PDA

View Full Version : hiking in Baxter State Park.. how long to wait



DavidNH
01-24-2009, 17:47
I have this burning desire to get back up to Baxter for some day hiking. But I don't want to run into swarms of bugs or copious amounts of mud. I know the park is open by mid May.

But how long to wait for good hiking and trail conditions? June? July? late May?

David

weary
01-24-2009, 17:59
I have this burning desire to get back up to Baxter for some day hiking. But I don't want to run into swarms of bugs or copious amounts of mud. I know the park is open by mid May.

But how long to wait for good hiking and trail conditions? June? July? late May?

David
I usually figure on arriving around the fourth of july, most years. The worst of the black flies are usually gone by then, and the worst of the mosquitoes have not arrived. Stream levels have diminished . Mud isn't totally gone, but usually the worst is over.

Weary

mudhead
01-24-2009, 21:13
You will know by the spring weather. Pretty useless up there until the water drains off. You can camp, but it is gawdawful until it dries a bit. My opinion.

Can be pretty chilly but doable when it opens, but are the trails you want open. If you need reservations, Weary's timeline works.

RXD
12-09-2009, 05:47
Baxter State Park is in the heart of Maine. Hiking, climbing and other recreational activities await you in Baxter State Park.

Trails: There are 185 miles of wilderness trails including the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Mount Katahdin, a climb of 4,000 feet. Katahdin is also the southern terminus of the International Appalachian Trail that heads 700 miles north into Canada.

Within the park there are 18 peaks over 3,000 feet in elevation.

Please note: this is only a partial listing. Free maps showing more details suitable for day hiking are available for Kidney Pond, Daicey Pond and the South Branch-Fowler Pond region

peakbagger
12-09-2009, 08:48
Heads up, starting 2010, you need a reservation, $8 per day, in advance to park in the lots at the base of Mt Katahdin for day hiking. I believe thats Abol, Katahdin Stream and Roaring Brook. If its run the way it was in 2009, you would need a reservation to park in these lots, even if you are staying inside the park at one of the other campgrounds. I dont know if they have posted the new rules yet.

This gets rid of the need to line up at the park gate early in the morning in hopes that you can get a parking space to climb the mountain, but obviously make it diffucult ot do a spur of the moment hike. It also makes the day hike for an out of stater even more expensive as there still is the park access fee required on top of the $8.

Rambler
12-09-2009, 09:24
Try to get a reservation at one of the campgrounds. The parking areas on trails to Baxter Peak fill up early even for those staying within the Park, but other trailheads are usually empty by comparison.
Put on your list: Hamlin Peak (right next to Baxter), The Brothers, Double-Top, The Travelers. There is a trail that goes right through the Park. Spend a week there and you still won't have done all the hikes!
Folks have trailers at Abol Camground all summer. It is a small summer community of campers. Visit them when you pass through.

TJ aka Teej
12-09-2009, 10:51
Heads up, starting 2010, you need a reservation, $8 per day, in advance to park in the lots at the base of Mt Katahdin for day hiking.
You won't 'need' one, but now you can make one for $5. Maine residents have had this option for the past few years with special set aside spots and no fee.

TJ aka Teej
12-09-2009, 10:56
I have this burning desire to get back up to Baxter for some day hiking. But I don't want to run into swarms of bugs or copious amounts of mud. I know the park is open by mid May.
If you want to explore the non-Katahdin areas I suggest the week before Memorial Day. Its pre-black fly, the weather is fine, and there is plenty of other trails and mountains to hike and climb.

Tinker
12-09-2009, 10:58
I was told quite a few years ago that you had to call and reserve a day or wait in line and hope you got there early enough.
My personal experience with Baxter is that I didn't have to make a reservation because I entered via the AT after doing the Hundred Mile Wilderness. My son was allowed in even though he only hiked with me from Abol Bridge, but we couldn't stay at the Birches since he wasn't a "long distance" hiker. That was ok, because I liked the Katahdin Stream campground much better after seeing both.
A friend who had been in the park (not since the last century) said that I should start calling Baxter on Jan 1 if I wanted to reserve space for camping.

mudhead
12-09-2009, 15:29
You won't 'need' one, but now you can make one for $5. Maine residents have had this option for the past few years with special set aside spots and no fee.

Residents only got the free one, one/month. This whole thing is confusing, as I have stayed at Abol and drove to other spots to avoid the gate. No mater. It is what it is.

Once this policy comes out in print maybe I can figure it out.

weary
12-09-2009, 19:46
If you want to explore the non-Katahdin areas I suggest the week before Memorial Day. Its pre-black fly, the weather is fine, and there is plenty of other trails and mountains to hike and climb.
Well many years the week befoire Memorial Day is pre black fly. But I've experienced otherwise too many time to recommend it to anyone. It all depends on the season. Rarely do the worst hatches happen before May 10. But after that it is a lottery game. PreMemorial day week is a good bet many years -- but not always. How many times.....

Weary

boarstone
12-09-2009, 20:04
I have this burning desire to get back up to Baxter for some day hiking. But I don't want to run into swarms of bugs or copious amounts of mud. I know the park is open by mid May.

But how long to wait for good hiking and trail conditions? June? July? late May?

David
Just as a side note, we've had copieous amounts of water this fall. Our water table up here in the "100 mile wilderness" is soaked, flooded, water everywhere. No hard ground freeze, yet we've got and expect to receive over 2 ft. of snow with this present storm, in the mountains. (All melt runs down hill) I foresee a very wet spring which will not dry out in this area for a looonnnnggg time. I post here towards spring the weather conditons that relate to the trail. Keep watch.

DawnTreader
12-09-2009, 22:30
I'll be there june 1st... rain, water, snow, monsoon, hell or high water, thats when I'll be there, black flies, whatever ... june 1st :)

warraghiyagey
12-09-2009, 22:54
hmmmmmm.......:sun:sun

weary
12-09-2009, 22:58
hmmmmmm.......:sun:sun
Wow. What an interesting post! How do you keep coming up with such wisdom?

mudhead
12-10-2009, 08:42
Just as a side note, we've had copieous amounts of water this fall. Our water table up here

Same here, but less snow. C'mon gravity.

Good to see you are able to sit up and take nourishment.:sun

warraghiyagey
12-10-2009, 09:17
Wow. What an interesting post! How do you keep coming up with such wisdom?
It's a gift. . . :)

Red River Falls
05-23-2010, 20:25
Can one park in the parking lots overnight and hike up and camp in a bunkhouse for the night? I have looked at the website, but it is not very clear about everything. I am coming from out-of-state, will pay the entry fee and then will either camp a night, or preferably, park at a parking area, walk to one of the bunkhouses, sleep there, hike and summit(s), and leave the next day. On the website, I am led to believe there is only day use parking NOT overnight. Do any of you know? I may call this week and see if I can speak with someone.

TJ aka Teej
05-23-2010, 20:31
Can one park in the parking lots overnight and hike up and camp in a bunkhouse for the night? I have looked at the website, but it is not very clear about everything. I am coming from out-of-state, will pay the entry fee and then will either camp a night, or preferably, park at a parking area, walk to one of the bunkhouses, sleep there, hike and summit(s), and leave the next day. On the website, I am led to believe there is only day use parking NOT overnight. Do any of you know? I may call this week and see if I can speak with someone.

Call the Park, book a campsite. No overnight parking without a campsite reservation. No bunkhouses in the summer.

Red River Falls
05-23-2010, 20:39
On the reservation system, I was getting information for bunkhouses showing availability (a room here or there "x" ed out). Is that a glitch in the system or do you think that is a change? By the way, I will be there in the first half of June.

Perhaps it does not matter if I have to have a campsite reservation to park overnight in the park.