Baxter State Park Essentials In addition to wild scenery, abundant wildlife and over 200 miles of hiking trails... come prepared for a primitive, wilderness setting, including: • Natural water sources that need to be treated before drinking – there are no water spigots. • Outhouse facilities with no flush toilets. • Unreliable cell phone coverage, no electricity or RV hookups/dump. • Vehicle size limit of 9’ high X 7’ wide X 22’ long for single vehicle – 44’ long for combined units (dualwheeled vehicles are usually too wide to enter). • Narrow and winding dirt roads. • An absence of shower facilities – please do not use any kind of soap in the water sources – even biodegradable soap will have an adverse affect on the clean, clear natural water within the Park. • Park regulations prohibiting motorcycles and pets. The Park is commercial-free and Carry In/-Carry Out. Please make sure you stock up on food, gas, ice, etc. when you go through nearby towns, and take out all trash/ garbage created during your visit, to be properly disposed of at home, as there are no trash receptacles in the Park. Make sure you bring: Water OR a treatment system of your choice for natural water sources. All the food you will need during your visit. Trash bags to carry out all trash/garbage. A full tank of gas before leaving town. Pack necessities, see pg 12. A sense of curiosity and respect for the “Forever Wild” side of nature you encounter in Baxter State Park! Park Headquarters and Park Gate Hours (for updates on this information during the summer season, call 723-INFO 4636) Park HQ: Columbus Day through Memorial Day: M-F, 8 AM - 4 PM Memorial Day weekend, through Columbus Day: 7 days/week, 8 AM - 4 PM Togue Pond Gate: (South end of Park) and Matagamon Gate: (Northern Gate) May 15 - Columbus Weekend: 6 AM- 10 PM After Columbus Day weekend- Late November: 6 AM-7 PM, contingent upon weather conditions f Wildnotes Park Entrance & Camping Fees Day Use Parking Reservation Fee: $5 Out of State Vehicle Entrance Fee: $15 /day or $40/season pass Maine registered vehicles enter free of charge Camping fees are per site with maximum capacities applying in each case. Campground Tent sites: $32/night (max capacity 6 people unless otherwise noted to be 4) Campground Lean-tos: $32/night (max. capacity 4 unless otherwise noted) Backcountry Individual outlying campsites: $21/site (Pogy, Fowler Ponds, etc.) Bunkhouse: $12 per person/night Group Camping Areas: $8/person/night, minimum $48/night Cabins (Daicey Pond, Kidney Pond) 2 person: $57 4 person: $105 3 person: $78 6 person: $135 Other Numbers Katahdin Area Chamber of Commerce: (207) 723-4443 http://www.katahdinmaine.com/ for restaurants, lodging, dog boarding, taxi/shuttle services Millinocket Memorial Library: (207) 723-7020 NOAA Weather Station, Caribou, ME http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/car/ Our Climate The Park is situated in the Central Highlands of Maine, featuring a wide variety of elevations, from lakes and river valleys to the highest point in Maine. Below are the averages for monthly minimum and maximum temperatures and precipitation for Millinocket, Maine, southeast of the Park. Expect temperatures to drop ~5 degrees for every 1000’ of elevation gain and winds to increase with elevation; precipitation events can be extreme. For example, in June 2009, over 21” of rain was recorded at Chimney Pond ranger station (el. 2,900’) compared to the Millinocket total of 7.82” for the same month. Snowfall has been recorded on Katahdin every month of the calendar year. Check elsewhere in this bulletin for suggested gear and come prepared to enjoy nature’s show! Month Avg. Min. Temps (F) Avg. Max. Temps (F) Avg. Precip. May 43 67 4.78” June 53 73 5.71” July 60 82 3.59” August 55 77 5.03” September 49 69 4.68” October 38 59 1.46” BITS AND PIECES Hunting The Park has several different management zones, including hunting and trapping areas. The legal hunting/trapping areas in the Park are outlined in detail in our Baxter State Park Regulations. Seasons, bag limits and other details are outlined in the booklet distributed by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, obtained where you purchase your license. If purchasing your licenses online, be sure to download the booklet information as the Park does not sell licenses or supply hunting/trapping law booklets. Remember these important facts about hunting in the Park: • Moose hunting is not allowed in Baxter State Park. • Domestic animals, including hunting dogs, are not permitted on Baxter State Park lands. • Baiting animals, including bear, is not allowed on Baxter State Park lands. Bushwhacking For those practiced and skilled in off trail travel the Park offers the opportunity to explore lesser known areas. Some peaks in the Park have been purposely left without trails to the summit. Please take time to study the Leave No Trace guidelines elsewhere in this paper and practice them when you venture off trail. We ask that no blazes be painted or cut, no cairns or flagging be left, no fires be built and that you minimize signs of your passing in every way. Magnetic declination for this area is about 17 degrees westerly. Remember, that all camping in Baxter State Park must take place in an authorized overnight site and plan your hike to arrive back at your car or campground, overnight bivouacking is not permitted. Park Roads The main road is called the Park Tote Road because much of it follows the route of the historic Nesowadnehunk Tote Road developed to haul wood and supplies during the logging era. Percival Baxter stipulated that Park roads would never be paved, but should remain narrow, gravel-surfaced roads. This means they may be too soft for travel in the early spring and may develop potholes or washboarding with summer rains or heavy use. The speed limit is 20 MPH maximum with 10 MPH zones near campgrounds, group camping areas, and parking lots. In the summer, the road is regularly maintained by a grader. Please pass the grader slowly and only when signaled to do so; allow extra time to get to your destination in case of poor road conditions or encountering a freshly graded section of road. Your car will thank you for taking a little extra care! EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS (cell phone reception in the Park is marginal at best.) Park Headquarters (207) 723-5140 For emergencies please call 911 to have the nearest law enforcement officer dispatched. Millinocket Police Department: (207) 723-9731 Millinocket Fire Department: (207) 723-7026 or 723-5125 Millinocket Regional Hospital: (207) 723-5161 Leave No Trace Principle #1: Plan Ahead and Prepare - Learn about the area before you visit including weather, terrain and BSP rules and regulations. Leave No Trace Principle #7: Be Considerate of Other Visitors Use pullouts to let other vehicles pass on the Park roads. The slower you go, the more you see. 5
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