Duck Harbor Campground
The Quick Take
Duck Harbor is the campground equivalent of earning your wilderness merit badge. Tucked away on Isle au Haut, a rocky island only reachable by mailboat from Stonington, this is Acadia stripped of the Bar Harbor crowds and Loop Road traffic. With just five lean-to shelter sites, it is quite possibly the most exclusive campground in the entire national park system. There are no roads, no showers, no cell service, and no camp store -- just ocean fog, spruce forest, and miles of coastal trail with virtually no one else on them. The trade-off is real: you are hauling everything in by boat and packing every scrap of trash back out. But if your idea of Acadia involves watching the sunrise from a headland you have entirely to yourself rather than elbowing for position on Cadillac Mountain, Duck Harbor is the place. This campground belongs to self-sufficient backpackers and sea kayakers who consider remoteness a feature, not a bug.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 5 sites are reservable.
Book at Acadia LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
Isle au Haut and Duck Harbor Campground are not wheelchair-accessible. Terrain is rocky and uneven, and trails are narrow. No Roads
Rules to Know
- Fires:Please do not bring your own firewood to reduce the spread of non-native insects.
- Generators:Quiet hours are from 10 p.m.
- Checkout:Check-in time and check-out time is 11:00am All campsites must be reserved.
- Occupancy:Maximum length of stay is three nights.
Pro Tips
Reservations open on Recreation.gov and these five sites vanish fast -- we are talking minutes, not hours. Mark your calendar for the exact opening date and have your dates pre-loaded. The one-stay-per-year rule means repeat visitors cannot hoard availability, which actually helps newcomers if you are ready to pounce.
The mailboat from Stonington has a limited schedule, especially at the start and end of the season when service may drop to a single daily run. Confirm the boat schedule with Isle au Haut Boat Services well before your trip and plan your food supply around the possibility of weather delays keeping you on-island an extra day.
Pack a full camp kitchen and extra fuel -- there is potable water on-site but zero options to buy food, firewood, or ice on the island. Bear canisters are not required, but food lockers are provided so use them. Bringing your own firewood is prohibited to prevent invasive insects, so gather dead and down wood locally or plan on a stove-only trip.
Photos
Ashley L. Conti/Friends of AcadiaGetting There
Directions
Isle au Haut and Duck Harbor Campground are inaccessible by car. Campers may boat in to Duck Harbor, or take the Isle au Haut mailboat from Stonington. Check with the Isle au Haut Boat Services for boat schedule. Boat transportation may be limited especially at the beginning and end of the season.
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