Best Time to Visit Acadia National Park
Crowds and weather by month · Maine · NPS visitor counts through 2025
The short answer
Mild weather, fewer people: May — 41% as busy as August, about 10,779 visitors a day, average high 64°F (18°C).
Quietest month: January — about 472 visitors a day, average high 32°F (cold).
Busiest month: August — about 26,395 visitors a day.
Acadia month by month
| Month | Crowds · visitors/day | High / low · precip. |
|---|---|---|
| JanuaryQuietest× Cold | Very quiet2% of peak · 472/day | 32° / 15°F0° / -9°C · 4.5 in · 8 wet days |
| February× Cold | Very quiet2% of peak · 495/day | 35° / 18°F2° / -8°C · 3.8 in · 6 wet days |
| March× Cool | Very quiet3% of peak · 848/day | 42° / 25°F5° / -4°C · 4.9 in · 8 wet days |
| April× Cool | Very quiet13% of peak · 3,441/day | 53° / 35°F12° / 2°C · 5.2 in · 7 wet days |
| MayBest◎ Mild weather, fewer people | Moderate41% of peak · 10,779/day | 64° / 45°F18° / 7°C · 4.5 in · 8 wet days |
| June○ Mild weather, busy | Busy78% of peak · 20,650/day | 74° / 54°F23° / 12°C · 4.3 in · 7 wet days |
| July○ Mild weather, busy | Peak99% of peak · 26,192/day | 79° / 60°F26° / 16°C · 3.3 in · 6 wet days |
| August○ Mild weather, busy | Peak100% of peak · 26,395/day | 78° / 60°F26° / 15°C · 3.5 in · 6 wet days |
| September○ Mild weather, busy | Busy85% of peak · 22,412/day | 71° / 53°F22° / 12°C · 4.2 in · 7 wet days |
| October○ Mild weather, busy | Busy71% of peak · 18,639/day | 58° / 43°F15° / 6°C · 5.9 in · 8 wet days |
| November× Cool | Very quiet9% of peak · 2,389/day | 48° / 33°F9° / 0°C · 5.9 in · 8 wet days |
| December× Cold | Very quiet2% of peak · 502/day | 38° / 22°F3° / -5°C · 5.7 in · 10 wet days |
Crowds = visitors per day as % of the busiest month: ●●●●● Peak (85–100) · ●●●●○ Busy (60–84) · ●●●○○ Moderate (35–59) · ●●○○○ Quiet (15–34) · ●○○○○ Very quiet (under 15). ◎ mild weather, fewer people · ○ mild but busy · △ very few visitors (often seasonal closures) · × cold or hot. Wet days = days with at least 0.1 in of rain or melted snow.
Acadia by month
Visitors per year
| Year | Recreation visits | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2,811,184 | |
| 2016 | 3,303,393 | |
| 2017 | 3,509,271 | |
| 2018 | 3,537,575 | |
| 2019 | 3,437,286 | |
| 2020pandemic | 2,669,034 | |
| 2021pandemic | 4,069,098 | |
| 2022 | 3,970,260 | |
| 2023 | 3,879,890 | |
| 2024 | 3,961,661 | |
| 2025 | 4,079,318 |
Where the weather numbers come from
Temperatures and precipitation are 30-year averages (1991–2020) from the NOAA station ACADIA NP — Mount Desert Island (park headquarters), at 469 ft (143 m). Higher viewpoints and trails can be much colder and snowier than the station.
Months with very few visitors often have roads, campgrounds or visitor centers closed for the season. Check current conditions on the official Acadia National Park website before you go.
Other parks at their best in May
- Yellowstone
55% of peak · high 55°F
- Olympic
49% of peak · high 63°F
- Rocky Mountain
42% of peak · high 61°F
- Badlands
45% of peak · high 72°F
How “best” is chosen: the least crowded month with an average high between 55°F and 85°F (13–29°C), skipping months with under 30% of peak visitors because those are often seasonal closures. Crowds compare visitors per day, so short and long months are treated fairly.
Sources. Visitor counts: National Park Service, Visitor Use Statistics (recreation visits, final figures through 2025; typical months use 2022–2025). Weather: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (station ACADIA NP, USC00170100, 469 ft / 143 m). Both are U.S. Government works in the public domain. How we calculate.
Park Months is an independent site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or NOAA.