Wife meeting me at Katahdin

[ScottTrip]

I am sure this has been discussed. I am nearing the Halfway point of my NOBO thru-hike. I am trying to figure out how hikers coordinate the meeting of family at Baxter SP. I can have a general idea of when I would arrive at Baxter SP (early August). How difficult will it be for my wife to get into the park on my final day up Katahdin? I am looking at the Park website and they look to have a limited amount of vehicles per day into the park. You can make a reservation just park, but since I don' have an exact date that would be difficult. Do other just try and plan the date when they get closer, or just kind of "wing-it" and hope the family member can enter the park?

Thanks for any suggestions

Scorch ..

[Monkeywrench]

As you get closer to the finish you'll have a better and better idea of when you'll arrive. By the time you leave Monson for the last leg to Baxter, you should know what day you'll be arriving and your wife will be able to plan accordingly.

IIRC I left Monson on a Sunday morning and was sitting at a picnic table at Katahdin Stream eating lunch at 10:00 or 11:00 am on the following Saturday.

Worst case scenario, if your wife can't get into the park you'd have to hitch out to the entrance and meet her there.

[TJ aka Teej]

It's not people they limit, it's parking at trailheads and campgrounds. She will be able to enter the Park. That being said, Yes, you can reserve a parking spot.
http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/reservation/parkingReservations.htm
If you're planning on a weekday though, it's doubtful you'll need to. Wait, figure things out, and call the Park from Monson.

[maptester]

I used their day-use parking system when my son did his flip-flop 2 years ago. If you are not a Maine resident, you can only make a reservation 2 weeks in advance. Also, your reservations are only held until 7:00 AM on that day, so you need to get their early. As far as planing goes, the reservations are only $5 each, so making multi-day reservations is not really expensive--I did this so my son would have a choice of days to summit Katahdin. Take cash or checks, they can't process any type of card at the gate.

[Bags4266]

I am in the same scenario as op. My my girlfriend wants to summit with me what trailhead should I "TRY" to reserve for that? Getting there at seven is ridiculous btw. At least give a two hour window. Didn't mean to hijack thread btw. Thanks

[Dogwood]

....Getting there at seven is ridiculous btw....

I summited Mt K on Sunday Oct 15 2006 in gorgeous fall weather in Maine after Knife's Edge had been closed for the three previous days. My two bros drove up to Milinocket to summit with me at the end of my AT thru-hike. We planned on taking the HUNT Tr(the AT) to the summit leaving from Katahdin Stream CG leaving a car there going over Knife's Edge and hiking to Roaring Brook CG where we planned on hitching back to where we left the car. We stayed in Milinocket the night before the planned summit. We had no reservation. I thought driving to the gate by 7 a.m. was ridiculous too but several Baxter SP Rangers recommended otherwise. They said we should plan on getting to the Togue Pond Gate in line with the other cars BEFORE 7 a.m. We arrived at 6:15 a.m. The line was already some 30 vehicles long. We were the third to the last car that gate let through that was headed to either Abol or Katahdin Stream CGs and that was with some coaxing by me who explained that I was finishing up an AT thru-hike and we had to head home that day.

[Dogwood]

BTW, we got through this gate about 7:20 a.m. where we momentarily pulled off to the side of the road so I could walk back to the gate and get a brochure. There were two parties already at the gate arguing with the Rangers that they had reservations but were denied immediate entrance. I don't know if anything has changed.

[Bags4266]

Dogwood, good idea on meeting her in millinocket. We'll stay in that town get shuttle to trail, then when done get shuttle back to millinocket From Baxter