A golden retriever swimming back to shore with a stick in a calm harbor, with moored boats and a spruce shoreline

Acadia With Your Dog

Your dog is welcome at the house, and Acadia is one of the few national parks where dogs can hike most of the trails.

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A Swim in the Harbor

A Dog’s Week in Acadia

A golden retriever on a granite summit, looking out over water, wooded hills and the ocean
Taking in the View From the Top

Start the morning at nearby Little Long Pond, walk the carriage roads from the house, and finish with a stroll through Bar Harbor and a new toy from Bark Harbor.

  • One dog welcome. A $300 dog fee applies. Tell us about your dog when you request dates.
  • Walk out the door. The carriage roads are 0.2 miles away, and the Preserve’s trails at Little Long Pond and Hunters Cliffs are a walk from the house.
  • Room to dry off. Free laundry for sandy towels, and plenty of space to settle in after a long day out.

Great Walks With Dogs

From a nearby off-leash pond to ocean cliffs and a walk across the sea floor.

Walks and Hikes

Seal Harbor, a short walk away

Little Long Pond

Dog heaven: meadows, trails and carriage roads around the pond, with four designated swimming spots. Dogs may be off leash under voice control, except from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. between May 1 and September 30.

Preserve dog rules

0.2 miles from the house

The Carriage Roads

All 45 miles of Acadia’s carriage roads are open to leashed dogs, including the climb to the top of Day Mountain.

Park pet rules

By the Water

Park Loop Road

Ocean Path

Leashed dogs can walk the cliffs from Sand Beach toward Thunder Hole, with ocean views the whole way.

Park Service page

Bar Harbor

Bar Island

Walk across the sandbar at low tide and up through the woods to a view back over Bar Harbor. Dogs are welcome on leash.

Crossing details

In Town

150 Main Street, Bar Harbor

Bark Harbor

A downtown pet shop with treats, toys, leashes and Maine-themed goodies for four-legged visitors.

Map and hours

Bar Harbor

The Shore Path

A waterfront stroll along Frenchman Bay, welcoming to leashed dogs.

About the Shore Path

The Land & Garden Preserve, From Your Door

The Preserve’s trails and carriage roads around Little Long Pond and Hunters Cliffs are a walk from the house, and they’re among the island’s favorite places to bring a dog.

Each area has its own dog rules, posted on color-coded signs at the trailheads.

A walker and a white dog crossing the meadow above Little Long Pond, with the boathouse, forest and mountains beyond
The Meadow Above Little Long Pond
  • Little Long PondOff leash by voice control, except 10–4, May–Sept
  • Hunters CliffsAlways on leash
  • Thuya Garden TrailsAlways on leash
  • Harbor Brook TrailNo dogs
  • The GardensNo pets
  • When off leash, keep your dog under voice control and in sight.
  • Let dogs swim only at Little Long Pond’s four designated water access spots.
  • Keep dogs clear of horses and horse-drawn carriages on the carriage roads.
  • Pick up after your dog, and give space to visitors who’d rather not meet one.

See the Preserve’s dog policies, including a map of the rules by area.

A leashed golden retriever on a lakeshore in fall, looking out over golden reeds and blue water to Acadia’s mountains
A Fall Walk by the Water, on Leash.

Know Before You Go in the Park

A few national park rules keep Acadia dog-friendly.

  • Leashes in the park. Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet everywhere in Acadia National Park.
  • Ladder trails are off-limits. Beehive, Beech Cliffs, Ladder, Perpendicular, Precipice and Jordan Cliffs are closed to dogs.
  • Swimming beaches in season. Dogs aren’t allowed on Sand Beach or the Echo Lake beach from May 15 to October 15.
  • Drinking-water lakes. Dogs can’t swim in Jordan Pond, Eagle Lake, Bubble Pond, the Hadlock Ponds, or the southern end of Long Pond near the water intake. Little Long Pond’s swimming spots are the place for a dip.
  • Also off-limits. Park buildings, ranger programs and the Wild Gardens of Acadia.

Full details on the park’s Be an Acadia Bark Ranger page and the Preserve’s dog policies.

Questions

Can we bring our dog?

Yes. One dog is welcome, with a $300 dog fee. Tell us about your dog when you request dates.

Where can dogs go off leash near the house?

At Little Long Pond, a short walk from the house in Seal Harbor, dogs under voice control may be off leash, except from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. between May 1 and September 30. Inside Acadia National Park, dogs must always be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Can dogs swim in Acadia?

Not in the lakes that supply drinking water, like Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake, and not at Sand Beach or Echo Lake’s beach from May 15 to October 15. Little Long Pond has four designated spots where dogs can swim.

Are dogs allowed on the carriage roads?

Yes. All 45 miles of Acadia’s carriage roads are open to leashed dogs, starting 0.2 miles from the house.

Plan Your Stay

See live availability and the full price, including fees and taxes, and book online.

Jen, the hostQuestions? Call or text Jen at 207-801-8661.

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More Ways to Stay

See the whole house

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