Mt. Desert island camping

Question

In September, 2018, we plan to visit Acadia NP and need advice on a place to camp for 4 days. How we typically tour places like this is to spend the mornings and early evenings at our campsite and tour in the afternoons. We have bicycles, no children, two cats. Camping in a 30 foot TT with one slide.
On-line reviews of the two NP CGs, Blackwoods and Seawall don’t sound encouraging, but we all know how subjective some of those reviews can be. If I haul my genny with us, I want a reasonably nice camp site. We had a wonderful spot at Smokemont CG in the Smokeys and we value staying in the park itself. Does anyone have experience with or knowledge of Blackwoods CG as to its suitability for a 30’ TT?
We decided the new NP CG at Schoodick Point (w/e hookups) may be too far from Bar Harbor, and we’d spend too much time each day going and coming (bus or ferry). Is this assumption true?
Of all the private CGs on the island, any recommendations? Any advice on ones to avoid? Price isn’t an object for this trip, but I ain’t paying for a pool I won’t use and cable TV I won’t watch just to be packed in cheek by jowl.
Thanks in advance and I am waiting to read all the wonderful advice that I’m sure is imminent.

big_katuna · Answer

We stayed at Mt Desert Narrows in May. Its a big park and its on a big bay that empties out at low tide then fills back up at high tide. It was beautiful.

There are many water view sites.

It was nearly empty in May but I dont know how busy it would be in Sept. The kids should be in school so maybe not too bad.

We dont care for the large destination resorts when they are full.

We didnt stay there but drove thru and the Bar Harbor KOA is on the ocean and seemed very nice.

You are correct about reviews; one mans meat...

We stayed at Bayleys in Scarborough based on rave reviews and couldn't get out of there fast enough. 600 sites filled with families who let their kids roam in packs un supervised.

loggenrock · Answer

Hi - we stay at Blackwoods when we visit Acadia.  You're correct - Schoodic Point is a haul from Bar Harbor itself - with summer traffic you could be an hour away. A 30' TT might be a tight fit at Blackwoods, however.  Some of the sites are pull-thru and could accommodate you, but likely none of the back-ins would work. September is a good time to be there - we like to visit then, too.  Check the schedule for the "Island Explorer" - a free shuttle bus that takes you all around the island - definitely worth using it rather than trying to drive - even away from peak season it can be tough to park at the various sites. Bar Harbor gets its name from the gravel "sandbar" that extends from shore out to Bar island in the middle of Bar Harbor.  At low tide you have a couple hours where you can walk the gravel bar out to the island - pretty neat experience to walk across the bottom of the ocean!  Also nice naturalist-accompanied boat ride out to the Cranberry islands - worth the trip.  have fun!  ST

gradygal · Answer

We stayed at Schoodic Woods last year for two weeks and have reservations for 5 nights this coming summer.
It is a wonderful CG; however, it is about an hour from Bar Harbor by car. There is a Ferry that takes you from Winter Harbor across to Bar Harbor where you can hop on the Island Explorer bus. I believe the cost of the Ferry was $25 a Person round trip.

We have never stayed at Blackwoods or Seawall. We did stay at Hadley's Point CG one year.

Judi

geoboy · Answer

Try Smugglers Den in Southwest Harbor. We are going to try Schoodic Woods this year but have been going to Bar Harbor since the mid 90's.

_tiredteacher · Answer

gradygal wrote:We have never stayed at Blackwoods or Seawall. We did stay at Hadley's Point CG one year.What did you think about Hadley's Point?

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Mt. Desert island camping

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