Plan gently. The park comes first.
Photograph: Knowlton, courtesy Baxter State Park.
A calm, thorough plan beats a hurried one.
Baxter is a wilderness. You bring what you need, treat your water, and walk out with whatever you walked in with. This is the short version of what a good first visit looks like.
- Season
- May 15 – Oct 15
- Reservations
- 4 mo rolling
- Day-use hours
- 6 AM – 10 PM
- Cell service
- Not reliable
Four steps.
If you do these four things, you are 80% of the way there.
- 01
Pick a season.
Roadside campgrounds are open May 15 to October 15. Early May can still hold snow at elevation. Late September is the park at its quietest.
- 02
Book a reservation.
Most sites can be booked online on a rolling four-month window. Backcountry sites (Chimney, Russell, Davis, Wassataquoik) require phone, mail, or in-person reservations.
- 03
Check conditions the week of.
Gate status, weather, fire danger, and alpine closures change. Call the recorded line at (207) 723-9500 or visit the conditions page.
- 04
Register at the gate.
All visitors must register on entry. Non-Maine residents pay the day-use fee. Check in by 8:30 PM on the first night of camping.
This is a wilderness. Come prepared.
A short, practical list. There are no shops inside the park.
- Dishes, cooking utensils, and a gas stove
- Basins for washing dishes and self
- A bucket for carrying water from pond or stream
- A cooler and food that does not need refrigeration
- Gas lanterns or headlamps (no electricity in most sites)
- Towels and bedding
- Layers for wind, fog, and mud
- A water treatment method (all water should be treated)
Not allowed
- Pets, including dogs
- Personal firewood from outside the park
- RVs, generators, and drones
- Groups larger than 12 people (without a group reservation)
- Mountain bikes on trails (allowed on the Tote Road only)
- Trash left behind. Carry it out
Three ways to meet the park.
Trails for all levels
Day hikes at Sandy Stream Pond or South Branch Falls. Longer efforts on Katahdin and the Traveler.
Read moreCampgrounds and cabins
Tent sites, lean-tos, bunkhouses, and cabins across the park.
Read moreSmall efforts, big returns
Daicey Pond loop, Blueberry Ledges, Sandy Stream Pond at dawn. All under two hours.
Read moreYou are one of the park’s most important stewards.
Seven principles, plain-spoken. Practice them and pass them on to keep this place available for the people who come after you.
Plan ahead.
Weather, terrain, and park rules — before you leave the gate.
Travel on durable surfaces.
Single file, down the middle of the trail, even when wet and muddy.
Minimize campfire impacts.
Fires only in designated rings. No personal firewood.
Dispose of waste properly.
Carry in, carry out. Everything.
Leave what you find.
Plants, antlers, rocks, and historical items stay where they are.
Respect wildlife.
Observe from a distance. Do not approach.
Be considerate of other visitors.
Hike quietly. Yield when appropriate. Share the trail.
Ready to book?
Reservations open on a four-month rolling window. Backcountry sites require phone or mail.