Parking coming out of 100 mile wilderness

[Goonky]

Hey all,

I have a section hike planned late July/early August, starting at Gulf Hagas and headed north to Katahdin. I want to leave my car at the end, I'm arranging a shuttle to the start point.

Baxter State Park told me I could leave the car at Abol bridge. Has anyone done this? Will it be (reasonably) safe there?

I've got a reservation at Katahdin Stream Campground and plan to summit the mountain. My understanding is it's a 4.5 mile hike back to Abol bridge. Not sure I'll be up for that after the climb.

Any suggestions? Has anyone done this differently?

Thanks for any advice.

[Shutterbug]

Hey all,

I have a section hike planned late July/early August, starting at Gulf Hagas and headed north to Katahdin. I want to leave my car at the end, I'm arranging a shuttle to the start point.

Baxter State Park told me I could leave the car at Abol bridge. Has anyone done this? Will it be (reasonably) safe there?

I've got a reservation at Katahdin Stream Campground and plan to summit the mountain. My understanding is it's a 4.5 mile hike back to Abol bridge. Not sure I'll be up for that after the climb.

Any suggestions? Has anyone done this differently?

Thanks for any advice.

Sure. Contact the owners of the Abol Bridge Store. As I recall, there is a reasonable parking fee, but your car should be safe at the store/camp ground.

You could park on the Golden Road near the trailhead, but I wouldn't. There have been some cars vandalized in that general area. It is worth the fee to park your car at the store.

[TJ aka Teej]

Your car will be safe at the Abol Bridge store. The hike out from Katahdin Stream to the bridge via the Blueberry Ledges trail is actually about 6 miles. You do have another option - leave your car in Millinocket at the AT Lodge, and get a ride back out after your climb. They're in the Park about 4:30 every day to shuttle folks back to town.

[Goonky]

Thanks for the responses.

May I ask - I just realized I'll probably walk past my car coming out of the 100 mile. Is that right?

Could I pick up the car there and drive into the campground? Since I have a reservation at Katahdin Stream Campground, can I just bring the car with me?

That would solve a lot of problems if I could.

Anyone know how much it costs to park at the Abol Bridge Store?

Also, I'm jumping in at Gulf Hagas and I'm told there's a gate fee to get into Katahdin Iron Works. Is that right?

Just trying to work all this out ahead as far transportation goes. I appreciate the help. This board is great.

[peakbagger]

Yes you pass your car, you can drive to Katahdin stream, just realize the walk from Abol to KSC is really nice with a stretch along the Penobscot, a nice stretch along a stream with lots of waterfalls and then some nice realtively flat stuff.

Yes there is a $10 gate fee to drive to Katahdin Iron Works.

If you car doesnt have Maine plates, you have to pay a $14 per car gate fee at Baxter. Since you are staying at Katahdin Stream, you dont need a day use parking reservation unless you want to climb the mountain from the east side.

In general you need to readjust your estimated drving times in Maine. There used to be T-shirts sold with the logo "Maine - life in the slow lane" The drive from Abol to KSC takes a couple of hours even though they look right next door. Most folks will go an extra distance towards millinocket to hit a store as Abol bridge has limited inventory and is expensive as its off the grid.

[Bluebearee]

Hi, I was the Abol Ridgerunner out of BSP for two seasons. Last I knew there is no fee to park your car there and it's perfectly safe. yes you walk right past it, and could then drive in as peakbagger says. 5 miles south on the Golden Rd around mile 14 there is a rock cairn indicating a dirt road. If you find that it will cut off a bit of time, perfectly passable by 2WD but slowly. It will bring you in about I dunno 2 miles? to the state road that leads into the park right at "pock rock" the painted rock, can't miss it. From there it's 5 minutes to Togue Gate and 20 minutes into KSC. So all told not much more than 30 minutes. If you miss the dirt road cut off in a couple more miles you will come into an area by a dam and lake where the two roads come together @ the Northwoods Trading Post, and can U-ey and head back in the direction you just came. There's an even closer short cut, which was the old park road many years ago but I wouldn't recommend that since I haven't driven it in a few years, but it was still passable recently that leaves directly from Abol Bridge area - it's a snowmobile route. Do not try to use any form of GPS up there, you will not find your way into BSP. Conversely walking the 9 + miles up the AT is a nice walk, only flat trail in Maine! And then BB Ledges back down is also quite nice. At any rate, stash some clothes and food in your car and do a little resupply for yourself.

[peakbagger]

Ditto on Car nav/GPS use. The databases of roads are way off. While driving out of the park last year, the GPS told me to go right off the main road to Abol Pond and then out to the Golden Road. These directions would have put me on a road that had been closed for many years.