Acadia National Park has proposed increasing visitor entrance fees this year. The National Park Service has not yet approved the fee increase. (Photo by Will Newton/Friends of Acadia)

Acadia National Park has proposed increasing visitor entrance fees this year by $5 for a 7-day private vehicle, motorcycle, and individual passes, and a $15 increase for the park’s annual pass.

The increase would put Acadia’s entrance fees in line with other top tier parks, including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks. Acadia belongs in the top tier as it experiences a comparable number of visits to those parks. In 2021, Acadia was the sixth most visited park and it’s visitation is regularly in the top 10.

One of the primary purposes of the fee increase is to provide more funding to the Island Explorer bus system, which runs fare-free, propane-powered buses on and near Mount Desert Island each year from late June to mid-October.

In a public comment period from Nov. 29-Dec. 29, 2022, the park received 115 comments with 70% of those being supportive. Some asked for reduced fees for local residents.
The National Park Service has not yet approved the fee increase. A decision is expected late this winter or early spring, and it will take some time to implement.

Friends of Acadia supports the increase because it will fund critically needed transportation and infrastructure projects, including expanding environmentally friendly access to the park by the fare-free, propane-powered Island Explorer buses.

It’s important to note that the park will still offer FREE passes to select groups, including:

• Military Pass: This is a free pass for U.S. military veterans, active-duty personnel and their dependents, and Gold Star families with valid documentation.
• Access Pass: Valid for life. This is a lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities.
• Interagency Volunteer Pass: This pass is for volunteers acquiring 250 service hours on a cumulative basis. Learn about volunteer opportunities at Acadia.
• Every Kid in A Park Pass: This is a free pass for U.S. 4th grade students. Must bring printed voucher to exchange for pass. Please visit www.everykidoutdoors.gov for instructions on -how to obtain the required printed voucher. This pass is valid for 12 months beginning September of the year the student begins 4th grade and valid until the following August.

There are also four more fee free days scheduled for 2023:

• April 22: First day of National Park Week
• August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• September 23: National Public Lands Day
• November 11: Veterans Day

Read more about the park entrance fee increase in the Winter-Spring issue of Acadia magazine, which hits mailboxes in mid-March.