A sign regarding National Park Service fees and passes at the Acadia Mountain parking in Acadia National Park. (Photo by Will Newton/Friends of Acadia)

BAR HARBOR, MAINE – The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing to increase the entrance fee at Acadia National Park to support projects that benefit visitors and protect park resources. The new entrance fee would become effective starting in 2023 and be required year-round. The NPS is requesting feedback on the entrance fee increase during a 30-day public comment period that will be open from November 30 through December 29, 2022. Comments must be submitted online through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website at https://go.nps.gov/AcadiaFeeIncrease.

The proposed entrance fee increase is as follows:

The increase would make Acadia National Park’s entrance fees consistent with other iconic and highly visited national parks, including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite. The previous entrance fee increase at Acadia National Park was in 2018.

The vast majority of Acadia’s entrance fee revenue is retained locally and used to fund the Island Explorer bus system along with projects that benefit park visitors, particularly those that address deferred maintenance needs. The increased fee revenue will allow Acadia to expand service for the Island Explorer bus system, which is critical to addressing congestion and parking challenges throughout the park.

The entrance fee increase would not change commercial entrance fees for businesses operating in the park under a Commercial Use Authorization or the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes that can be used at Acadia National Park, including the Annual, Senior, Access, 4th Grade, Military Annual, and Military Lifetime passes.

Visitors under 16 years of age are exempt from paying an entrance fee.

Comments must be submitted online through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website: https://go.nps.gov/AcadiaFeeIncrease.