The Acadia Cadillac Mountain Reservation System 2025: All You Need To Know 2025

The tallest mountain in Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain. The drive up Cadillac Mountain is one of the most popular things to do in Acadia National Park – views from the summit are spectacular and this is a popular place to watch the sunrise.

In order to eliminate congestion on the Cadillac Summit Road and the parking area at the top, the National Park Service has introduced a reservation system for the road.

The reservation system can be a little complicated. I’m a national park expert and I have written this detailed guide to the Cadillac Summit Road reservations system to make your planning easier and help ensure you can get to the summit to enjoy the views.

You can make your Acadia National Park trip planning easy and stress free with a detailed itinerary for Acadia National Park. I have 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-day itineraries for Acadia that include all the park highlights, give you choices based on your preferred activity level, and take all the stress out of planning your trip.

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Table of Contents

Type of entry tickets/ reservations

Reservations will be required for vehicle access to Cadillac Summit Road that goes to the top of Cadillac Mountain.

There are two types of timed entry Cadillac Summit Road reservation periods:

1) Sunrise reservations

This applies for entry in a 90-minute window as follows (times change with the sunrise times):

🔹 May 21 – July: 4:00 am – 5:30 am
🔹 August: 4:30 am – 6:00 am
🔹 September: 5:00 am – 6:30 am
🔹 October 1-15: 5:30 am – 7:00 am
🔹 October 16-26: 6:00 am – 7:30 am

You can enter at any time within this 90-minute timeslot. Sunrise times range from 4:45 am in mid-June to 6:15 am in mid-October.

There is a limit of one vehicle reservation within a seven-day period.

2) Daytime reservations

You reserve a time slot that gives you a 30-minute window in which to enter the road throughout daylight hours.

Reservations are required between the following hours (varies by month):

🔹 May 21 – July: 6:00 am – 8:00 pm
🔹 August: 6:30 am – 7:30 pm
🔹 September 1-15: 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
🔹 September 16-30: 7:00 am – 6:30 pm
🔹 October 1-15: 7:30 am – 6:00 pm
🔹 October 16-26: 8:00 am – 5:30 pm

There is a limit of one vehicle reservation per day.

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Guide to the Acadia Cadillac Mountain Summit Reservation System

Some things to note

For both types of timed entry, re-entry is not permitted.

The reservation is for timed entry only and does not include a parking reservation – or guarantee a parking space.

Once you enter (on either reservation), you can stay as long as you like – you just need to be out by 10:00 pm when the road is closed for the night.

Vehicles over 21 feet long (including bike racks and hitch attachments), RVs, and trailers are prohibited on Cadillac Summit Road.

Period reservations are needed for

The ticketed timed entry Cadillac Summit reservation system will be in place between May 21 and October 26, 2025.

How to get entry tickets/ make reservations

The tickets will be released in two different allotments:

1) 30% of the tickets will become available at 10:00 am Eastern Time each morning 90 days in advance of each date.

2) The remaining 70% of them will be released at 10:00 am Eastern Time two days in advance of each date.

Entry tickets are only available online at the NPS reservation system. They will not be available at park entrance stations, visitor centers or park offices.

Cost of tickets/ reservations

Tickets cost $6 per vehicle (and all its occupants).

Note that this $6 is in addition to the park entrance fee and is not included in the national park fee.

**When is it not necessary to make a reservation for the Cadillac Summit Road?**

This reservation (and fee) is not required if you hike, ride a bicycle or take a taxi to the summit. The entry ticket is only required for private automobiles, not bicycles, taxis or hikers.

It’s also not required if you enter at night after the last time slot but before the road closes for the night (however, it will be dark with little visibility).

It is also not required for the few weeks that the road is open before and after the timed entry system is in effect (April 15 – May 21 and October 28 – November 30)

‼️ NOTE: If you miss out on a reservation, the Cadillac Mountain Shuttle is a privately run paid shuttle service to the top of Cadillac Mountain.

✨ PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ✨
Getting a reservation for Cadillac Mountain is a very important step in planning your trip to Acadia, and I hope this guide helps.

However, as I’m sure you’re very aware, this is just one of many things that goes into planning and preparing for your trip to Acadia.

In fact, the thing that people ask me about most is how to put everything together into an itinerary that actually makes sense. They get a reservation for Cadillac Mountain, but still worry about what else there is to do (and when), how to minimize the crowds, and how to coordinate it all.

To help take away the overwhelm of planning a trip to Acadia, I’ve created several super detailed itineraries.

Without them, people often feel stressed about planning their trip. With them, they have the confidence of getting all the info they need in one spot. Plus, there’s flexibility built in, so they can easily adapt them to their own interests and activity levels.

There are 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-day options: all with detailed hour-by-hour schedules, including alternatives for different activity and fitness levels, plus trail maps and descriptions, driving instructions, important information, essential tips, and everything else you need to make the most of your time in Acadia National Park.

They all include the summit of Cadillac Mountain. The 2-4-day itineraries even include versions for visiting the summit either at sunrise or sunset – so you have even more flexible options.

➡️ Check out the four Acadia National Park itinerary options

Tips For Getting Timed Entry Tickets for Cadillac Summit Road in Acadia National Park

Read my post about which national parks require reservations for some insider tips on making reservations (and the low down on the other national parks that also require some form of reservations this summer).

Here is a simple summary of the steps to take to maximize your chances of getting a reservation for the national parks. You’re welcome to share this image on your site using this code and attribution:

How-to-Make-Park-Reservations-Infographic

Good luck and enjoy Acadia National Park! 

Do you have any other tips for getting Acadia reservations?  I’d love to hear them.  Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know.

Additional Planning Resources for Acadia National Park

If you found this article helpful, Pin it to your Acadia National Park board! 

Reservation System in Acadia_ All You Need to Know

What You Need to Know About Acadia Required Reservations

If you are thinking about traveling to some other national parks, don’t miss my guides to:

➡️ Which national parks require reservations
➡️ Angel’s Landing permits lottery system
➡️ Glacier National Park’s Going to The Sun Road in reservation system
➡️ Yosemite National Park day use reservations
➡️ Rocky Mountain National Park timed entry system
➡️ Arches National Park timed entry system

WHERE ARE YOU IN YOUR PLANNING PROCESS?
💡 Are you just starting to think about taking a national parks trip? Get Inspiration
‼️ Are you looking for helpful tips for visiting US national parks? Read articles that share useful tips on a range of national-park related issues
💻 Are you starting to plan a trip to Acadia National Park? Read my Guide to Acadia National Park
📋 Do you want a ready-made super detailed plan for your trip to Acadia? Get a detailed 1 – 4-day Acadia National Park Itinerary
🛏️ Are you looking for a place to stay near Acadia National Park? Find a vacation rental near Acadia National Park or Find a place to stay in Bar Harbor
💲 Are you ready to book your trip? Use these Planning and Booking Resources
📖 Do you want to read a book about Acadia National Park? Check out my Recommended Reading List for Acadia National Park

About the Author

James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.

He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.

Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.

As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.

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