purpose and be compact. Items like the Morsel Spork, that serves multiple functions, fit right into our needs. We purchased both the mini and the XL. Both are the same (spork on one end, spoon/scraper on the other end), but the XL is a little longer. We found this very functional for regular eating from plates or bowls, or eating directly from food packets. I also found the scraper spoon side useful in cleaning out our french press carafe. Easy to clean, easy to use, comes in multiple colors, and happy to have it a part of our camping equipment.
LegendCamping on in the Duck Harbor Campground is nearly the stuff of legends. This remote island off the coast of Maine only has 5 campsites in this part of Acadia National Park, and reservations are required. The Park’s website describes this in classic Park Service understatement, “Duck Harbor Campground is very popular. Please plan your trip in advance.” What they mean is if you don’t go online within 10 minutes of opening day, April 1st, at 10 am EST, you will miss your chance to stay here for the whole year. You won’t be the first to get denied and certainly not the last. You might however, get lucky if you’re in the area for long enough and there is a sudden cancellation.
I believe I’m right in saying that the hype is worth it here, more than just because it’s difficult to get here and difficult to get a reservation. This is a beautiful place to camp and an amazing island to explore by bike, by kayak, and on foot.
Each of the 5 sites offers a classic lean-to structure with a campfire ring and a picnic table. But it’s not the site which makes this place so special. Sticking out into the Gulf of Maine, this is one of the most remote islands with established camping and recreational trails on the coast. It feels like another world entirely than Mount Dessert Island, where the rest of Acadia National Park is located. By comparison, MDI feels like Central Park.
There is fresh water a short walk away from the campground, and a bear proof food storage locker at each lean-to. Mosquitoes can be bad during the summer, so I would recommend bringing a bug net or small backpacking tent which you could set up in the lean-to for more protection and privacy.
Getting to the island is possible through the daily mailboat which goes directly to Duck Harbor from Stonington, but the best way to get there is to paddle up in a sea kayak as we did!
GuideStayed here for four days and three night in early May 2018. Super friendly staff, available to answer any questions. Easy direction at the gate and directions to our site. We had two vehicles, one per site, meaning we had to pack one in the overflow. The site was clean, had a picnic table and fire pit with grate. Fit both of our tents with extra room. The sites are a little close together but we had no issues with our neighbors. The bathroom area was clean and cleaned several times while we were there. There is a trash area and place to dump greywater.
Great location being about not to far from Bar Harbor. Walking distance of the Park loop, if you would like to drive the loop, it is down the road a bit. Access to several different trails.
TravelerGreat stay! Bathrooms are clean and well maintained with showers. Campground within 15 minute drive from Bar Harbor and Park Loop Trail. Breathtaking views from the lake! We stayed in a platform site. It was better than expected.. we’ll be back for sure!
LegendSchoodic Woods NPS campground is state of the art for the Park Service. Not only is this new Acadia campground wired for wifi and electric boxes, but the bathrooms are shockingly well-conceived. No showers, but excellent dish washing set-up.
Sites are generally private and well-cared for. Rangers here seem more engaged & experienced than at Seawall on Mount Desert Island and actually circulate in this section of the park. Driving the one way loop is a joy compared to the loop road on Mount Desert … one feels that you almost have the park to yourself. This branch of Acadia requires a full hour's journey from the Mount Desert side by car. Sometimes there is a ferry that goes between Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor, but it was disabled by motor failure when I visited and wanted to ride to Bar Harbor.
I stayed in site A-49 on the edge of loop A. It was a good site with a large fire ring and was level but directly faces site A-50 where a halogen light was left burning all night long spoiling the dark sky effect.
Most of Loop A seems to be for RV's with sites A-24 to A-36 and the A-50 section being more suitable for tents. Sites A-40 to A-50 seem to have more shade than sun but it's variable. I would include A-31;A-32; A 34 as shaded sites. My impression is that A-27; A-37; A-43 are mostly sunny. A-39 was small, sloped- not level.
LegendSeawall is on the quiet side of the Island, away from the huge tourist crowds of Bar Harbor. The campground is across the street from a nice picnic area overlooking the Atlantic and the Cranberry Islands. It's a great place to watch the lobster boats as well as check out tidal pools at low tide. The campground is wooded with a large number of walk in tent sites as well as a separate area for RVs. If you reserve your site online (I highly recommend doing so if you want to camp between May and September), you can see exactly how many steps you will have to walk to get to your campsite. All sites have fire rings, picnic tables, and gravel tent pads. Some sites are more secluded than others, but the entire campground is wooded. There are nice flush toilets, and pay showers are about a mile down the road.
Bar Harbor, Maine, offers a fantastic array of tent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to immerse themselves in nature. With stunning landscapes and a variety of activities, it's a perfect destination for a memorable camping experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best tent camping sites in Bar Harbor?
For exceptional tent camping in Bar Harbor, look no further than Duck Harbor Campground — Acadia National Park, offering a legendary camping experience on a remote island with just five campsites (reservations required). Another excellent option is Donnell Pond — Donnel Pond, located about 45 minutes outside Acadia, featuring breathtaking views, beachside camping, and sites with fire rings. The half-mile hike in is manageable even if you need to make multiple trips with gear. Both locations provide immersive natural experiences with varying levels of accessibility - Duck Harbor offering a more remote island adventure and Donnell Pond providing beautiful lakeside camping with multiple hiking trails nearby.
Can you camp with tents near Bar Harbor beaches?
Yes, you can find excellent beachside tent camping options near Bar Harbor. Saddleback Island offers free camping spots and beaches maintained by the Maine Island Trail Association, perfect for sea kayakers looking for a coastal camping experience in the Deer Isle Archipelago. For those seeking a mainland option with water access, Gassabias Lake campsites provides three secluded spots with a path to the lake, each featuring a fire ring and picnic table. While access requires navigating a dirt road that can be rough in spots, the reward is peaceful lakeside camping with carry-in, carry-out policies. Both options provide different beach camping experiences depending on whether you prefer coastal island or lakeside settings.
Are there family-friendly tent campgrounds in Bar Harbor?
Maine Wild Blueberry Bliss is an excellent family-friendly option near Bar Harbor, offering level sites with views of rolling blueberry fields. With just four total campsites, each providing different views and privacy levels, it's perfect for families seeking a more intimate camping experience. The host, Lakeisha, takes great pride in maintaining the property. Another option worth considering is Old Apple Trees, which offers convenient drive-in access ideal for families with children and lots of camping gear. Both locations provide the space and amenities families need while camping, though they offer different experiences - one amid blueberry fields and the other in an orchard setting.
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