Best Campgrounds near Bass Harbor, ME

Bass Harbor, Maine provides access to several campgrounds within Acadia National Park and nearby private facilities. The area features a mix of established campgrounds like Bass Harbor Campground, Seawall Campground, and Blackwoods Campground, each offering different camping experiences. Bass Harbor Campground accommodates tents, RVs, cabins, and even glamping options, while Seawall and Blackwoods Campgrounds primarily serve tent and RV campers. Most sites include fire rings, picnic tables, and access to drinking water, with varying levels of hookups depending on the campground.

Camping in the Bass Harbor region operates seasonally, with most facilities open from May through mid-October. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly during peak summer months when campgrounds frequently reach capacity. The "quiet side" of Mount Desert Island where Bass Harbor is located offers a more peaceful alternative to the busier Bar Harbor area while still providing access to Acadia National Park attractions. Weather conditions can change rapidly along the Maine coast, with fog and cooler temperatures common even in summer months. One camper noted, "We loved our stay at Seawall! With Acadia being busy, it was refreshing to land each night on the quieter side of the park."

Proximity to natural attractions represents a significant advantage for campers in the Bass Harbor area. The Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is within walking distance of Bass Harbor Campground, while hiking trails like Ship Harbor and Wonderland are nearby. Several visitors mentioned the convenience of these locations, with one reviewer sharing, "The proximity to Ship Harbor and the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse was great for catching sunrises and sunsets." Campgrounds on this side of Acadia National Park generally receive high ratings for cleanliness and quieter atmosphere compared to other areas. While shower facilities are limited at national park campgrounds like Seawall, private pay showers are available nearby. Mixed-use campgrounds in the area typically provide more amenities, including laundry facilities, camp stores, and recreational areas, making them suitable for longer stays.

Best Camping Sites Near Bass Harbor, Maine (110)

    1. Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park

    94 Reviews
    Seal Harbor, ME
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 288-3274

    $30 - $60 / night

    "The campsite was very close to the main town of Bass Harbor, so that was great. It was a very well organised campsite. They had excellent maps to getting to your site and properly checking you in."

    "Close proximity to Bar Harbor and a lot of the main attractions of the national park. Showers are just outside of the entrance to the campground, coin operated."

    2. Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park

    53 Reviews
    Bass Harbor, ME
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 244-3600

    $22 - $60 / night

    "Close proximity to the Bass Harbor Light, which was beautiful at sunset. And, there was a great lobster joint right down the street, Charlottes Legendary Lobster Pound."

    "The sites are all walk-to sites so you're not right on top of each other with a bunch of RV's and generators which was a huge plus in my book. Makes it feel more like camping."

    3. Mount Desert Campground

    37 Reviews
    Mount Desert, ME
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 244-3710

    "Desert, Maine which is right next to the fabulous town of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Forest."

    "Our site was right next to a potable water spigot, and within easy walking distance to a bathroom building which includes full plumbing and metered showers (4 quarters for 5 minutes)."

    4. Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA

    36 Reviews
    Salsbury Cove, ME
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 288-3520

    "This campground has beautiful tent sites along the waters edge."

    "It 11 miles to Bar Harbor town proper and only 8.7 miles to the Hulls Cove Acadia National Park visitors center and the entrance to the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road."

    5. Smuggler's Den Campground

    20 Reviews
    Southwest Harbor, ME
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (877) 244-9033

    "Multiple sights with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. This campground has every possible kind of sight, RV, pop-up, tent, Cabin, Rustic Cabin, and tents on platforms."

    "It has all the things is usually stay away from because I like a little bit more primitive accomadations- less family style."

    6. Bass Harbor Campground

    19 Reviews
    Bass Harbor, ME
    1 mile
    Website
    +1 (800) 327-5857

    "Very quiet clean and very nice people 10 min walk to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse"

    "The showers and bathroom were well maintained and close to the cabins. Walking distance to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and other National Park hiking trails."

    7. Bar Harbor Campground

    32 Reviews
    Salsbury Cove, ME
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 288-5185

    $60 - $81 / night

    "We love the state parks and unorganized, off the beaten path camping. This is definitely not that!"

    "This is a nice campground located close to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park."

    8. HTR Acadia

    17 Reviews
    Mount Desert, ME
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 244-3890

    "My wife and I stayed at Somes Sound for 4 nights on our Maine honeymoon trip in July. We absolutely loved our stay. We set up at camp site 9. Incredible view of the sound/water."

    "I showed up to Maine unprepared with a place to stay. Somes Sound View Campground was the only campground I could find in the area with availability."

    9. Hadley's Point Campground

    29 Reviews
    Salsbury Cove, ME
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 288-4808

    $29 - $90 / night

    "**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."

    "There was a fire ring outside of the cabin and a picnic table. We purchased firewood at a stand close to the campground."

    10. Schoodic Woods Campground — Acadia National Park

    35 Reviews
    Winter Harbor, ME
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (207) 288-1300

    $22 - $60 / night

    "Schoodic Loop Road -- less popular than the main park "Park Loop Road", provides access to gorgeous shore line views and more hiking trails, but RVs and trailers aren't allowed past the campground entrance"

    "Although it is quite a ways off the beaten path, Schoodic Woods Campground is well worth the travel time. The campground is new, so it is sparkling clean."

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Recent Reviews near Bass Harbor, ME

681 Reviews of 110 Bass Harbor Campgrounds


  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Quietside Campground

    Quiet

    We stayed here one night in mid September in a non electric site. Quiet place. Cute cabins and hobbit huts! The bath house we went into had one shower for the men and one for the women. The toilet and sinks were combined into one stall with 2 stalls for the men and 2 stalls for the women. Nice owner and we paid less than for a comparable site at a Maine state park.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Bass Harbor Campground

    Potting Shed

    We stayed in the Potting Shed cabin for 3 nights. Bathroom was clean and had plenty of sinks, toilets and showers. Water was hot for showers and there was a nice dressing area. We were there on a weekend in mid September and it seemed busy but not full. Can buy a cup of coffee in the camp store in the morning

  • R
    Sep. 12, 2025

    HTR Acadia

    Quarry Ledge Campground by Modern America

    As of 9/25 address is not in Apple Maps, we had to enter Somes Sound View Campground. Nice campground, sites are nice size, fairly private and mostly level. Our site has water and electric on the wrong side. Excellent shower house.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 10, 2025

    Balsam Cove Campground

    Great place!

    We stayed here one night in September in a Tuesday. Quiet, very few people. Had a non electric site without water and paid the same price as the state park in Camden. This place had much nicer showers and bathrooms. Would return!

  • Mindie C.
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA

    Great stay

    The campground is beautiful. The sunsets amazing. We are so close to all the activities in the area. People are super friendly and the staff is helpful.

  • Jim S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 15, 2025

    Hadley's Point Campground

    Nice looking park ! clean

    Nice site one of the more expensive campgrounds in the area. Polite staff I asked if I could rinse off the front and back of Airstream as they have dusty roads here. The said no not even without soap. I asked no we are on a well. First time I was told no in two years of travel . Even in upscale parks most let you rinse the bugs off

    Not a real complaint just a note .

  • Snooz H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Acadia Seashore Camping and Cabins

    Beautiful spot but...Meh...🤦🏼‍♀️

    So we got there & was escorted to our spot which seemed nice. It took awhile to get rid of them so we could get set up.

    We got everything set and we have a mat we put down. Well, the grass is like straw & we were not allowed to have the mat on their dead grass??

    In our spot, for 6 nights, we had no shade at all!!! All these nice ocean front ones that were there we assigned to people there for 2-3 days! Wth!!!

    Their honey wagon waa broke down so we had to pull everything in to empty our grey water.

    I went and asked about how much the laundry machines were and 30 mins later it was a little painful. You have to sign up to do laundry and schedule your time. Ok, well I did 2 loads for $14 and my hours was up and one load was not completely dry. She explained that ONE TIME some families got their clothes mixed up as they were all trying to leave at one morning. So, instead of them looking at this as an exception, they put this sign up system in place. So, complete overreaction and changed every other's experience in the future.

    As our neighbor described it as a RIDGED HOA. The kind that worry about everything you do and don't do.

  • M
    Aug. 10, 2025

    Meguniticook by the Sea Campground

    Overpriced!

    Corporations are buying up the private campgrounds and charging ridiculous prices. The three around Campden, ME have 4 day minimums making the most basic RV site $ 225 to $260 per stay.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 6, 2025

    Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA

    Great choice

    The Campground offers basically everything that’s needed for a good experience. There are kids amenities and activities, there’s a shop inside of the campground with a little of everything you might need. We rented a site next to the ocean, and it was great!


Guide to Bass Harbor

Camping near Bass Harbor, Maine, offers a fantastic mix of natural beauty and outdoor activities. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and enjoy everything this stunning region has to offer.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the numerous trails in Acadia National Park. Many campers rave about the access to trails right from their campsites. One visitor at Blackwoods Campground said, "I love that the southern ridge trailhead for Cadillac mountain leaves from the campgrounds and connects to a bunch of other trails."
  • Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for local wildlife. Campers at Seawall Campground reported seeing deer and even moose nearby. One reviewer mentioned, "We did see dozens of deer in this location; by far the most wildlife of any of the three Acadia campgrounds."
  • Beach Activities: Enjoy the rocky beaches and tidal pools. A camper at Mount Desert Campground noted, "There is a rocky beach just across the road for exploring tidal pools."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Many campers appreciate the well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Schoodic Woods Campground said, "The bathrooms are clean and look nice inside."
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Campers often mention the peaceful environment. One reviewer at Seawall Campground stated, "The best thing about this campground is the total darkness and silence at night."
  • Friendly Staff: Many campgrounds have helpful staff. A camper at Hadley's Point Campground shared, "Nice staff. Nice size lot clean. And shuttle bus stops on site for Bar Harbor and Acadia."

What you should know:

  • Reservations: Some campgrounds, like Bar Harbor Campground, operate on a first-come, first-served basis. A visitor mentioned, "This campground is huge, and takes no reservations, so it works great for us who don’t like to plan ahead."
  • Site Privacy: Privacy can vary between campgrounds. A camper at Schoodic Woods Campground noted, "The sites are carefully designed so that although you might hear your neighbor you likely will not see them."
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds lack certain amenities like showers. A reviewer at Schoodic Woods Campground mentioned, "There are no showers onsite so come prepared."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Family-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with pools and playgrounds. One camper at Smuggler's Den Campground said, "The playground was great for the kids. The swimming pool was a highlight as well."
  • Proximity to Attractions: Choose a campground close to family-friendly attractions. A visitor at Mount Desert Campground mentioned, "There are so many activities and amenities just minutes from this lovely campground."
  • Quiet Hours: Be mindful of quiet hours to keep the peace. A camper at Smuggler's Den Campground noted, "The only problem was kids running around during quiet hour."

Tips from RVers:

  • Site Selection: Choose your site carefully, especially for larger rigs. A reviewer at Schoodic Woods Campground advised, "If you have a large rig, choose your site carefully."
  • Dump Stations: Know where the dump stations are located. A camper at Hadley's Point Campground mentioned, "Only negative was lack of enough sewer necessitating a $12 pump out."
  • Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell service in some areas. A visitor at Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA noted, "Cell service with T-Mobile was spotty."

Camping near Bass Harbor, Maine, is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and create lasting memories with family and friends. Whether you're hiking, wildlife watching, or just relaxing by the campfire, there's something for everyone in this beautiful area.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Bass Harbor, ME?

According to TheDyrt.com, Bass Harbor, ME offers a wide range of camping options, with 110 campgrounds and RV parks near Bass Harbor, ME and 4 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Bass Harbor, ME?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Bass Harbor, ME is Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 94 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Bass Harbor, ME?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Bass Harbor, ME.