Should I hike or drive Cadillac Mountain?

The easiest and most popular way to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain is to drive. Cadillac Summit Road is a two lane, paved road. It winds up to the summit and has several scenic viewpoints along the way. However, there are a few important things to know before driving this road.



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A moderate out-and-back hike to the highest point both at Acadia National Park and on the eastern seaboard. The trail is mostly exposed, providing hikers with sweeping vistas of Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the Schoodic Peninsula.

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Cadillac Summit Road is a popular drive for sunrise views. Enjoy 360 degree views across the coastal landscape from the highest point on the U.S. eastern seaboard. On your drive up Cadillac Summit Road, you'll wind past panoramic vistas and close views of the extraordinary mountain ecosystem.

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Cadillac Mountain Weather (Days 0-3): Warm (max 72°F on Tue afternoon, min 55°F on Wed morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the SSW by Thu night).

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At 1530 feet (466 m) tall, Cadillac is the tallest mountain on the eastern seaboard of the United States! It is also the first place to see the sunrise in the U.S. in the winter. For thousands of years, people have climbed Cadillac Mountain and looked out from its lofty peak.

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The reservation system was designed as a tool to improve the visitor experience, ensure visitor safety, and protect park resources. Reservations are NOT required for visitors to Cadillac Mountain who enter by foot or bike.

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To drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, enter the park at the Cadillac Mountain Entrance (the intersection of Eagle Lake Road/Route 223 and the Park Loop Road) and head south on the Park Loop Road. (The Park Loop Road is two-way in this section of the park.)

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A fulfilling Acadia National Park tour will take at least two hours to drive!

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The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, can often be seen from in the northernmost parts of DownEast Acadia. The best viewing time for the Northern Lights is August to October. So get outside on a crisp autumn night and look north.

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Cadillac Mountain is one of more than 20 mountains on Mount Desert Island, and at 1,530 feet, it's the highest point along the North Atlantic seacoast. It's worth the trek to witness the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain.

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Many Acadia photographers prefer the sunrise view at the peak of Cadillac Mountain over the Cadillac Mountain sunset, However, Acadia sunsets are spectacular at both the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and the Blue Hill Overlook, not far from Cadillac.

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