Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce on Possible Government Shutdown and Impact on Acadia National Park

The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce issued the following comment at 5:30 Friday afternoon, January 19th with a possible government shutdown looming at 12:01 am on Saturday the 20th.

As you may know already, the federal government is heading into a possible shutdown unless a resolution is found before midnight tonight, January 19. This, of course, will include Acadia National Park. At this time, it appears imminent that the shutdown will occur.

The chamber has been in constant contact with the management of Acadia National Park and in the event of a shutdown, national parks will remain as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures. We will be educating our visitors through social media and other marketing efforts to let them know that Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island are still open and that there are many other activities to enjoy – we encourage you to do the same.

Keep in mind, while Acadia may be closed during the shutdown, many of the carriage roads and hiking trails are accessible from other points. Park Rangers will not be on duty, so it is important to remind our guests that use of the park is at their own risk. It is not illegal to access the park during the shutdown, but officials have concerns about the safety of doing so and would discourage public use.

The chamber's visitor center at 2 Cottage Street will be staying up to date on any developments and is open seven days a week. Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to check with the chamber for any park information.

We will keep you apprised of any developments and please feel free to share any message that we post on social media.