Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park

Seawall : Oct 2023. Drive through. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 4 Price 2023: $15/night w senior interagency pass Usage during visit: 85% Site Privacy: Many sites have great privacy. Most sites in B-loop which would hold a trailer have moderate to great privacy with thick woods surrounding sites. Site Spacing: Nice Site surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Very quiet in B loop when we drove through. Road Noise: None Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush Showers: No Pull Throughs: Most if not all are back ins. Cell Service (AT&T ). We had 1 to 2 bars depending on location. Setting: Thick woods Weather: Best weather that can have the last few days.
Solar: Too shady for fixed roof solar Rig size: Medium size - 35’ or so but better carefully check for ea site Sites: Among the very nice sites, which there are plenty of in loop-b, are: 5,6,7,8,9,10,12,27.

Seawall Campground is the quieter of the two main island campgrounds in Acadia National Park and as a campground experience, for us, the middle experience of the three in quality.

This is a very quiet campground that tends to attract quieter and more respectful campers, and a larger percentage of tent campers than the other two locations. Sites are close together and densely wooded. Privacy is a bit of a lottery here. While campsites are deep and set off the road, some of them open up to each other at the rear points of each site, providing the illusion of privacy toward the road but much less privacy in reality. Others are very private and would feel as if you had no neighbors at all.

For privacy concerns, avoid the interior campsites however possible: They are completely open not only to one another, but the restroom trails actually go through the middle of many of these campsites, meaning you can expect foot traffic within a few yards of your site at all hours of the day. The exterior loops are the way to go here.

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INTERNET: Of the three campgrounds at Acadia National Park, internet here was the most challenging. We were able to find a spot in our campsite that allowed Starlink to work with 23% obstructions. That is far too high a percentage of obstructions for use without intermittent down time rendering it unusable for video chats, streaming, and other related work, though it's good enough for quick tasks if you don't mind frequent drops in service. T-Mobile and Verizon did not provide any service here.

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MAJOR PROS: Welcome 2 the Quiet Side! That's the sign that a nearby roadside business flashes at you as you enter the Seawall camping area, and it is accurate. Seawall Campground is very quiet compared with its sister site Blackwoods on the other side of the island. So quiet, in fact, that you can hear the ocean breeze and the crash of waves from the exterior campsites during quiet hours. A very pleasant way to sleep.

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Like Blackwoods, the restrooms at Seawall are dated and about half of them were out of order during our stay. The lack of internet is frustrating for full-timers who might need it for work or use it more heavily for recreation while traveling, but there are several roadside pull-offs with spectacular ocean views, as well as the Seawall Picnic area just outside the campground, where Starlink will work flawlessly. But cell service is basically a no-go here, at least for T-Mobile and Verizon.

Many other reviewers have reported seeing Moose near or in the campground here. No such luck for us, but we did see dozens of deer (big and small) in this location; by far the most wildlife of any of the three Acadia campgrounds.

There are several nice and easy hikes nearby, but all the hikes in this area are very heavily trafficked from dawn on, seemingly every day.

Seawall is a 30-40 minute drive to the main attractions at Acadia, putting it behind Blackwoods but ahead of Schoodic Woods for convenience.

The nearby town of Southwest Harbor is smaller and less busy than Bar Harbor on the other side of the island, but provides access to all necessary provisions. Ellsworth, where you'll find the nearest Wal Mart, Home Depot, and several restaurants, is about 35 minutes away.

Like Schoodic Woods and Blackwoods, Seawall does not host any campground showers, but there are privately owned and highly-rated pay showers about 1 mile outside the campground that run about $3 for 5 minutes of hot water in private stalls. This is also a place to grab ice and vending snacks.

Overall, Seawall is a good-but-not-great campground with dated facilities and variable privacy depending on your site selection. Minus points for lack of internet access and older amenities, plus points for living up to its name as the "quiet" side of the main Acadia Island. This would not be my first choice for camping in Acadia National Park (that'd go to Schoodic), but is an excellent middle ground for those who still want peace-and-quiet and don't mind a bit of a drive to the main attractions, without having to make that drive an all day, gas guzzling affair.

Famous Seawall Campground is divided into four loops. I can only review loops A & B where I have stayed…although I did look quickly at loop C which has a parking lot configuration and doesn’t have the character of loops A & B which are in the woods. Stay at Seawall if you can possibly do so. It’s unique. 

Loop A has a few sites that have been closed this season and hopefully they will open next year. Site A-1 is hands down the closest to the ocean by just a bit…a very easy walk and a good level site medium size. I would vouch for sites A-4 ADA; A-18; A-20; A-28; A-33; A-36; A-37; A-38 which seem nicer and flatter than others. Sites 24 & 25 are configured for adjoining families or friends without being group sites. A-10 & A-12 are very small sites.  Firepits are generous in size.

In loop B the best sites are generally on the outer, not the inside of the ring. Firepits are also large in this loop.There is one bathroom without showers, but it has been rebuilt or remodeled. There is no soap or hand dryer but the main thing is that the bathroom is very clean and modern as well as easily accessible from al points in the loop. Some of the sites inside the roadbed are adjacent to standing water which surely is a mosquito hazard. It gets swampy on the inside of the ring during rains…B-2, B-4, B-6 might flood. Best sites in loop B are: B-1 highest in elevation;  B-8 excellent privacy; B-13; B-26 & B-27. Spacious sites B-8; B-26; B-27 have the most privacy. B-15 & B-16 are meant to work well for adjoining parties. Site 22 is well set into the woods. Sites B-5, B-4, B-6; B-24 are small - of these B-24 is the best. Site B-2 is not private at all.

Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor are the closest villages. Don’t forget to scout out the view from the upper town dock on Clark Point Road on the way to Beal’s restaurant. Look for a narrow lane to the dock--- great harbor view there…of the working harbor.

The most reliable area wifi is in Southwest Harbor village behind the town’s library (near the village public restrooms which are badly maintained.) On any given afternoon one can find the vehicles of Seawall campers parked behind the library using the wifi…this continues into the night, at least in summer.

Seawall has no wifi reception at all and no shower facilities. Nor any soap dispensers in the bathrooms. 

What it does have is location, location, location--- steps from the ocean. It’s a stone beach as with so many in Maine, not a sand beach; but, there are plenty of picnic tables and endless tide pools to explore.

This is a national park campsite. First impressions, really good!

When you enter you pass by a ranger booth to register, etc. Definitely grab the campground map! Why? Because you are given a free handful of wood and the map will show you where to pick it up. We didn’t realize until later and bought some on the way in. Don’t be us.

We stayed in D loop, which are all walk-up. Some are closer to the parking lot than others. Ours was D84. It had a pretty good sized space, and plenty of good area for our tent. Had a picnic table and a fire ring with a grate you could place over for cooking, if so inclined.

The bathrooms. We noticed they were cleaned every morning, and we stayed during the weekend. During the day of course they can get somewhat dirty but nothing crazy. No showers. Water spouts were ample and spread across the campground. They also had a dish washing station in the bathroom building, in a separate room. Trash bins were also right in the parking lot.

The space itself was kind of close to our neighbors but not like we were on top of each other. Everyone was courteous and the noise level was fine. Seemed like around 10/11, everyone went to bed and it was very quiet.

The campground location itself. It’s actually kind of great. It is not right next to the actual park, in a not heavily trafficked area. As a result, it’s peaceful. And you have the town of Southwest Harbor right next to it. You actually have to drive through it to get here. It’s got some shops and restaurants but a lot less people than Bar Harbor. It took us ~25 min to get to the other side and to the park itself.

The only con. Mosquitoes. Everywhere. All the time. The fire will scare them off or fry em, but no fire = you become a delicious blood flavored snack bar. Bring bug spray!

Overall, this is a nice campground set in a slightly wooded area. It’s fairly close to the ocean, so you can hear waves crashing against the rocky cliffs if it’s quiet enough. The sites are decently spacious, and the campground is generally quiet. Privacy between sites is lacking here - there are some sites that have a little bit of privacy between neighboring sites, and some have none at all.  

As for facilities– there are restrooms in the campground, but no shower houses. The shower house is located in a separate facility about a mile from the campground entrance. A bit inconvenient, but not terrible.. however, I will still never understand why a campground would go to the effort of plumbing in flush toilets and sinks, but not go the extra step and install showers, even cold outdoor ones. (Plus, the showers in the separate facility up the road are expensive.) Also, the restrooms in the campground are on ground level, and the two outer restroom stalls in each men's and women's room have windows in them that don't have privacy glass- someone walking by can see RIGHT in them. So unless you are fine with people potentially seeing you go to the bathroom, there are only 3 stalls available in each building, not 5. It's so weird, and a problem that Blackwoods has as well. 

Final thoughts- I enjoyed my stay here, and would stay here again given the chance! But, the facilities could use improvement.

I'd say the campground was above average. They had nice clean bathroom facilities with running water, electricity, and a dish-wash station. 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.

The sites themselves are spacious with a fire ring, and table. Plenty of privacy for a campground. Lots of trees for setting up hammocks and such. Good flat surfaces for sleeping. Bass Harbor Light House is very close, and the sea-wall is close enough to walk to for a very pretty sunrise! The main part of the park is about a 30-45 minute drive though.

Acadia is definitely different. First time in a National Park I ended up going out to eat for most of my meals rather than cooking, but Beal's was amazing! The fresh lobster was cooked perfectly! Send someone to get drinks while you wait in line.

There isn't a shower facility at this campground. The markings for the sites could have been better. The site I stayed at (D2) wasn't marked well from the parking and the only marking was about 15 ft back in the woods. Only was a minor issue because I arrived so late and it was pitch black.

Along 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.

We stayed in one of the walk in sites (D97) and it wasn’t a bad walk at all. We could see the car from our site. The restrooms and the site were clean. The campground was quiet but the sites are small and close together. I really didn’t want to hear the book that my neighbor was reading to her children, but I had no choice.

Acadia is a beautiful park with hiking, biking, kayaking, and swimming. Seawall is located on the quiet side of the island, a little drive from the main(e) attractions, but the calmness of the campground and the surrounding area is worth it. I even said to my husband shortly after we arrived how Id heard Acadia is so busy in the summer, but this isn’t bad. Then we drove to the Hull’s Cove visitor center and found all the people.

There is no cell signal in most of the park so I recommend bringing a guide book with you or downloading information ahead of time. I also recommend making use of the Island Explorer buses. Many of the areas along the Park Loop Road have limited parking. There were no spots at Sand Beach at 9am. Overall, I would stay at this Campground again on my next trip to Acadia.

We stayed at the tent walk in sites (D25) The sites are close together but otherwise, well maintained. There are two wheelbarrows usually loated near the bathroom to help move gear as many of the sites are walk in.

Back behind D25 area there is a path that leads to the RV sites (which are even closer together). On that path is a mound o free firewood to take an armfull each day. But I would bring firewood as a backup as it sometimes is empty.

No showers at the campground, but there is a store just up the road towards Southwest Harbor. They have hot showers *bring quarters) and most camping items you may have forgotten or broken.

The seawall area also gets very good sunrise and sunset views out on the rocks. There are a bunch of day use sites out there with fire rings, so you can cook on the wall at sunset.

There's also a lot of good hiking you can get to on that side of the island without going all the way back to the main park.

You can buy your park pass at the ranger station when you check in so you don't need to go to the main gate or visitor center to get one.