Picnicking on Thompson Island in Acadia National Park

A causeway connects Mount Desert Island to the mainland at the town of Trenton. In between the two is another island that the road passes through, Thompson Island. Here you will find restrooms and a large picnic area that is open from mid-April through the end of November. When heading south, the picnic area is on the left side of the road. On the right is the former Thompson Island Visitor Center, which is now permanently closed.

The driveway into the Thompson Island Picnic Area forms an elongated oval-shaped loop, and parking areas are located on both of the long sides. There are a few picnic tables and grills on the west side, which is where cars are first directed due to the loop being one way, but these should be taken only as a last resort. Continue around to the east side where all of the tables have great views of the Mount Desert Narrows.

Picnic table and grill on the west side of the loop through the Thompson Island Picnic Area in Acadia National Park

Picnic tables and grills along the Mount Desert Narrows at the Thompson Island Picnic Area, Acadia National Park

The first table on the Narrows side is handicap accessible. It is right next to the parking lot, and the restroom, which is located in the center of the loop, is across the street. Unfortunately, there is no grill next to the table.

Handicap accessible picnic table on the east side of the Thompson Island Picnic Area in Acadia National Park

While there are nearly two dozen picnic tables and plenty of ground-level grills / fire pits on the east side of the picnic area, people have picked up the tables and relocated them under the shade trees. Many of the grills are now off by themselves in the middle of the field and exposed to the sun. 

Grills are often separated from the tables on the east side of the Thompson Island Picnic Area in Acadia National Park

Picnic tables grouped under shade trees at the Thompson Island Picnic Area in Acadia National Park

Most of the picnic areas at Acadia National Park are not good places to hold a family reunion or other event, but if you have to pick one, the Thompson Island Picnic Area is a solid choice due to the large field, the scenery of the Mount Desert Narrows, and the number of tables and grills available. However, all picnic areas in the park are open to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. Groups of 30 or more need a permit (fee involved), but this is to authorize a large gathering only, not to reserve tables. You must still show up early and hope to get enough tables for your event. For more information and a permit form, visit the National Park Service’s Special Use Permits web page for Acadia National Park.

Tables on the shore of the Mount Desert Narrows at the Thompson Island Picnic Area in Acadia National Park

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