STATE & NATION TRAVEL · alerts
Cadillac Summit Road closes to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in two construction windows
By Staff Writer · Published November 5, 2026
Acadia will close the road to all users November 9–25 and December 1–18 while crews resume work on an accessible path between Cadillac Mountain's summit parking areas.
Official announcement: National Park Service · November 4, 2026
Source: National Park Service Cadillac Summit Road construction alert
Acadia National Park will close Cadillac Summit Road to every user—not only motor vehicles—from November 9 through November 25 and again from December 1 through December 18. The National Park Service says the interruption is needed as construction resumes on an accessible pedestrian path connecting the east and west parking lots at the summit.
The order includes bicycles and people on foot, which removes the road as a walking or riding route during both work windows. Hiking trails on Cadillac Mountain remain open, so the closure does not shut the mountain itself, but anyone who reaches the summit by trail must also descend by trail rather than use the road.
The two construction windows overlap Acadia's normal seasonal transition. Park Loop Road is scheduled to close to general motor traffic on December 1, except for access to Jordan Pond from Seal Harbor and Sand Beach from Schooner Head Road. Cadillac Summit Road ordinarily closes to motor vehicles for winter on December 1, but the construction alert is broader because it also bars cyclists and pedestrians through December 18.
The work centers on accessibility at one of the park's busiest viewpoints. The current summit loop has paved sections and designated accessible parking, but the NPS notes that parts of the walkway are steep or include steps. The new connection is intended to improve movement between the two summit parking areas.
What Travelers Need to Know
Do not drive, walk or cycle on Cadillac Summit Road during November 9–25 or December 1–18. The alert applies to all users. Recheck Acadia's conditions page before travel because construction and winter weather can change road and trail access.
Hiking trails remain open under the notice, but hikers must use a trail in both directions. The North Ridge route is about 4.4 miles round trip and the South Ridge route about 7.1 miles round trip; exposed granite, wind, fog, ice and early darkness can make late-season conditions very different from a summer summit visit.
No public transportation runs to the summit. Do not assume the Island Explorer or a drop-off service can substitute for the closed road, and do not plan to walk down the road after arriving by trail.
An Acadia or federal lands entrance pass is still required for visitors age 16 and older. The seasonal Cadillac vehicle-reservation period has ended for 2026, but that does not create road access during the construction closures.
About the Location
Cadillac Mountain rises 1,530 feet above Mount Desert Island near Bar Harbor and is the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the United States. Its summit overlooks Frenchman Bay, offshore islands and a glaciated coastal landscape; the present 3.5-mile road was built between 1924 and 1931.
The mountain, historically called Green Mountain by European settlers, is part of the Wabanaki homeland and has drawn visitors for generations. Land at the summit entered the protected holdings that became Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916; the park took the Acadia name in 1929. That long history and the summit's popularity make a total road closure consequential even after the peak reservation season ends.