Seawall Campground, near [Acadia National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/maine/near/acadia-national-park), is a peaceful spot that offers a unique camping experience on the quieter side of the island. With its dense woods and proximity to the ocean, you can enjoy the soothing sounds of waves crashing against the rocky shore, making it a perfect escape for those seeking tranquility.

The campground features well-spaced sites, many of which provide a decent level of privacy thanks to the surrounding trees. Visitors have noted that while some sites are close together, others feel quite secluded, especially in the B-loop where the thick woods create a cozy atmosphere. Facilities include flush toilets and drinking water, but keep in mind there are no showers on-site, so plan accordingly.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Seawall Campground is a great base for exploring [Acadia National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/maine/near/acadia-national-park). There are several easy hikes nearby, and the stunning rocky beach is just a short walk away, perfect for exploring tidal pools. Plus, the nearby town of Southwest Harbor offers access to provisions and local eateries, making it convenient for campers. As one visitor put it, “You can hear the ocean breeze and the crash of waves from the exterior campsites during quiet hours,” which truly captures the essence of this serene location.

## Overview

 For Seawall campsites, 90 percent of campsites are released six months in advance on the first of each month at 10 am EST. The remaining 10 percent are released at 10 am 14 days ahead of a desired arrival date on a rolling basis. For example, if you plan to arrive on May 24, you can make an online reservation starting at 10 am EST Dec 1 from the first release or starting at 10 am EST on May 10 from the second release. All campsite reservations must be made through recreation.gov. 90% of campsites are available six months in advance, and released on a monthly basis as described above. 10% of campsites are available at 10:00 a.m. EST. fourteen (14) days in advance of the desired reservation date. Visitors are able to make same day reservations if campsites are available. All reservations must be made through recreation.gov. Reservations cannot be made through the campground office or in-person. 
## Recreation

 From gentle walks along the rugged coastline, mountain hikes, tree lined carriage roads for biking and lakes for kayaking and canoeing, Acadia offers many opportunities to get outside and be active.Park rangers at Acadia offer a variety of programs to suit every interest and activity level. Programs include walks, talks, hikes, narrated boat cruises, bike rides and more. Kids age 6-12 love Acadia's Junior Ranger Program.A 27-mile, historic loop road system offers outstanding views of the park's ocean shoreline, coastal forests and mountain silhouettes. 
## Natural Features

 Southwest Harbor is located on the west side of Mount Desert Island. The west side of the Island is considered the \"quiet side\" of Mount Desert Island. All the sites at Seawall Campground are wooded and within a 10-minute walk to the ocean. There are many beautiful and quiet hiking trails on this side of the Island, as well as Echo Lake, a wonderful lake for swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and picnics. Acadia is comprised of a cluster of islands on the Atlantic coast of Maine. Mountains, lakes, streams, wetlands, forests, meadows and beaches are all found within roughly 50,000 acres comprising Acadia. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Acadia National Park is surrounded by scenic island harbors and quaint towns. Mount Desert Island, the Schoodic Peninsula, and Isle au Haut offer plenty of visitor services including restaurants, shops, museums, and tours. Please check with local Chambers of Commerce for more information. 
## Charges & Cancellations

 No Shows If a camper does not check-in at the ranger station by 10:00am check-out time the day after the scheduled arrival date, their reservation will be cancelled, the camper will incur a $20.00 service fee, and forfeit the first night's camping fee. Making Changes to Your Reservation A $10.00 service fee will apply if you make any changes to your reservation. Cancelling Your Reservation If you cancel your reservation the day before or on the day of your scheduled arrival date, you will incur a $10.00 service fee and forfeit your first night's camping fee. If you cancel your reservation 2 or more days before your scheduled arrival date, you will only incur a $10.00 service fee. If you cancel a group campsite reservation within 7 full days before the scheduled arrival date, you will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Early Departures If you choose to check out of your campsite early, you must notify us in person at the Campground Ranger Station before 10:00am in order to receive a refund for your remaining nights. \_Please review Rules & Reservation Policies below for more information.

Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Bass Harbor, ME has a lot to offer. Bass Harbor is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Bass Harbor camping trip.

Bass Harbor

The Best Camping Near Bass Harbor, Maine

Stayed here on a trip around Maine last summer, 2014.  This site was quiet and had plenty of room between camps.  Bathrooms and showers were clean.  The Rangers were very nice.   
Stayed with a group of four and we had a great time!  
Highly recommended!

Excellent!

I think the seawall campground is slightly quieter than the other campgrounds in Acadia.  They are all really nice and Acadia is great!

Northeast National Park

Mid-Coast Maine is a place where you can spend a day on any body of water, club mountains, scale rocks, camp, and more. From Acadia to downeast, Maine is sure to keep you busy. Seawall campground is a great stop camp for a summer of activities. A little expensive but worth the price. If you want to save a buck save your trip for the off-season. Quieter camping, less traffic, and still I am ton to do!

Mid-Coast Maine 

site: some walk-in sites available. wooded. some sites definitely more private than others. gravel site- so sleeping on something was helpful!
amenities: clean. no showers.
attractions: near hiking trails.
I would go camping here if/when we visit Acadia again.


walk-ins available

Since the campground is closing this fall to renovate I will focus mostly on what the park has to offer. Our family of four plus one pet was impressed with the transportation system provided by Acadia in partnership with L.L Bean. Free buses are pet-friendly which allowed for maximum exploration. 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! Rock climbing and various boat excursions were also available. Southwest Harbor neighbors the campground and has adorable coffee houses and restaurants. Also, be sure to seek out one of Ms. Frances' blueberry pies from the Quietside Cafe. Hoping renovations keep walk-in woodsy sites, but update bathrooms and maybe include showers, although a clean pay facility exists a mile towards Southwest Harbor.  All together, the gorgeous geography, National Park Service and kind neighboring towns made tent-camping in Acadia an outstanding and affordable experience.  This will not be our last visit! 

Acadia is Amazing!

Seawall 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. 

Seawall campground

Stayed at site 8 in the first loop.  We only stayed here 1 night because the campground that we had planned to stay at for the week could not accommodate us on the 1st night that we were on the island, but Seawall had a few spots still available and I wanted to check out the tidal pools near this area anyway.  It's a great campground, and I'm sure we could have been happy spending the week here as well, though I would say this campground is further away than I would have liked to most of the island's trails, which are on the east side of MDE (maybe 20-40 minutes depending on where you're trying to get to and if it's easy to access via the Park Loop Road).  Facilities were great, and one pro of staying at a NP campground is easy access to the ranger programs - the ranger also gave us the pointer to check out another ranger 'program' to observe the nesting peregrine falcons via telescope from the Precipice Trail parking lot, which was awesome.  Around 2 miles away from this campground is probably the best place on the island to explore in the tidal pools, and I've posted our fav photos from that adventure as well.

Great NP campground on the 'quiet side'

We stayed four nights at Seawall and were rather impressed with the size and quality of both the campground area but also the bathrooms.  We stayed in loop D, a tent loop, and it was very well organized and easy to navigate. D24 was our camp site and was perfect. Slightly larger and set back a bit from the other campsites, it offered a bit more privacy and a wee bit more room. The campground was full 3 of the 4 nights we stayed and while most sites were hidden with trees, the noise was definitely there. It was great to see the families adventuring out, assisted by the larger size of the sites and the well groomed, short walk in trails and wheelbarrow for moving your items. The fact that the closest showers were around 10 minutes away and cost a decent amount was a little disappointing but livable. They also had lovely ranger led activities that seemed like a great selling point as well. The ease of biking across the street to the seawall picnic area was great as it is on the water but the distance to Bar Harbor and the main area of the park was a bit inconvenient even though the buses did offer service. All in all, rather impressed for such a campground and well worth a stay.

Maine Event

I love the seclusion of this campground- it's cool to be able to be surrounded by fellow campers and the woods- and I like that your car isn't pulled right up to the site. It's near some breathtaking rocky shorelines. No showers- but there are some quarter showers at a store a couple minutes away. I believe they're renovating the campground at the end of the year- I'm interested to see what they do with the place!

Love this spot!

This was my 1st trip to Acadia NP and I choose the site based on nothing more than looking online. It turned out to be a great campground on the quiet side on the island. The site was good and on par with other national park sites I had been at. Having the shore a short walk away was nice as well. 

There are many oppurtunities for hiking, biking, shopping and of course lobster everywhere! 

On the quiet side

It was so pleasant to camp in relative seclusion after a day of exploring the scenic beauty and the many trails that twist around this fantastic national treasure. The night was clear, the stars out, and the sounds of the Atlantic nearby made a superb camping experience. With coastal hikes so close, sunrise hikes and exploring the tide pools were outstanding! 

Awesome!!


Super easy for small tents, we had a pair of 2-person ones that fit the sites just fine. 
 
Easy to ride paved roads into the site.  fire pits to use at night were really fun, and we met lots of great company.
 
 When we went the shuttle was down, but the roads into and around Acadia are super easy to navigate. 

Excellent access to Acadia

Lovely fire pit! Close to seawall road which was perfect for a quick drive for late night star gazing. Quiet, clean campsite.

Lovely spot to explore the less busy side of Acadia

A good stop for a quick night. its about 30-40 mins from the main park but had nice size spaces and clean facilities. A little buggy but met expectations as a national park. 

A quick stop

no showers but bathrooms are clean and updated. campsites on loops without generators feel like you’re alone in the wilderness. bugs weren’t too bad and you can walk about 200 yds across the street to the ocean. lots of great hikes in the park within 10 minutes drive. 

serene 

If you're looking to get away from all the "noise" of the side of the island that Acadia National Park is on, this is your spot. It's still only 25 minutes or so to Acadia National Park but is extremely quiet and secluded. The campsites are a little close together but there is still privacy. The other benefit was it is away from Bar Harbor lights so we saw soo many stars!

Secluded and away from all the noise 

the campsite are really close together and you can hear slight loud conversations. there are trials in the site for walking or biking. There are no showers but there are very clean toilet. the showers are about a mile away at another campsite for about $3. other showers in the area charges by how long you take a shower. Be sure to ask a Ranger about showing options. I really enjoyed this site and will be back again. 

My first Camping experience by myself 

it’s a great campsite. it’s quite and maybe a 20 min drive from the park. quick drIve to the water.  I was at the group camp grounds and they are nice. 

quite but nice

The campground s extremely secluded and quiet, however the sites are rather close together. Everyone tended to kee to themselves. There were toilets available, but you have to go down the street and pay $3 for a 1.5 minute shower. The toilet facilities weren't the cleanest I've ever seen, but weren't the worst either. It was a really primitive experience in my opinion, with little cell service. There were very nice walking trails very close by and nice seawall views right down the street

Quiet and secluded

Located on "the quiet side" of Mt Desert Island, Seawall is my preferred campground for experiencing all that Acadia National Park has to offer. While it is an extra 20 minutes drivetime to get to the main area of Acadia that contains Cadillac Mountain, Thunder Hole, and other major attractions, it is more than worth it. Even during peak tourist season, the south side of the island maintains the quintessential quiet new england beach town feel with gorgeous rocky coastline, cool breezes, and about 1/10th of the foot and vehicle traffic you can expect in Bar Harbor. The area also has it's fair share of Acadia attractions including Beech Mountain overlooking Echo Lake, Gilley Field, Seal Harbour, and Acadia Mountain. If you dont mind a quick wait for a parking spot, Bass Harbour Lighthouse at sunset is breathtaking.

The campground itself is a pristine treasure for the early to bed early to rise adventurer. You won't find a speck of litter or waste anywhere on the deceptively large grounds. Loop A is the preferred spot as it is right near the entrance, making getting in and out as easy as pulling out of your driveway, if your driveway led to a picturesque stretch of rocky beach looking out to the seemingly endless Atlantic Ocean. If you're lucky like I was, you can catch some great photos of the local bald eagle population soaking up the early morning sun.

You won't see many campfires around, or hear any partying, or run into many of your fellow campers as it stays quiet here 24/7\. You will catch the occasional friendly rabbit or deer strolling through and hear coyote packs howling at night. Personally, I could sleep all night listening to those sounds. The only thing that did keep me up at night was the spectacular starscape overhead. The light pollution on the Southside was virtually nonexistent.

Aanyway, I could go on for days about Seawall Campground. If you fall into the Introvert category like me, or are looking for a safer family camping experience (also me), dont even bother looking anywhere else. This place is just an ideal setting for your next Acadia adventure.

Perfect base camp for an Acadia adventure

The entire national park is so beautiful and perfect, with hiking, swimming, boating, kayaking, historical points, and more! The park rangers are so nice, and the group campsite we used was very spacious, semi-private, and close to the bathrooms. In the morning we saw a bunch of rabbit zooming around and playing!

Beautiful and spacious.

if 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. 

Laid Back National Park Camping

We loved this site as a place to explore Acadia National park from. Definitely check out ship harbor trail and the seawall, both very close and walking distance from the campground. There is also a shuttlebus that runs from the campground all day, which will take you all the way to bar harbor and throughout the island and park. There are no hookups and limited generator hours, but there is a dump site and water available to fill. There are toilets but no showers at the grounds.

No frills but great location

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.


Crowded but Nice!

went here with a group of college friends for a camping trip, the campsite was able to accommodate 3 tents (6 campers) as well as all of our chairs, hammocks, grill equipment, etc. A short drive to some of the best hiking trails in the park &amp; there are a couple of low-difficulty trails nearby. Walk down to the beach just outside seawall on a clear night for some of the best stargazing you'll ever see.

Nice and woodsy, fairly isolated, free firewood.

Excellent campground

Absolutely love this campground located on the Mount desert island side of Acadia national park. Amazing seawall directly outside of campground and sound of the ocean can be heard from sites. We stayed in a tent but was located around RV section. Strict generator use only from 8 am-8 pm minimally so very peaceful at night. Bathrooms are very clean. Only downside of shower need you have to go outside of campground to local.pay shower but very clean.

Little price of heaven on earth

love this place. Great campsite. Close to town center!!

Great Location!

This campground is awesome! It’s quiet and rustic, it was so quiet at times that we could hear the water! This campground is on the quiet side of the park and a ride from the major attractions but worth it (close to Wonderland).

Beautiful and quiet

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. 

Quiet Side of Acadia

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.

Seawall Campground 

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.

Lots of privacy, good clean site, no RV's!!!

This campground is quiet, walking distance to the ocean. Family oriented. There are however, no showers. Most of the walk in campsites are only steps away from the parking lot.

Quiet, walking distance to the ocean.

very nice place, lots to do, hiking, fishing, boating, sightseeing, getting the best lobster you've ever had at bar harbor, the view from Cadillac mountain is unreal. the clam chowder is the best.

totally awesome

There are over 100 tent sites here with camper spots as well. The bathrooms were big and very clean. All the campsites are in the woods at least 12 feet from one another. There is no parking right next to your vehicle unless you get one of the first spots, otherwise you have to walk in with your stuff.

well kept, clean bathrooms

campgrounds are large, woodsy, I was in the walk in and it was very peaceful, staff very friendly and the view just outside the camp ground Stunning!!

Peaceful, safe, beautiful

This was my second time going to Seawall campground, I had such a great experience last year I wanted to go back! I love the back-country feel of the hike-in campsites (loop D). For stargazers, the short walk across the street to the beach will give you some unbelievable views of the milky way when the night is at peak darkness. 

  

A short drive to the main part of the park &amp; far enough away so that it's not crowded during busy weekends. Just remember to bring a ton of bug repellent, or opt to go during the months where bugs are less mild.

Amazing campground, but bring bug spray!

We loved our stay at Seawall! With Acadia being busy, it was refreshing to land each night on the quieter side of the park. 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. We also enjoyed the wonderland trail, which was not too far from Seawall at Low tide-great for tide pooling!! There are no showers but the bathrooms were clean and close to each site. There were pay showers at a convenient store right outside of The campground. $1.50 for 2 minutes. We loved the coastal vibes but slower pace of this campground and would definitely plan to camp here again if we return to Acadia!

Situated on low key side of Acadia

This is one of three [Acadia National Park](https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm) campgrounds that allow dogs. I prefer Seawall to the others because the sites are more private and spaced a bit further apart. The campground is well maintained and quiet with clean facilities. There is a day-use accessible beachfront across the road for hiking, swimming, picnics and lobster bakes. Great place to spend a weekend in the Acadia woods and at the beach with your pups!

Ranger tips: Seawall campground does not have showers so plan accordingly. Check their website for the most updated trail closures.

Fun for a day trip too!

Loved hearing the sounds of the ocean from our campsite. Campground was clean and staff was friendly and helpful. Neighbors were fairly close, but enough understory to provide privacy.

Very nice

 After spending a couple of nights at the popular black woods campsite, we wanted to prolongue our stay at acadia, so we thought we would check out Seawall campsite which is the 2nd popular site in acadia. Seawall is located on the western part of the island and is at a much quieter location than blackwoods. Off the bat, soon as we arrived we were greeted by a ton of mosquitos, im talking like a whole village of em! Bug central it was! The campsite is definitely quieter and more secluded than blackwoods so it had that going for it. Also its only a 10 min walk to the breathtaking seaside. Absolutely gorgeous there and a must see. The campsite itself had no showers but had water and toilets. I just wished there weren't any bugs because you couldn't hang around outside. Definitely bring your bug repellant! Also there were loads of poison oak plants around so be careful. It was a nice campsite but i wouldn't stay there again due to the bug infestation.

Quiet & chilled.

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.

Decent campground in a lovely area

To be honest, I think $30 is a little much for a campground that doesn’t have much amenities. Also, there isn’t any privacy for the sites. We could see our neighbors in every direction from our site. It is close to some Acadia attractions and hikes, so this made it worth it. 

Not my favorite

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, a great choice!

Bathrooms are easy to walk to, water available, firepits on tent lots and a parking space for one suv size car. There is some car flow so keep an eye on children, but not too much.  Close to small town. 

Great for families

**Famous Seawall Campground** is divided into four loops. I can only review loops A &amp; 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 &amp; 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 &amp; 25 are configured for adjoining families or friends without being group sites. A-10 &amp; 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 &amp; B-27. Spacious sites B-8; B-26; B-27 have the most privacy. B-15 &amp; 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.

Spectacular Seawall - Known & loved throughout the NPS system

Perfect

Seawall is a National Park campground. There are no hookups, but there is drinking water available and a dump station.
Some sites are reserved for tents only. “C” Loop can accommodate campers snd RVs up to 20 feet, but, again, no hook ups.
There are flush toilets. A bus stop is located at the entrance so you can get to other areas within Acadia NP easily.
There is a rocky beach just across the road for exploring tidal pools.

Quiet and peaceful - on the Maine coast

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.

The Quieter of the Two Main Island Campgrounds

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&amp;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.

Some Private Sites 

We stayed at Seawall campground for a week. Took me 5 days of being diligently by my computer as the “bank” opened up to get a site. Finally did. Thankfully. However once we arrived, we came in to a 95% at capacity campground with over 50% of the sites having no one on them. And it stayed that way for a week. Booked up, and no one there while others get the shaft. Outside of that, the sites were nice, the rangers were great and the facilities were upkept well. NPS is failing us all with online booking. 

NPS needs to go back to FCFS

We stayed here for two nights. We had a nice spot on the c-loop. 

The spaces are (more or less) private and spacious. The best thing about this camp ground is the total darkness and silence at night. A truly wonderful experience in a world that often is polluted by light. 

Close by are two nice hiking trails and a lighthouse. All definitely worth a visit. 

We would definitely return. 

Spacious, green and private 

Quiet and private sites in tent only - some extremely private! Simple clean facilities - no hot water or dish cleaning area. A few nice hikes on this part of ANP (visit the lighthouse but don’t wait for a parking spot…park and walk down .5 mile road!) while farther from most of ANP, all is very easy to get to, not more than 30 min to Bar Harbor. We also stayed 2 nights in Blackwoods and while nice, this campground was more private.

Less crowded part of ANP

We have a tiny trailer that fits in a tent site. But when reserving online, being unfamiliar with the campground, we were prompted to enter the total length of trailer + vehicle. That put us in loop C with huge RVs much closer together than the other loops. That being said, we still got to stay in Acadia. The site was adequate and not as close to the neighbors as I feared. We didn’t have reliable cell service. The shuttle bus takes 50 minutes to get to Bar Harbor, by car it’s closer to 30. There was really nothing to do at the campground except camp -no hikes or trails directly there. Showers were ~2 miles away, open 4-7 pm and $1.50 for 2 minutes of water. We stayed 7 nights, most people were there 1-3. Several sites were open each night in our loop. 

Photos of Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park

Real photos from real campers