Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park

Seawall : Oct 2023. Drive through. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 4 Price 2023: $15/night w senior interagency pass Usage during visit: 85% Site Privacy: Many sites have great privacy. Most sites in B-loop which would hold a trailer have moderate to great privacy with thick woods surrounding sites. Site Spacing: Nice Site surface: Gravel Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Very quiet in B loop when we drove through. Road Noise: None Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush Showers: No Pull Throughs: Most if not all are back ins. Cell Service (AT&T ). We had 1 to 2 bars depending on location. Setting: Thick woods Weather: Best weather that can have the last few days.
Solar: Too shady for fixed roof solar Rig size: Medium size - 35’ or so but better carefully check for ea site Sites: Among the very nice sites, which there are plenty of in loop-b, are: 5,6,7,8,9,10,12,27.

Seawall Campground is the quieter of the two main island campgrounds in Acadia National Park and as a campground experience, for us, the middle experience of the three in quality.

This is a very quiet campground that tends to attract quieter and more respectful campers, and a larger percentage of tent campers than the other two locations. Sites are close together and densely wooded. Privacy is a bit of a lottery here. While campsites are deep and set off the road, some of them open up to each other at the rear points of each site, providing the illusion of privacy toward the road but much less privacy in reality. Others are very private and would feel as if you had no neighbors at all.

For privacy concerns, avoid the interior campsites however possible: They are completely open not only to one another, but the restroom trails actually go through the middle of many of these campsites, meaning you can expect foot traffic within a few yards of your site at all hours of the day. The exterior loops are the way to go here.

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INTERNET: Of the three campgrounds at Acadia National Park, internet here was the most challenging. We were able to find a spot in our campsite that allowed Starlink to work with 23% obstructions. That is far too high a percentage of obstructions for use without intermittent down time rendering it unusable for video chats, streaming, and other related work, though it's good enough for quick tasks if you don't mind frequent drops in service. T-Mobile and Verizon did not provide any service here.

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MAJOR PROS: Welcome 2 the Quiet Side! That's the sign that a nearby roadside business flashes at you as you enter the Seawall camping area, and it is accurate. Seawall Campground is very quiet compared with its sister site Blackwoods on the other side of the island. So quiet, in fact, that you can hear the ocean breeze and the crash of waves from the exterior campsites during quiet hours. A very pleasant way to sleep.

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Like Blackwoods, the restrooms at Seawall are dated and about half of them were out of order during our stay. The lack of internet is frustrating for full-timers who might need it for work or use it more heavily for recreation while traveling, but there are several roadside pull-offs with spectacular ocean views, as well as the Seawall Picnic area just outside the campground, where Starlink will work flawlessly. But cell service is basically a no-go here, at least for T-Mobile and Verizon.

Many other reviewers have reported seeing Moose near or in the campground here. No such luck for us, but we did see dozens of deer (big and small) in this location; by far the most wildlife of any of the three Acadia campgrounds.

There are several nice and easy hikes nearby, but all the hikes in this area are very heavily trafficked from dawn on, seemingly every day.

Seawall is a 30-40 minute drive to the main attractions at Acadia, putting it behind Blackwoods but ahead of Schoodic Woods for convenience.

The nearby town of Southwest Harbor is smaller and less busy than Bar Harbor on the other side of the island, but provides access to all necessary provisions. Ellsworth, where you'll find the nearest Wal Mart, Home Depot, and several restaurants, is about 35 minutes away.

Like Schoodic Woods and Blackwoods, Seawall does not host any campground showers, but there are privately owned and highly-rated pay showers about 1 mile outside the campground that run about $3 for 5 minutes of hot water in private stalls. This is also a place to grab ice and vending snacks.

Overall, Seawall is a good-but-not-great campground with dated facilities and variable privacy depending on your site selection. Minus points for lack of internet access and older amenities, plus points for living up to its name as the "quiet" side of the main Acadia Island. This would not be my first choice for camping in Acadia National Park (that'd go to Schoodic), but is an excellent middle ground for those who still want peace-and-quiet and don't mind a bit of a drive to the main attractions, without having to make that drive an all day, gas guzzling affair.

Seawall is a National Park campground. There are no hookups, but there is drinking water available and a dump station. Some sites are reserved for tents only. “C” Loop can accommodate campers snd RVs up to 20 feet, but, again, no hook ups. There are flush toilets. A bus stop is located at the entrance so you can get to other areas within Acadia NP easily. There is a rocky beach just across the road for exploring tidal pools.

Excellent site!

Famous Seawall Campground is divided into four loops. I can only review loops A & B where I have stayed…although I did look quickly at loop C which has a parking lot configuration and doesn’t have the character of loops A & B which are in the woods. Stay at Seawall if you can possibly do so. It’s unique. 

Loop A has a few sites that have been closed this season and hopefully they will open next year. Site A-1 is hands down the closest to the ocean by just a bit…a very easy walk and a good level site medium size. I would vouch for sites A-4 ADA; A-18; A-20; A-28; A-33; A-36; A-37; A-38 which seem nicer and flatter than others. Sites 24 & 25 are configured for adjoining families or friends without being group sites. A-10 & A-12 are very small sites.  Firepits are generous in size.

In loop B the best sites are generally on the outer, not the inside of the ring. Firepits are also large in this loop.There is one bathroom without showers, but it has been rebuilt or remodeled. There is no soap or hand dryer but the main thing is that the bathroom is very clean and modern as well as easily accessible from al points in the loop. Some of the sites inside the roadbed are adjacent to standing water which surely is a mosquito hazard. It gets swampy on the inside of the ring during rains…B-2, B-4, B-6 might flood. Best sites in loop B are: B-1 highest in elevation;  B-8 excellent privacy; B-13; B-26 & B-27. Spacious sites B-8; B-26; B-27 have the most privacy. B-15 & B-16 are meant to work well for adjoining parties. Site 22 is well set into the woods. Sites B-5, B-4, B-6; B-24 are small - of these B-24 is the best. Site B-2 is not private at all.

Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor are the closest villages. Don’t forget to scout out the view from the upper town dock on Clark Point Road on the way to Beal’s restaurant. Look for a narrow lane to the dock--- great harbor view there…of the working harbor.

The most reliable area wifi is in Southwest Harbor village behind the town’s library (near the village public restrooms which are badly maintained.) On any given afternoon one can find the vehicles of Seawall campers parked behind the library using the wifi…this continues into the night, at least in summer.

Seawall has no wifi reception at all and no shower facilities. Nor any soap dispensers in the bathrooms. 

What it does have is location, location, location--- steps from the ocean. It’s a stone beach as with so many in Maine, not a sand beach; but, there are plenty of picnic tables and endless tide pools to explore.

Bathrooms are easy to walk to, water available, firepits on tent lots and a parking space for one suv size car. There is some car flow so keep an eye on children, but not too much. Close to small town.

This is a national park campsite. First impressions, really good!

When you enter you pass by a ranger booth to register, etc. Definitely grab the campground map! Why? Because you are given a free handful of wood and the map will show you where to pick it up. We didn’t realize until later and bought some on the way in. Don’t be us.

We stayed in D loop, which are all walk-up. Some are closer to the parking lot than others. Ours was D84. It had a pretty good sized space, and plenty of good area for our tent. Had a picnic table and a fire ring with a grate you could place over for cooking, if so inclined.

The bathrooms. We noticed they were cleaned every morning, and we stayed during the weekend. During the day of course they can get somewhat dirty but nothing crazy. No showers. Water spouts were ample and spread across the campground. They also had a dish washing station in the bathroom building, in a separate room. Trash bins were also right in the parking lot.

The space itself was kind of close to our neighbors but not like we were on top of each other. Everyone was courteous and the noise level was fine. Seemed like around 10/11, everyone went to bed and it was very quiet.

The campground location itself. It’s actually kind of great. It is not right next to the actual park, in a not heavily trafficked area. As a result, it’s peaceful. And you have the town of Southwest Harbor right next to it. You actually have to drive through it to get here. It’s got some shops and restaurants but a lot less people than Bar Harbor. It took us ~25 min to get to the other side and to the park itself.

The only con. Mosquitoes. Everywhere. All the time. The fire will scare them off or fry em, but no fire = you become a delicious blood flavored snack bar. Bring bug spray!

To be honest, I think $30 is a little much for a campground that doesn’t have much amenities. Also, there isn’t any privacy for the sites. We could see our neighbors in every direction from our site. It is close to some Acadia attractions and hikes, so this made it worth it.

Overall, this is a nice campground set in a slightly wooded area. It’s fairly close to the ocean, so you can hear waves crashing against the rocky cliffs if it’s quiet enough. The sites are decently spacious, and the campground is generally quiet. Privacy between sites is lacking here - there are some sites that have a little bit of privacy between neighboring sites, and some have none at all.  

As for facilities– there are restrooms in the campground, but no shower houses. The shower house is located in a separate facility about a mile from the campground entrance. A bit inconvenient, but not terrible.. however, I will still never understand why a campground would go to the effort of plumbing in flush toilets and sinks, but not go the extra step and install showers, even cold outdoor ones. (Plus, the showers in the separate facility up the road are expensive.) Also, the restrooms in the campground are on ground level, and the two outer restroom stalls in each men's and women's room have windows in them that don't have privacy glass- someone walking by can see RIGHT in them. So unless you are fine with people potentially seeing you go to the bathroom, there are only 3 stalls available in each building, not 5. It's so weird, and a problem that Blackwoods has as well. 

Final thoughts- I enjoyed my stay here, and would stay here again given the chance! But, the facilities could use improvement.

 After spending a couple of nights at the popular black woods campsite, we wanted to prolongue our stay at acadia, so we thought we would check out Seawall campsite which is the 2nd popular site in acadia. Seawall is located on the western part of the island and is at a much quieter location than blackwoods. Off the bat, soon as we arrived we were greeted by a ton of mosquitos, im talking like a whole village of em! Bug central it was! The campsite is definitely quieter and more secluded than blackwoods so it had that going for it. Also its only a 10 min walk to the breathtaking seaside. Absolutely gorgeous there and a must see. The campsite itself had no showers but had water and toilets. I just wished there weren't any bugs because you couldn't hang around outside. Definitely bring your bug repellant! Also there were loads of poison oak plants around so be careful. It was a nice campsite but i wouldn't stay there again due to the bug infestation.

Loved hearing the sounds of the ocean from our campsite. Campground was clean and staff was friendly and helpful. Neighbors were fairly close, but enough understory to provide privacy.

This is one of three Acadia National Park campgrounds that allow dogs. I prefer Seawall to the others because the sites are more private and spaced a bit further apart. The campground is well maintained and quiet with clean facilities. There is a day-use accessible beachfront across the road for hiking, swimming, picnics and lobster bakes. Great place to spend a weekend in the Acadia woods and at the beach with your pups!

Ranger tips: Seawall campground does not have showers so plan accordingly. Check their website for the most updated trail closures.

We loved our stay at Seawall! With Acadia being busy, it was refreshing to land each night on the quieter side of the park. Close proximity to the Bass Harbor Light, which was beautiful at sunset. And, there was a great lobster joint right down the street, Charlottes Legendary Lobster Pound. We also enjoyed the wonderland trail, which was not too far from Seawall at Low tide-great for tide pooling!! There are no showers but the bathrooms were clean and close to each site. There were pay showers at a convenient store right outside of The campground. $1.50 for 2 minutes. We loved the coastal vibes but slower pace of this campground and would definitely plan to camp here again if we return to Acadia!

This was my second time going to Seawall campground, I had such a great experience last year I wanted to go back! I love the back-country feel of the hike-in campsites (loop D). For stargazers, the short walk across the street to the beach will give you some unbelievable views of the milky way when the night is at peak darkness. 

A short drive to the main part of the park & far enough away so that it's not crowded during busy weekends. Just remember to bring a ton of bug repellent, or opt to go during the months where bugs are less mild.

campgrounds are large, woodsy, I was in the walk in and it was very peaceful, staff very friendly and the view just outside the camp ground Stunning!!

There are over 100 tent sites here with camper spots as well. The bathrooms were big and very clean. All the campsites are in the woods at least 12 feet from one another. There is no parking right next to your vehicle unless you get one of the first spots, otherwise you have to walk in with your stuff.

very nice place, lots to do, hiking, fishing, boating, sightseeing, getting the best lobster you've ever had at bar harbor, the view from Cadillac mountain is unreal. the clam chowder is the best.

This campground is quiet, walking distance to the ocean. Family oriented. There are however, no showers. Most of the walk in campsites are only steps away from the parking lot.

I'd say the campground was above average. They had nice clean bathroom facilities with running water, electricity, and a dish-wash station. The sites are all walk-to sites so you're not right on top of each other with a bunch of RV's and generators which was a huge plus in my book. Makes it feel more like camping.

The sites themselves are spacious with a fire ring, and table. Plenty of privacy for a campground. Lots of trees for setting up hammocks and such. Good flat surfaces for sleeping. Bass Harbor Light House is very close, and the sea-wall is close enough to walk to for a very pretty sunrise! The main part of the park is about a 30-45 minute drive though.

Acadia is definitely different. First time in a National Park I ended up going out to eat for most of my meals rather than cooking, but Beal's was amazing! The fresh lobster was cooked perfectly! Send someone to get drinks while you wait in line.

There isn't a shower facility at this campground. The markings for the sites could have been better. The site I stayed at (D2) wasn't marked well from the parking and the only marking was about 15 ft back in the woods. Only was a minor issue because I arrived so late and it was pitch black.

Along the southwestern side of MDI, is Seawall Campground. You’re definitely on the “quiet side” in these grounds, but the landscape is serene, picturesque and absolutely must be experienced.

The grounds are a bit off the beaten path, away from Bar Harbor and the hot spots of Acadia National Park. However you won’t lack for things to do. Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound is just up the road to the north, and Bass Harbor Lighthouse is to the west. There are also plenty of opportunities for hiking and kayaking!

Within feet outside the facility, is a magnificent seawall that peers off into the Atlantic. It is spectacular. The sunrises and sunsets are a nice alternative to Cadillac Mountain, and the day use areas are perfect for picnicking and grilling.

The grounds are well-wooded and rustic, with limited amenities. Water and bathrooms are available, but there are no showers on site. A private store up the road will charge a small fee for several minutes. The Park Service also offers a number of programs at their amphitheater, including a “bark ranger” demonstration- it is hard to get more adorable than that!

Loops D and B are the best areas for tent- camping. Loops A and C were geared toward large campers and RVs, and provided much less shade and privacy. Loop D offers a large number of walk-in sites and Loop B some drive in spots. Old wheelbarrows are provided near the rest rooms in Loop D to assist with hauling gear, but they always seem to be in use.

Sites 78, 87 and 88 were among my favorites in Loop D, though 53, 54, 58, 78, 81 and 86 weren’t bad. I had site 61, but it was smaller and more open than many of the other sites. For those who want privacy without a huge hike, 67 and 71 are nice options. As far as Loop B is concerned, sites 7, 21 and 27 were the better sites.

We stayed in one of the walk in sites (D97) and it wasn’t a bad walk at all. We could see the car from our site. The restrooms and the site were clean. The campground was quiet but the sites are small and close together. I really didn’t want to hear the book that my neighbor was reading to her children, but I had no choice.

Acadia is a beautiful park with hiking, biking, kayaking, and swimming. Seawall is located on the quiet side of the island, a little drive from the main(e) attractions, but the calmness of the campground and the surrounding area is worth it. I even said to my husband shortly after we arrived how Id heard Acadia is so busy in the summer, but this isn’t bad. Then we drove to the Hull’s Cove visitor center and found all the people.

There is no cell signal in most of the park so I recommend bringing a guide book with you or downloading information ahead of time. I also recommend making use of the Island Explorer buses. Many of the areas along the Park Loop Road have limited parking. There were no spots at Sand Beach at 9am. Overall, I would stay at this Campground again on my next trip to Acadia.

This campground is awesome! It’s quiet and rustic, it was so quiet at times that we could hear the water! This campground is on the quiet side of the park and a ride from the major attractions but worth it (close to Wonderland).

love this place. Great campsite. Close to town center!!

Absolutely love this campground located on the Mount desert island side of Acadia national park. Amazing seawall directly outside of campground and sound of the ocean can be heard from sites. We stayed in a tent but was located around RV section. Strict generator use only from 8 am-8 pm minimally so very peaceful at night. Bathrooms are very clean. Only downside of shower need you have to go outside of campground to local.pay shower but very clean.

went here with a group of college friends for a camping trip, the campsite was able to accommodate 3 tents (6 campers) as well as all of our chairs, hammocks, grill equipment, etc. A short drive to some of the best hiking trails in the park & there are a couple of low-difficulty trails nearby. Walk down to the beach just outside seawall on a clear night for some of the best stargazing you'll ever see.

Nice and woodsy, fairly isolated, free firewood.

We stayed at the tent walk in sites (D25) The sites are close together but otherwise, well maintained. There are two wheelbarrows usually loated near the bathroom to help move gear as many of the sites are walk in.

Back behind D25 area there is a path that leads to the RV sites (which are even closer together). On that path is a mound o free firewood to take an armfull each day. But I would bring firewood as a backup as it sometimes is empty.

No showers at the campground, but there is a store just up the road towards Southwest Harbor. They have hot showers *bring quarters) and most camping items you may have forgotten or broken.

The seawall area also gets very good sunrise and sunset views out on the rocks. There are a bunch of day use sites out there with fire rings, so you can cook on the wall at sunset.

There's also a lot of good hiking you can get to on that side of the island without going all the way back to the main park.

You can buy your park pass at the ranger station when you check in so you don't need to go to the main gate or visitor center to get one.

We loved this site as a place to explore Acadia National park from. Definitely check out ship harbor trail and the seawall, both very close and walking distance from the campground. There is also a shuttlebus that runs from the campground all day, which will take you all the way to bar harbor and throughout the island and park. There are no hookups and limited generator hours, but there is a dump site and water available to fill. There are toilets but no showers at the grounds.

if the tide is right, Seawall has amazing sights! I’ve taken some amazing photos here. the Campgound is directly across from the public boat landing/picnic area. it’s a really nice area. the campground itself is very laid back for a National Park. the rangers almost act as though camping is your business and they only get involved if needed. whereas at blackwoods the rangers seem to try to be as accommodating as possible. it’s cute that they compete, and definitely are different. the sites are not usually as clean as blackwoods, they leave the “leave no trace” responsibility to the campers and if the person before you didn’t clean up, you might have to. other than that it’s QUIET! you can see the stars because there are no city lights. you don’t hear cars, AND the tent sites are very private. there are fresh water spouts everywhere, and plenty of trash/recycling areas. no electrIcity on the sItes, and rv can onlybIse geberators dIrIng lImItes hours. the bathrooms flush and have running water, but there are no showers. Echo Lake is right down the road, a great place to swim in fresh water.

The entire national park is so beautiful and perfect, with hiking, swimming, boating, kayaking, historical points, and more! The park rangers are so nice, and the group campsite we used was very spacious, semi-private, and close to the bathrooms. In the morning we saw a bunch of rabbit zooming around and playing!

Located on "the quiet side" of Mt Desert Island, Seawall is my preferred campground for experiencing all that Acadia National Park has to offer. While it is an extra 20 minutes drivetime to get to the main area of Acadia that contains Cadillac Mountain, Thunder Hole, and other major attractions, it is more than worth it. Even during peak tourist season, the south side of the island maintains the quintessential quiet new england beach town feel with gorgeous rocky coastline, cool breezes, and about 1/10th of the foot and vehicle traffic you can expect in Bar Harbor. The area also has it's fair share of Acadia attractions including Beech Mountain overlooking Echo Lake, Gilley Field, Seal Harbour, and Acadia Mountain. If you dont mind a quick wait for a parking spot, Bass Harbour Lighthouse at sunset is breathtaking.

The campground itself is a pristine treasure for the early to bed early to rise adventurer. You won't find a speck of litter or waste anywhere on the deceptively large grounds. Loop A is the preferred spot as it is right near the entrance, making getting in and out as easy as pulling out of your driveway, if your driveway led to a picturesque stretch of rocky beach looking out to the seemingly endless Atlantic Ocean. If you're lucky like I was, you can catch some great photos of the local bald eagle population soaking up the early morning sun.

You won't see many campfires around, or hear any partying, or run into many of your fellow campers as it stays quiet here 24/7. You will catch the occasional friendly rabbit or deer strolling through and hear coyote packs howling at night. Personally, I could sleep all night listening to those sounds. The only thing that did keep me up at night was the spectacular starscape overhead. The light pollution on the Southside was virtually nonexistent.

Aanyway, I could go on for days about Seawall Campground. If you fall into the Introvert category like me, or are looking for a safer family camping experience (also me), dont even bother looking anywhere else. This place is just an ideal setting for your next Acadia adventure.