Schoodic Woods Campground Map

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Schoodic Woods Campground is located on the Schoodic Peninsula, the only mainland unit of Acadia National Park. While certainly the campground to stay at if you are visiting the peninsula, it is a one-hour drive to the main unit of the park on Mount Desert Island, so it is not a practical camping option if that is your destination. Instead, stay at Blackwoods Campground or Seawall Campground, the two National Park Service campgrounds on the island, and if they are full, book a site at one of the dozen private campgrounds.

CAMPING SEASON

Schoodic Woods Campground is typically open from late May through Columbus Day. Group sites are available from May 15^th through October 15^th. The exact camping dates change slightly each year, so be sure to get the current schedule on the National Park Service’s Camping web page for Acadia National Park.

TYPE OF CAMPING

Tent campers and RVs are welcome.

NUMBER OF SITES

The Schoodic Woods Campground is divided into two main loops, plus a group camping area and a forested area for walk-in tent camping (park at a common lot and carry your gear to the site). There are 89 campsites in all. The A Loop has 47 sites, 35 of which are for tent campers and small RVs, vans, truck-top campers, and pop-ups (the other 12 are for tents only). B Loop, which has 31 sites, is exclusively for larger RVs, and all sites have drive-in or parallel roadside parking. Driveway lengths are listed on the reservation website, Recreation.gov. There are also 9 walk-in tent sites and 2 group sites.

All campsites other than the group and walk-in tent sites meet ADA requirements.

Tent sites in Loop A allow up to six people and two tents, provided that the tents fit on the gravel area or tent pad (if provided). There is parking for two vehicles at each site. An overflow parking area for extra vehicles is also available. The walk-in sites are limited to four campers and one tent per site.

Group sites allow up to 20 people and as many tents as needed for the group members. Each site has its own parking area that holds three vehicles.

AMENITIES

Schoodic Woods Campground opened in 2015, so it was designed using modern standards. It is the only National Park Service campground within Acadia National Park that has electricity at the sites (excluding the walk-in tent and group sites). Designated tent sites have 20 amp outlets, while those for RVs have 20/30/50 amp outlets. Furthermore, the RV sites in Loop B have water hook-ups.

All drive-in tent and RV sites have a picnic table and fire ring. There is no grill grate on the fire rings, so you must bring your own if you plan to have a cook out.

Because the walk-in tent sites are located deeper into the forest than standard campsites, no open fires are allowed and no fire rings are provided. Cooking must be done on propane / gas camp stoves. No bio-fuel stoves are permitted.

The Group campsites have multiple picnic tables, plus a grill and fire ring.

Oddly enough, while there are modern restrooms, there are no showers. The closest pay shower is on Mount Desert Island. I have no idea why a new campground would be designed without showers other than to keep the local vendors in business. Also, portable showers are prohibited.

An on-site dump station is available for RV campers.

From late May through mid-October, the free Island Explorer Shuttle Bus stops at the campground, so you can get around Schoodic Peninsula without your vehicle. The bus does not travel to Mount Desert Island, but it does stop at the Winter Harbor Ferry that has service to the island at Bar Harbor. Keep in mind that vehicles longer than 21 feet are not allowed on the Schoodic Loop Road beyond the turnoff for the campground, making the bus a game saver for those without an appropriate vehicle during the summer. Just don’t show up with only your RV during the off season when the bus does not operate.

RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENT

Payment for your campsite does not include an entrance pass for Acadia National Park, which is now required year-round. You can purchase a pass online in advance at Recreation.gov or at the park at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Park Loop Road Fee Station, Thompson Island Visitor Center, Blackwoods Campground, Schoodic Woods Campground, and the Seawall Campground. There is also an automated fee machine that dispenses passes at the entrance to the Schoodic Institute on the Schoodic Peninsula. Passes can also be purchased from third-party sellers at the Jordon Pond Gift Shop, Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce on Cottage Street, Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce, Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce, and the Southwest Harbor/Tremont Chamber of Commerce.

Reservations are required for all campsites, including the group sites, at the Schoodic Woods Campground and can be made online at Recreation.gov from two months to one day in advance, starting at 10 AM. There are no same-day reservations available.

I checked the reservation site in early and late June just out of curiosity and found that there were dozens of campsites of all types available at the Schoodic Woods Campground before the Fourth of July. Of course, during the week of the Fourth there was almost nothing available, but after the Fourth there were plenty of walk-in tent sites, and while drive-in tent sites were readily available, very few were open for more than two days in a row. Thus, while you can probably get a campsite for your stay, you may have to move from site to site on a daily basis. There were also some A-Loop RV sites available, but other than a few spots here and there, the B Loop sites for large RVs were booked for the season, including beyond Labor Day. There were plenty of tent sites for Labor Day weekend, as this is not as popular as the Fourth due to school starting back. After Labor Day the campground is wide open except for the B Loop RV sites.

CAMPGROUND RULES

• Check-in time is after 12 PM
• Check-out time is by 10 AM
• Quiet hours are from 10 PM to 6 AM
• Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days between Memorial Day and Columbus Day, and 30 days total in a year
• If not arriving on the first day of your reservation, you must call (207) 288-1300 or forfeit the reservation.
• All equipment must fit on the gravel portions of the campsite or tent pad, if provided. Vehicles must park in the driveway only. Two vehicles per site. All other vehicles must park in overflow parking.
• Pets are allowed, but must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet, and they cannot be left at the campsite.
• Firewood must be bought locally. You cannot transport fire wood with you or to other parts of the park.

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