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."
ScoutWe can't voice enough, what a great place this is and we will definitely come back
TravelerBeautiful waterfront, location with level lots and scenic views
GuideOur campsite was A2. It’s quite close to the road, so you can hear some traffic noise. The site itself feels fairly private, although you can see some of the neighboring campsites. That said, everyone has enough space, and we never felt like anyone was bothering each other. One thing to note is that you can’t park your car directly at the campsite. You’ll need to carry your gear about 16 feet from the parking spot, which wasn’t a big deal for us. A huge advantage of this site is its location. It’s only about a 2-minute walk to the bathrooms and showers, and it’s also very close to the Gathering Place. Every morning from 7–10 AM they serve complimentary coffee and a variety of treats. I highly recommend the cinnamon rolls and cinnamon donuts, it’s absolutely delicious! Just get there early because by around 9 AM they’re usually gone. In the evenings (6–9 PM), they serve excellent ice cream. Firewood ($6 per bundle when we visited) and ice are also available for purchase. Another nice bonus is the free 24-hour Wi-Fi, and Verizon had excellent reception throughout the campground. The lake view from this section of the campground isn’t the best. If I came back, I would probably choose a site farther from the road, preferably closer to the water. The bathrooms and shower facilities are clean and have a charming rustic feel. Showers cost $1 for 5 minutes. There are plenty of staff members around, and they do an excellent job keeping the campground clean, organized, and well maintained. Definitely rent a kayak if you didn’t bring your own! A single kayak was $38 for 4 hours when we visited, and it’s absolutely worth it. The lake is beautiful and much larger than we expected, we paddled for 3.5 hours and still didn’t have enough time to explore everything!
GuideThis campground is only about 12 years old. It is clean, tidy, and well-kept. Sites in B loop are spacious and level. Every one is a pull-through. The sites are well spaced and very private. B loop has water and electric— A loop has smaller sites with electric only. There are no showers here, but the bathrooms are very clean. The dump station is easy to access and the flush hose has the best pressure we’ve experienced.
GuideDecided on Bass Harbor after considering the only available tent site at Seawall (very small and close to neighbors). The main area of Bass Harbor has lots of RV sites as well as a good number of nice looking tent sites. We stayed across the street from the office where there is a large wooded field for tents only. Very pretty sites with trees and dense mossy surroundings. Super easy, friendly staff, not busy - we were very happy with the site we selected and the whole experience in general. Plenty of deadwood around for a small fire; bathroom/showers/wash station clean and easily accessed. A little pricier than the national park options, but worth it to be away from the standard cookie cutter sites we saw elsewhere.
GuideFairly short walk-in to site H4 - very pretty, quiet, small and private site. Surrounded by trees/vegetation, with tent pad and picnic table. Basic, clean outhouse short walk away. Saw only one other couple, heard no one. Only drawback is no campfires allowed at these walk-in sites. We stayed one night. Considered a 2nd night in A-loop but not very appealing - sites were all pretty close to one another and fairly small.
ScoutHad wood and ice available for purchase, chill atmosphere, clean bathrooms, wonderful experience.
ScoutI had the most amazing and quiet sleep here under the stars with the sunrise overlooking Acadia from the beach. There’s a bathroom too
LegendI absolutely love this campground. When you first pull in its clean and everything is right there. You pull up at this little store to your right and its not that big but has the basic things if you need and that's where you check in. To the left I think there was an arcade, but we did not visit it. They have an abundance of spots some are open towards the back of the park then they have wooded areas, and then the ones closer to the view of the Bay do not have trees. We stayed in the back area I heard its risky to leave your awning out closer up from sometimes the wind picks up. The whole place is surrounded by blueberry plants that you can pick from and they taste amazing. They have a big laundry room on site and it was clean I am still up in the air if I liked the app to pay for the laundry or not. They have a heated well-maintained pool which you can watch the sun go down in. THere is a playground up by the pool area which has tons of things to do on it.
The campground had trails around it where you could walk, we did bring our bikes but we warned you do have to pedal up some steep hills. There is a opening to a BBQ restaurant and ice-cream place which you can easily access on foot and / or bike and the food was good but the ice cream is amazing. Its like everyone in the whole town ends up there at night. The campground is in a great location we barely interacted with the staff but I'm sure they are great. The campground has a bus that stops out-front to bring you into the town or to the Arcadia National Park.
We came for Arcadia National Park and to hike some trails, we also however explored downtown at night and enjoyed the live music down by the water. We watched sunsets and the land bridge disappear but then also came back and walked it the next day. We took a boat trip with Captain Ed and it was the most informative, fun, awesome thing for kids to do while they are there and its worth every penny. We travelled to the lighthouse on the south end of the island and ate at this little food truck with the most amazing burgers you could have. We dug in tons of tidepools and my daughter found sea stars and crabs.
I think everything about Arcadia was beautiful and so was this campground, it left you close enough to the mainland if you needed something but left you feeling secluded away from real life. It allowed up to take a trip to some train bridge trails to bike ride and explore. I would definitely stay here again the location was the key and the amenities it offered sealed the deal.
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 98 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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