Acadia National Park weather in January
January in Acadia National Park: freezing, rainy, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#12 of 12 months in Acadia National Park · #1219 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 45/100 (tier F)
- Days
- 0°C
- Nights
- -8°C
- Wet days
- 10
- Sun
- 5.7 h
- Humidity
- 75%
- Daylight
- 9 h

Traveller notes on Acadia National Park in January
Acadia-forum threads on a January visit describe most of Park Loop Road as genuinely closed for winter, posters naming the section past Sand Beach and Thunder Hole as the real exception that stays plowed, parking included. Regulars call the carriage roads a real draw when snow allows, several posters naming grooming for cross-country skiing as a standard winter feature here. Posters call Cadillac Mountain Sports in Bar Harbor the real place to rent skis, several regulars naming this the standard way to get outfitted for a January visit. Regulars call a handful of local restaurants genuinely still open on winter weekends, several threads naming Red Sky, Rogue Cafe and Side Street Cafe among the options. Posters recommend confirming current road and trail conditions before a January trip, several regulars calling this standard given how much winter access varies. The record: 0C days, -7.9C nights, an extraordinarily high 113.6mm across nearly 10 days and 75 percent humidity.
Other months in Acadia National Park
Acadia-forum threads on an April visit describe this as genuinely mud season locally, posters calling a real difference between early April, which often still feels like winter, and the later part of the month. Regulars call daytime temperatures typically in the mid-fifties with nights dropping into the mid-thirties, a surprise flurry still possible even late in the month. Posters call the Loop Road usually not opening until around April 15, access considerably more limited before that date. Regulars call trails here a mix of icy patches and real mud, though the upside is black flies haven't emerged yet this early in spring. Posters recommend Blackwoods for self-check-in camping given how many other campgrounds stay closed, most posters recommending June or October instead for a fuller Acadia experience. The record: 8.5C days feeling like 7C, 0.6C nights, an extraordinarily high 117.3mm across over 11 days and 72 percent humidity.
Acadia-forum threads on a November visit describe the Park Loop Road and Cadillac Mountain drive as still genuinely doable this time of year, posters calling the views actually better once the leaves have dropped. Regulars call most shops and restaurants in town closed for the season by November, though the park itself never shuts down regardless of month. Posters describe mid-November as capable of turning properly wintry, real snow possible on any given day this late in the month. Regulars recommend real layers and waterproof boots regardless of forecast, conditions here shifting quickly once a coastal system moves through. Posters call the quieter trails a genuine upside this time of year, crowds a fraction of the summer peak. Regulars recommend checking current park and road conditions directly before any hike, especially on the higher trails. The record: 7.4C days feeling like 3C, -0.3C nights, 115.6mm across over 10 days and 72 percent humidity.
Acadia-forum threads on September visits describe conditions as genuinely mild through the day, comfortable enough for swimming in the lakes earlier in the month, evenings turning cool but never harsh. Posters describe a real range across the month, one stretch bringing fog and a cooler, damper day near the fifties Fahrenheit while another delivers sunny mid-seventies the same week. Regulars call September a genuine sweet spot for crowds, kids back in school and leaf-peeping still weeks away, the park noticeably emptier than peak summer. Posters recommend real layers, conditions here shifting meaningfully day to day. Regulars describe every restaurant and attraction as still fully open in September, unlike the wind-down by mid-October. Posters call Cadillac Mountain sunrise and the carriage roads genuine highlights regardless of conditions. The record: 18.4C days feeling like 18C, 10.5C nights, an extraordinarily high 93mm across nearly 7 days and 81 percent humidity.
Acadia-forum threads on October fall foliage consistently name mid-month, around the 12th to 20th in a typical year, as the strongest bet for peak color, early October still mostly bright reds and yellows with the display shifting toward bronze and gold by the back half of the month. Posters are candid the display is genuinely uneven at any single point - one tree can be at brilliant peak while another nearby has already gone dull, and a third stays green, so a visit any week in October usually catches something worthwhile. Days stay comfortable, dipping into the 40s or 50s Fahrenheit at night, a real jacket standing advice for evening viewpoints like Cadillac Mountain. Late October is called leafless but still scenic thanks to the park's abundant pine cover, and no accumulation is typically expected that late in the month. The record: 13.6C days feeling like 11C, 6C nights, 117mm across 9.6 days, a 12.8C sea, 78 percent humidity and 7.1 hours of sun.
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Acadia National Park climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Acadia National Park in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyWinter / Christmas break in United States, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Acadia National Park's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherAcadia National Park's best weather comes in June, July and September — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Acadia National Park in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Closure
Park Loop Road winter closure
1 Dec – 14 AprMost of the loop shuts to cars from the start of December until mid-April, and the Cadillac summit road goes with it. What is left is a park you have to ski, snowshoe or walk into, and almost nobody does. Source ↗
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 46 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Acadia National Park — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Acadia National Park?
Acadia National Park in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Acadia National Park?
- January in Acadia National Park: freezing, rainy, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Acadia National Park on SeasonMap's comfort score (45/100).
- What is the weather like in Acadia National Park in January?
- In January, Acadia National Park averages a daily high of 0°C and a low of -7.9°C, with about 113.6 mm of rain over roughly 9.9 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Acadia National Park in January?
- Acadia National Park has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 33 in January.
- Does it snow in Acadia National Park in January?
- Acadia National Park sees roughly 45.7 cm of snowfall in January.
Within 300 km: Bar Harbor's Winter shutdown on 1 Nov – 30 Apr.