The National Park Service will offer four days of free admission to all national parks, including Acadia National Park, in 2018.
The entrance fee-free days are:
- Jan. 15: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- April 21: first day of National Park Week
- Sept. 22: National Public Lands Day
- Nov. 11: Veterans Day
“These free admission days are like a limited time free trial offer,” said Acadia Superintendent Kevin Schneider. “This is your chance to experience your national park and services in the neighboring communities and decide when you will come back in the future. Every season in Acadia has its own unique beauty and adventure.”
Usually, the park has an entrance fee of $25 per vehicle and $20 per motorcycle, for seven days. Walkers and bicyclists can get a weekly pass for $12. An annual pass to Acadia costs $50. Although there is only one entrance fee station at Acadia, on the Park Loop Road near Sand Beach, all visitors to the park are required to have a pass. The entire park is a federal area.
In 2016, Acadia National Park had more than 3.3 million visits resulting in $274 million in total visitor spending in the local region. That spending supported about 4,200 jobs and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $333 million.
Normally, 118 of the 417 national parks charge an entrance fee. The other 299 national parks do not have entrance fees. The entrance fee waiver for the fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.
The annual $80 America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks that charge an entrance fee. There are also free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current members of the military, families of fourth grade students, and disabled citizens.
For more information, visit www.nps.gov/acad or call 207-288-3338. Join online conversations on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AcadiaNPS), Twitter (twitter.com/AcadiaNPS), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/acadianps). Sign up for the Acadia National Park monthly newsletter by emailing acadia_information@nps.gov.
