BAR HARBOR, Maine — Acadia National Park's new vehicle reservation system kicks off Wednesday.
To drive up to Cadillac Summit Road, people will require an advance vehicle reservation, in addition to a park pass.
The reservation system is an effort to better protect Cadillac Summit's natural environment and to avoid overcrowding of the parking lot.
To make a reservation, you can click here and select "Tickets." From there, people can choose either sunrise (3:30 a.m.) or one of the daytime slots (time slots are available every half-hour from 6:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.). The total cost is $6 per car. Once the vehicle reservation is booked, visitors should save the confirmation code and purchase a park pass, all printed or ready on your cellphone to show to a park ranger once you get to the national park.
"The majority of tickets however are released and put up for sale two days in advance, at 10 o'clock in the morning eastern time. If you were going to get on an airplane and come to Acadia National Park, you probably want to get that reservation to go to the top of Cadillac in advance, and you have a really good idea of when you are going to be there," said Christie Anastasia, the public affairs specialist at Acadia National Park.
Anastasia said visitation numbers have increased 60 percent.
"We have 150 parking spaces there, and more than 450 vehicles can arrive ... so these reservations will really give people certainty that if they want to go to Cadillac they will have a parking spot," said Anastasia. "We see them parked on top of vegetation, we see them parked everywhere when it gets that congested. If somebody up at the top needed medical attention, it is pretty darn difficult to get an ambulance up there."
30% of available vehicle reservations are released 90 days ahead of each calendar date on a rolling basis.
"We want to keep it safe, we want to keep it enjoyable, and we want people to have a really amazing experience," said Anastasia.
If you want to bike or walk to the top, you don't need a reservation.
If visitors are unable to book a vehicle reservation for Cadillac Mountain, the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce recommends tours with the following local providers:
• Oli's Trolley: The Acadia National Park Tour stops at Cadillac Mountain Summit, in addition to Thunder Hole and Jordan Pond.
• Acadia National Park Tours: The Classic Tour stops at Cadillac Mountain Summit, Thunder Hole, and Sieur De Monts Spring (Wild Gardens of Acadia).
• At Your Service Taxi & Tours: Offering shuttle service from the Village Green to the summit of Cadillac, and a guided tour that includes Cadillac Mountain.
People can also explore one of the many other areas within the park that do not require a car reservation.
It's important you bring a cellphone screenshot or a printed copy of your QR code for rangers to scan.
For more information or to make a reservation, click here.