7 Critical Cadillac Mountain Sunrise Hike Tips 2022

Stephen — Sat, 07 May 2022 14:26:52 +0000

7 critical tips for a perfect cadillac mountain sunrise hike

July 22, 2022

Written by Stephen Ondich

2022 Update

Hiking Cadillac Mountain to watch the sunrise at 1530 feet elevation is a spectacular event at Acadia National Park. However, there is a limited window of opportunity to watch the sunrise in its glory. Therefore, you should plan and prepare ahead of time. In this post we give you tips to plan your sunrise Cadillac Mountain hike.

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Cadillac Mountain

Location

The summit of Cadillac Mountain is 0 miles from Acadia National Park.

It is (not) Acadia Adjacent.↵

It is in Acadia!

IMPORANT Tips for Seeing Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain

1. Wake Up Early

As obvious as this sounds, don’t be late! Arriving after the sun will put a damper on the rest of your day.

This is a time-sensitive experience. Dawn at Cadillac Mountain lasts all of 2 minutes.

Assuming you are staying in the vicinity of Acadia National Park, you should set your alarm for 4 AM.

Check your Cadillac Mountain directions the night before. It may sound basic but you need to know where you’re going. Again, one detour may cost you precious time en route to your sunrise hike.

You will not be alone as you drive up Cadillac Summit Road. Almost everyone in the park at that time is headed up the mountain. Additionally, parking will be tight the closer it gets to sunrise.

2. Check Actual Sunrise Time

Go to a site like Time and Date. Look up sunrise time for Cadillac Mountain on the day you will be there. Remember, sunrise occurs at a slightly different time each day.

Don’t estimate or guess. Again, there is a limited window to get day break at Cadillac Mountain right.

3. Set Your Morning Schedule Working Backwards Based on Sunrise Time

After determining sunrise time, work backwards to schedule your morning.

For example, if sunrise is at 5:15 AM, figure the following:

Be there 20 minutes before sunrise to get set up. Thus, 4:55 AM is your target arrival time.
It takes approximately 30 minutes to drive up Cadillac Summit Road, park and walk to a viewing spot. Therefore, you want to be driving up at 4:30AM.
If you’re staying 30 minutes outside of the park, be in the car by 4:00 AM.
And so on…

4. Dress in REALLY Warm Clothes

Dress warm. Bring blankets, gloves, jackets, scarves, etc. Wear extra socks.

Generally speaking, it is cold at the top of Cadillac Mountain. Remember, you’re at 1500 feet elevation. Additionally, before sunrise there is no sunlight to provide warmth. Also, wind chill factor drops the temperature you feel significantly.

Bring extra blankets. You can always leave them in the car.

If you are on the verge of hypothermia, you won’t enjoy the sunrise. Even holding your camera is difficult in bitter cold weather.

Once you’re settled in at the summit, you want to enjoy the moment. If you are freezing, you’ll want to escape as soon as possible,

This ill-prepared hiker got his pictures but also describes going numb in the process.

5. Check the Weather Forecast For Cadillac Mountain

Check a site like Mountain-Forecast to find out what the weather will be like on your sunrise dawn. Bring rain gear, if necessary.

Check the forecast specifically for Cadillac Mountain not Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park.

Rain or even light mist will significantly change the Cadillac Mountain experience. In addition to being both wet AND cold, you’ll be dealing with slippery granite.

This family failed to prepare for weather conditions. They describe their daytime Cadillac Mountain ascent as miserable. The title of the their post is “A Cold and Miserable Day: Climbing Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.”

You definitely want to know what kind of weather to expect. Do your homework!

6. Claim Your Parking Spot

Once you’re up and driving, the next priority is to find a place to park. Save the sight-seeing for after sunrise.

There is no longer a locomotive engine to shuttle you up the mountain. Now it’s up to you and your car.

There are two areas to park off Cadillac Summit Road. One main lot and one overflow lot.

The National Park Service admits that these parking lots lack capacity for the summer crowds.

Many of the people in Acadia at that time of day are doing the same thing you are. Thus, there will be competition for parking spaces as dawn approaches.

The distance between the parking lot and the viewing area is less than .5 miles. It is an easy walk.

7. Decide Where to Watch the Sunrise

Pick your preferred sunrise viewing location ahead of time. Most people do one of two things.

Watch from the Summit Marker. Understandably, most people watch close to the Summit Marker. It is an iconic location. However, it is also crowded. To get there, follow the gravel path along side the restrooms. The marker is on the right hand side at the end of the path. Look for the highest ledge.
Cadillac Summit Loop Trail. If you’re looking for solitude at sunrise, head down the trail just a bit. You don’t have to go very far. Again, most hikers congregate around the Summit Marker like moths on a light.

Why Watch the Sunrise from Cadillac Mountain?

Watching the sunrise anywhere within Acadia National Park is exciting. However, Cadillac Mountain is the optimal location for sunrise and sunset viewing. Here are three reasons:

Cadillac Mountain is the highest viewing location along the Northern Atlantic Coast. If you go between October and March you get bragging rights for seeing first daylight in the United States.
Cadillac Mountain is one of the most popular attractions in Acadia National Park. It is busy almost all of the time. Yet, you know you’re going to go. Therefore, why not see it at its most spectacular?
It is a communal experience, kind of like going to church or a Grateful Dead show. Cadillac Mountain is where the faithful gather to witness first light.

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain?

Sunset on Cadillac Mountain is a different viewing experience than sunrise. At Cadillac Mountain, the sun rises over Frenchman Bay, providing a beautiful water view.

However, Cadillac Mountain sunset takes place over the mountains of Mount Desert Island. Accordingly, Cadillac Mountain has a mostly landlocked sunset view.

Thus, the optical & light filtering effects of sunlight reflecting off the ocean are missing at sunset.

Many Acadia photographers prefer the sunrise view at the peak of Cadillac Mountain over the Cadillac Mountain sunset, However, Acadia sunsets are spectacular at both the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and the Blue Hill Overlook, not far from Cadillac.

Cadillac Mountain Sunrise Pass

Sunrise passes or morning reservations are new for 2022. The new reservation system helps ease congestion during the early morning hours at Cadillac Mountain. Additionally, the Island Explorer bus system does not service the summit. Thus, parking and viewing conditions are difficult at early morning and dusk hours.

Of course, sunrise viewings are popular with Acadia visitors. Accordingly, congestion at the summit has increased over the last decade. In fact, Cadillac Summit Road at Sunrise & sunset tops the National Park Service’s list of the highest traffic park locations.

Sunrise Pass Fees

Passes to view Cadillac Mountain sunrises cost $4 per private vehicle. Additionally, there is a $2 reservation fee. Thus, for $6, you can drive your car to view a beautiful Mount Desert sunrise.

However, reservations must be made in advance. They can be cancelled up to 2 days prior to your reservation time. After that, the reservations are non-refundable.

Additionally, the sunrise reservation fee does not replace the regular park pass ticket. Visitors must have both a park pass and and sunrise reservation to travel to the summit in the early morning.

AM Summit reservations are booked online at Recreation.gov.

reservation – Maine Terrain