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View Full Version : Need help figuring out lodging at Katahdin



smeagher61
08-19-2013, 22:43
I need some help from someone with experience.

My son is just about to wrap up his thru hike. I am driving from Illinois to Maine to pick him up and climb Katahdin with him this Friday. Today (Monday August 19, 2013) he entered the hundred mile wilderness. Before he went in he called and told me to reserve a tent site at Katahdin Stream. After getting on the Baxter State Park website all sites are full at almost all the campgrounds.

I am not at all familiar with that part of the country. I know it is extremely remote. I even understand I have to get a permit to park my car. If they are full I'm out of luck. What to do?

I called BSP tonight and left a message explaining my predicament. Hopefully, they can offer assistance. I was hoping someone who has been there could give me some insight how to handle this. Thanks in advance for your help. I am leaving this Wednesday morning to drive up there. Supposed to meet him Friday afternoon.

Spencer

putts
08-19-2013, 23:38
As of now there are 12 Day use parking spots left at Katahdin Stream that can be reserved. The gates open at 6 am, and they will only reserve your parking spot until 7 am. The fee is $5, plus the $14 you pay (if you don't have Maine plates) to get in. I would reserve your spot ASAP:

http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/bsp_public/scripts/BSP_Public.exe/duproverview

As you already mentioned, the campsites are all booked. Your best bet is just make sure you can be where you need to be to pick him up, and then either camp outside the park or head towards Millinocket.

peakbagger
08-20-2013, 07:42
A couple of suggestions, as this is probably the busiest weekend of the summer, its too bad as I have some reservations for labor day weekend although they are on the opposite side of the mountain . (if others are in similar situation PM me)

Unless he is doing significant mileage every day, he is somewhat optimistic about being ready to climb Baxter on Friday. I would guess Saturday is more realistic and Sunday may also be possible, depends if he wants to enjoy his last stretch or is in rush to finish. The Abol (don't confuse Abol with Abol Bridge as they are two different places and a 20 to 30 mile drive) parking lot is a couple of miles down the road from KSC so you could grab the space there and then hitch up to KSC to do the last stretch of the trail.

The park has last minute cancelations every night, stop by the headquarters in Millinocket and find out when they are released every day. I would suggest not doing it by phone and rather do it in person when you get there. The headquarters is in Millinocket. Just look for Mc Donalds and the headquarters is just behind McDonalds on the frontage road that parallels the highway. An option may be to meet him at Abol Bridge outside the park and take him to this campground http://www.neoc.com/penobscot-outdoor-center.php. It is outside the park and about 15 minutes to the gate and has some amenities like a shower. Get a day use parking pass reservation to the katahdin trailheads if you are driving in. The worse case is book any site in the park that's open and that by default allows you to park at one of the katahdin trailheads before the day hikers head in. In order to do this you need to be parked prior to the time that the day use folks have filled up the lot. This means you need to be there at 6:30 AM at the latest. Unfortunately the roads in the park are skinny windy and rough, at best you may be able to go 30 MPH in a few sections but plan on 20 MPH. Trying to make up time on the road isn't an option and odds are you will get in an accident if you try. If you get a site up in the NE corner of the park plan on 1.5 to 2 hours to drive from your campsite to the Katahdin Stream.

Some folks try to wait in line at the gate for any day use slots to open up, given a nice forecast, its highly unlikely but if you do plan on getting there around 4 AM. On weekends some folks just park the night before and sleep in their cars.