Schoodic Woods Campground

The National Park Service at Acadia National Park opened a new campground - "Schoodic Woods" located on Schoodic Loop Road about one mile south of State Route 186 in Winter Harbor, Maine.The Schoodic Woods Campground is the culmination of a decade-long effort to protect a 3,200-acre tract of land abutting Acadia National Park that was threatened by the development of a resort, including a hotel, golf course, sports center, and luxury villas.In 2011, an anonymous buyer (operating as Schoodic Woods, LLC) purchased the land and, over the past two years, constructed the campground along with 8.5 miles of bike paths and 4 miles of hiking trails on the southern half of the property. The campground consists of 94 sites: 33 RV sites with water and power hook-ups, 50 car/tent sites with power hook-ups, 9 hike-in sites, and 2 group sites with a shared picnic shelter. Other visitor facilities at the campground include a ranger station, 100-seat amphitheater, and 100-space day use parking area. Camping will be available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis beginning on Tuesday, September 1, 2015.

We were fortunate to camp at the just opened Acadia Schoodic Woods Campground which just opened 9/1/15. We camped here 9/5-9/10/15 with our 20'Airstream travel trailer. This exceptional campground should not be missed and is open this season on a first come basis and next year via reservations. This was the best campground we have ever stayed! We walked throughout the campground during our stay and can happily report there are "no bad campsites". Each site has beautiful natural wooded surroundings, huge pull-through pads in B-loop (trailers, motor homes ), picnic table and fire ring ( we were the very first ones to use our campfire ring ) and found free firewood in A-loop...and WiFi! Our nightly rate was $25.00 with National Park Senior Pass. What made our stay so special was the fact that we arrived on a Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend with campground "full" but within two hours we had our choice of several sites. Exploring the Schoodic Peninsula for the first time paired with spectacular late summer weather and returning to this new campground....we really did not want to leave!

Previous reviewer said most all there is to say. I pulled in today, June 13, 2016 and had one site for one night available. Only 70% open so reservations needed. Sites are spacious, clean and crushed granite gravel You enter from blacktop access roads. Lots of room to manuver, plenty of privacy. Lots of trees all around, but not a one in the way!

This penninsula is a long way from the Bar Harbor atmosphere. Minimal shopping nearby, same with restaurants and other commercial amusements. Looks like plenty of hiking and biking and seacoast access near the c/g.

The c/g has good wifi access. Be sure to ask for password.

Have been harrased by this place constantly since being here! We attempted to get two sites side by side with water and electric hookups. We find out that although we were given sites #4 and 5 they were in different loops and one didnt even have a water hookup. Although this was a huge dissapointment we decided to make the trip anyway.

Our first night was disturbed but we did understand to some degree.. when we had to remove our lights from our canopy because they didnt want the light polution at night. These are normal hanging canopy lights nothing overaly bright and are acceptable in every other campground we have traveled to thus far.

Then we were repetedly given warnings because of an electric glass stove that was left out while trying to enjoy ourselves around the area. Which was extrmely difficult because of the lack of parking anywhere in the acadia park area. The explanation for the removal of this "glass stove" was because it could attract animals. A glass stove which was comprletly clean of any food is going to attract animals? Still in order to stay here we had to pack up both our colmon bbq and electric glass stove everytime we left the site which we were forced to do often in order for our families to spend time with eachother in different locations.

Then again when we are trying to enjoy ourselves in our two car campsite we were told we need to move our second car to a location that was far from the site because the site is not big enough to properly accomadate our two cars? These people are just not polite or accomadating in anyway. Most campground park rangers are great polite and helpful in so many ways. Did we not pay to be at this campsite? Why have we felt harassed the entire visit?

Although Maine is beautiful I will find another campground to park my camper if I ever return.

Our stay was in Aug 2016. The price per night listed did not include the $25/week national park pass. We stayed 4 nights in Loop A. Each site in Loop A has 20 amp electric, a picnic table, and a fire ring. The sites in this loop vary greatly in size. Some are very small and others I would consider medium in size. Our site, A36 was one of the larger sites and quite private. We were on the outer side of the loop so no one was behind us, the parking for walk in tenting on one side and a site to our other side through the trees. All of the sites in this loop are back in.

Water is available at the restroom. There is also a dish washing sink available there also. WIFI is available at the restrooms and the check-in building. We could not get any consistent connection to it at our site.

Firewood was not available in the campground during our stay. There were many places to purchase it in the community with prices being $4/bundle.

Other reviews have given good reviews about Loop B which is very different from the loop we stayed in. The only thing I would add about Loop B is that this is where the dump station is and it was great even including hand sanitizer!

The only thing I didn't like is the lack of shower facilities. The campground was privately developed before given to the NP. A ranger said the NP had made some suggestions and some things were accepted and some were given a "no." He alluded that showers were a "no." It would be nice if a local person offered "shower concessions."

We were given a list of regulations with the campground map when we arrived. It included information on the storage of cooking supplies and string lights not being allowed. It is the same regulations we've seen at all the national parks we've stayed and didn't seem out of the ordinary.

Schoodic point is an hour from Desert Island and the popular points such as Cadillac Mountain and Bar Harbor. A free shuttle can take you to the harbor and you can pay to take a ferry over an then use the free shuttle on Desert Island. We opted to drive over for one day trip. (The ferry was over $20/person, only the shuttle was free.) We found plenty of things to explore on Schoodic point the remainder of our time. We preferred this quiet side of the park.

The road out to Schoodic is mostly a one way road that loops out of and then back into the park. RVs and trailers are not allowed on this road but there is free shuttle service from the campground. There are several points of interest in the area along the coast. The Schoodic Institute has a partnership with the National Park and there is an interactive visitor center at their location just before Schoodic point. We attended a Park Ranger program there as well as one at the campground amphitheater. Both programs were worth the time.

I'd love to return someday!

I made my reservation months in advance through recreation .gov. We stayed in site B15 which was also near the bathroom. The site had water and electric with a gravel base. All the sites in loop B are pull-through sites and are approximately 100 ' by 60'. There is a dump station located on the exit road from loop B.

The Rangers at the registration office were very helpful. They pointed out the rules for the campground on the back of the map. So there is no excuse for hanging string lights because that is one of there rules ( this was also a rule at Seawall Campground on Mt. Desert).

There are plenty of trails to keep you busy for quite a few days. There is a free bus that travels around the Schoodic Peninsula. It is only an hours drive to Mt Desert Island so you will be able to visit the main part of Acadia NP.

One big plus is free WiFi; however, it is strongest near the buildings (bathrooms).

I was brimming with excitement to arrive and check this place out, and true to word – this campground is amazing.

Most of the RV spots on B-Loop are spacious pull throughs.

We had one of the smaller ones, and we still felt like we had almost an entire zip code to ourselves. Some of the spots, easily could have accommodated a 80′ RV with 40 slides (if such things were made).

And privacy galore! A lot of attention was put into the layout and design.

The internet connectivity was marginal – we were getting barely usable Verizon & AT&T service. Which for us, is a great thing as this makes a great spot for our current signal enhancing testing project – comparing several boosters and antenna setups. (With any decent booster or antenna, this location becomes swimming in cellular connectivity.)

Of course, the reason for being here is all of the amazing Acadia National Park to explore right out your doorstep!

We loved Schoodic Woods! We were in B-7 and all the sites in B-loop that I saw were huge, level, gravel pull-thoughs with water and 20/30/50amp electric. Each had a picnic table and fire ring. There are lots of mature trees and vegetation, so the well separated sites have plenty of privacy.

Roads are paved and easy to navigate. There is a dump station and potable water. Bathroom facilities, but no showers. Dishwashing sink at the bathroom was nice, we dumped our dishwater there to save tank space. No sites have sewer hookups.

We visited in mid-September and even then quite a few of the spaces were filled – reservations are required (No first-come, first-served sites). A-loop sites had more variety in size and some were electric only. There are some tent only sites too.

The visitor center is worth a stop - pick up the map of the trails and carriage roads for 50 cents. We used it constantly. The carriage roads are great for walking and biking. Note – these are not the level “rail to trail” pathways I was expecting – signs are posted warning bicyclists of steep grades and sharp curves. They aren’t lying. :) You can also bicycle the one-way scenic drive and then return to the campground on the carriage roads.

The drive to Bar Harbor and the “main” part of Acadia on Mt. Desert Island is a little over an hour away. Definitely worth doing, but there is plenty to keep you busy on the Schoodic Peninsula.

We got 2-3 bars of Verizon 4G unboosted and 4 bars boosted, but used the camp WiFi which worked most of the time.

I spent one night in B11 and the next in B29 (because of availability). In B29, I got amazing wifi from the maintenance building nearby ... watched the news online with no buffering + wifi on my phone around the campground! I still work so need to stay connected. Also, this site had super easy access to the office (right out the service road) and dump station but not too close ... Absolutely beautiful NP!

2nd visit. One of my favorite places. Away from the crowds of Bar Harbor but close enough if you need to visit. Peaceful, private, large sites. Hate to leave.

Schoodic Woods Campground in Acadia NP is a wonderful place. As others have said, Schoodic is peaceful and much removed from the hubbub of the Mt. Desert Island side of Acadia. This campground would earn a solid five stars from us if it only had showers. I imagine the NPS has some rationale, but it seems odd that a nice new campground that is obviously well thought out wouldn't have showers. That aside, the sites in the B loop are very spacious with privacy and very well maintained amenities. This loop is very big rig friendly.

Of course the Schoodic Peninsula is gorgeous with several trails to hike and numerous scenic outlooks. Peace and tranquility abound here, but the attractions of Bar Harbor are only a 45 minute ferry ride away. The towns of Winter Harbor and Birch Harbor are very close and offer good dining and grocery supplies.