118 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Southwest Harbor, Maine serves as a gateway to Acadia National Park with several developed campgrounds accommodating tent, RV, and cabin camping needs. Smuggler's Den Campground provides sites with mountain views, featuring both rustic tent areas and full hookup sections for RVs. Quietside Campground offers more basic accommodations with cabin rental options. The western side of Mount Desert Island contains multiple family-friendly campgrounds with amenities ranging from swimming pools to hiking trail access directly from campground boundaries.
Camping in the Southwest Harbor region operates seasonally, with most facilities open from May through October. Winter conditions make camping impractical, with most campgrounds closing after Columbus Day weekend. Reservations are strongly recommended during peak summer months when Acadia National Park visitation reaches its highest levels. Sites with water and electric hookups tend to book several months in advance. The island's shuttle service, the Island Explorer, stops at several campgrounds including Smuggler's Den, providing transportation to various park attractions and reducing the need for personal vehicles. According to one visitor, "Island explorer bus stops at the campground for access to Bar Harbor and the rest of island. Great way to explore Acadia national park and Bar Harbor."
Campground amenities vary considerably across the region, with some providing swimming pools, playgrounds, and camp stores while others focus on natural settings and basic facilities. Tent sites at many campgrounds offer wooden platforms that improve comfort during rainy periods. Campers report high satisfaction with the region's cleanliness and maintenance standards. A recent review noted, "Tent sites are very private. We felt safe and secure. It's quiet and the staff was very friendly." The proximity to hiking trails represents a significant advantage for many campers, with several mentioning the ability to access Acadia National Park trails directly from campgrounds. Family facilities such as playgrounds and pools receive consistent positive mentions in reviews, making Southwest Harbor campgrounds particularly suitable for travelers with children.
"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."
"quiet, wooded, relatively secluded. good spot at 111 where we stayed. nice places for tents. private showers outside main camping area were a positive since none in camping area itself."
from $30 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Activities within walking distance from the campground included hiking, beach combing, and picnicking. Waking up to see the beautifully painted sky over the ocean at sunrise is well worth it!"
"We stayed at the tent walk in sites (D25) The sites are close together but otherwise, well maintained."
from $22 - $60 / night
Check Availability"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)."
"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."
"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."
from $60 - $81 / night
Check Availability"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."
"There are homes close by, but they are fenced off and really are out of sight, so it's not really an issue. The Bass Harbor Lighthhouse is literally 500 feet away."
"Decided on Bass Harbor after considering the only available tent site at Seawall (very small and close to neighbors)."
"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."
from $22 - $60 / night
Check Availability"**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."
from $29 - $90 / night
Check Availability"Proximity to Acadia National Park, Southwest Harbor, and all the great things to do in the area is perfect. Great pool and other facilities."
"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."
TravelerWe stayed one night. Standard Maine camp - neighbors 20’ away on three sides.
Price is $25-$70.
This is a good spot if you’re visiting Jonesport or Cherryfield.
Staff is very friendly.
TravelerWent end of Aug/Early Sept. We stayed in spot WE 8 which neighbors a small creek and forest around most of it. Space was smaller and requires leveling but was perfect for our 20ft Camp Trailer.
TravelerThe campground is on the banks of Lake Superior with a great beach.
GuideRecreation.gov campground with a fee. No showers but everything else is great. Good location plenty of water and dump stations. In the woods but very close to the ocean
ScoutIts a great location, easy access. The local free bus comes right to the park entrance if you dont want to drive to Bar Harbour and goes to many other locations in Acadia National Park
ScoutAwesome place. Clean bathrooms and super helpful people. It is right beside the road so you do hear traffic fairly often. Other than that would totally recommend :)
ScoutKids were in bed in our camper. Wanted to watch a replay of a sporting event on our outside tv and a staff member told us no tvs or music after 10pm. The TV volume was extremely low and was bothering nobody. I could hear multiple crying children in the distance over the low volume of my tv but the staff didn’t knock on their camper doors and tell them no crying after 10pm. Apparently adults can’t be respectful adults and enjoy themselves for an hour when their kids go to bed. Will never come back to this place.
ScoutThis app states that you can’t reserve ahead but you can. We didn’t and were still able to stay ( we just moved to another site mid stay) campgrounds are clean. Staff is very friendly. The wild blueberries on the grounds are delicious and in abundance. Both sites were pull though and easy to get level on. Bar Harbor is about 20 min away. We have our tri-glide with us and it was easy to get around the grounds and state. PSA for travelers the lobster spot across the street is delicious and will serve a hot lobster roll. We learned that the “Maine” way is served cold even if it says hot. lol it’s the butter that warm unless you ask for hot lobster.
ScoutVery quiet,clean and very nice peaple easy parking and set up , all gravel level camping spot
Mount Desert Island's western shoreline offers camping near Southwest Harbor, Maine with coastal access to Acadia National Park. The region's spruce forests provide natural shade in summer when temperatures average 75-80°F. Most camping options sit within 3 miles of town, providing a quieter alternative to the busier eastern side of the island.
Hike directly from camp: Smuggler's Den Campground connects to Acadia National Park trails. "Hiking trails connect to the back of the campground for access to Beech Mtn and Echo Lake beach," notes Erin S. The campground's mountain views provide a scenic backdrop for your stay.
Kayak in protected waters: Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA offers direct water access for paddling. "We could launch our kayaks directly from the site. The kayaking from the park is very good, with protected access into Mt. Desert Narrows," reports Heather C. Waterfront sites provide launch points or use the two communal water access areas.
Catch sunrise at Bass Harbor Lighthouse: Bass Harbor Campground sits within walking distance of this iconic landmark. "It's walking distance to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse, and that is just beautiful. Rarely is there ample parking at the light, so walking from your site has its advantages," according to Melissa N. The lighthouse offers excellent sunrise and sunset photography opportunities.
Free transportation: Blackwoods Campground provides shuttle access throughout the island. "We were able to walk to the shuttle pickup and ride it to all stops in the park, and to Bar Harbor. It was so convenient," shares Roxanne R. The Island Explorer stops at multiple campgrounds, reducing parking concerns.
Platform tent sites: Mount Desert Campground features wooden platforms for tents, ideal for comfort during wet weather. "Since the campground sits among the rocky and mountainous coast line, they have spent the time and money building leveled platforms for all the sites. Without the platforms, the campsites would be quite miserable," explains Melissa W. The platforms provide flat, elevated sleeping areas on uneven terrain.
Swimming options: Some campgrounds maintain pools while others offer natural swimming. "The BEST part of this campground for our family was Somes Sound and the floating docks. We purchased a crab bucket with net from the coffee shop one morning for around $10-12. It was well worth it as my kids crab gigged for HOURS off the docks every day," writes Whitney W. about Mount Desert Campground.
Shower arrangements vary: Many campgrounds charge for showers. At Bar Harbor Campground, "showers are 25 cents/5 minutes" according to Nancy W. Seawall Campground has no on-site showers - "The shower house is located in a separate facility about a mile from the campground entrance," notes Ashlee L.
Reservation systems differ: While most campgrounds take advance bookings, Bar Harbor Campground operates differently. "This campground does not take reservations so you can pick whatever open site you want and if you want to extend your stay, you can. When you arrive, you get a map, find an empty site, get set-up and then go back to the office to register," explains Nancy W.
Site privacy varies dramatically: HTR Acadia (formerly Somes Sound View) offers more secluded options. "Most of the campsites are quite nice, with decent amounts of privacy," reports Thomas R., though he warns "don't expect to get a water front spot unless you reserve well in advance."
Consider the quiet side: Families seeking less crowded experiences prefer Southwest Harbor. "We have a tiny trailer that fits in a tent site. The site was adequate and not as close to the neighbors as I feared. The shuttle bus takes 50 minutes to get to Bar Harbor, by car it's closer to 30," writes Karla J.B. about Seawall Campground.
Look for activities beyond hiking: Bass Harbor Campground offers a pool for kids who need breaks from hiking. "It has a pool, which my daughter loved but I much preferred going down the road to the lake to swim," shares Melissa N. Many campgrounds provide playgrounds as alternatives to hiking.
Pack quarters for showers: Most campground shower facilities require coins. "Showers were coin operated for warm water. Bring quarters! You can definitely shower completely with one session of about 5 minutes," advises Whitney W. about Mount Desert Campground. Plan ahead with sufficient coins for your stay.
Check site dimensions carefully: Many campgrounds have size restrictions. Mount Desert Campground limits "occupants to RVs less than 20' in length and have about a 50/50 mix of tent campers and small RV campers," according to Danielle V. Some sites have tight turns that challenge larger rigs.
Consider hookup locations: At some campgrounds, utilities may be positioned awkwardly. "Our site has water and electric on the wrong side," notes Rita about HTR Acadia. Bring extension cords and longer water hoses to accommodate unusual setups.
Generator restrictions exist: Schoodic Woods Campground enforces strict generator policies. "Why would I be running my generator if I was hooked up to 50AMP service," explains Rick C. after a misunderstanding with staff. Check each campground's specific rules regarding generator use before arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Southwest Harbor, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, Southwest Harbor, ME offers a wide range of camping options, with 118 campgrounds and RV parks near Southwest Harbor, ME and 6 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Southwest Harbor, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Southwest Harbor, ME is Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 100 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Southwest Harbor, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 6 free dispersed camping spots near Southwest Harbor, ME.
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