We arrived at the lighthouse 90 minutes before sundown and found a traffic jam.  We considered leaving and finding another location, but a quick recon of the area showed that many people were coming and going, so parking would be available soon.  However, finding a traffic jam along the coast of Maine was a sobering reminder of why these locations are considered icons: everyone wants an image of Bass Harbor Light in their portfolio.  Much like it's sisters to the south, Nubble Lighthouse and Portland Head Light, Bass Harbor Light is a must get for all New England landscape photographers, a fact that we were quickly reminded of when we tried to pull into the already full parking lot.