Foliage map › National parks and forests › Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park fall foliage
Acadia National Park covers much of Mount Desert Island on the coast of Maine, along with the Schoodic Peninsula and smaller islands. The color comes later here than in inland Maine, typically peaking in mid-October, when maples, birches, and oaks turn among the spruce and pink granite above the sea.
- Typical peak
- October 16
- Location
- Maine
- Size
- About 49,000 acres
- Elevation
- Sea level to 1,530 ft
Today’s estimate · based on a typical season
Typical season
Peak around October 16 at Bar Harbor. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
Status shown for Bar Harbor, at 20 feet. See below for other parts of the park.
Peak by place and elevation
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each place. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s estimated status.
The season at Bar Harbor
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Where to see the color in Acadia
Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the North Atlantic coast of the United States, looks out over Frenchman Bay and its islands. Jordan Pond sits below the rounded summits of the Bubbles, and the carriage roads, about 45 miles of broken-stone roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr., wind through the woods with stone bridges over the streams. Somes Sound cuts deep into the middle of the island between the mountains, and on the quieter west side a trail climbs Beech Mountain to a fire tower.
Scenic drive
The Park Loop Road runs about 27 miles through the eastern side of the park from near Bar Harbor, past Sand Beach, Otter Cliffs, and Jordan Pond, with a spur road climbing to the summit of Cadillac Mountain; from late May through late October, driving the summit road requires a vehicle reservation, so book ahead. Across Frenchman Bay, the Schoodic Loop Road follows the rocky shore of the Schoodic Peninsula.
Trees you’ll see turning
Ride the carriage roads or paddle the ponds: fall foliage bike rides, canoe and kayak trips, and more fall foliage tours.
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Acadia National Park?
In a typical year, Acadia peaks in mid-October, a little later than inland Maine because the ocean keeps the coast milder.
Where is the best fall color in Acadia?
Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond and the Bubbles, the carriage roads, and the Park Loop Road are the classic places.