Better map for Baxter State Park

[TDawg]

Hi all,

Looking to upgrade my map of BSP.

I have the paper AMC version but am looking for a waterproof map. A quick google search yields:

1) The Nat Geo map, looks nice and I like my Allagash maps from Nat Geo, this one is a little more expensive.

2) Map Adventures, also looks pretty good but I have zero experience with Map Adventures products.

Anyone have nit-picks with either, or another version I should have on my radar?

Thank you.

 

[brobichaud]

I've had the Map Adventures White Mountains map since I started hiking again 2 years ago, it's always proved easy to read, and its held up very well. Had my eye on the Baxter map as well, as I also have only the AMC paper map.

 

[mtruman]

I too have used the Map Adventures White Mountain map as my main in-the-pack map for several years. Just got the Baxter version before going there two weeks ago and it's excellent. Lots of detail, trail segment mileages, etc. I also have the AMC map and the one that came in the latest version of the Katahdin book that I picked up at the visitors center on the way into the park. The Map Adventures version is definitely best of the bunch in my opinion

 

[Amicus]

The new AMC map with the 10 Ed. of the AMC Maine Mountain Guide also comes in a separate Tyvek version, as the AMC has been doing with the White Mtn. Guide for the last 2 Eds. I bought mine at Mountain Wanderer in Lincoln a couple of weeks ago for $10, and a it was all I needed during four days of varied hiking in Baxter last week. The other side is the 100-Mile Wilderness.

 

[Lefty E]

I used the Delorme's Map and Guide ( 2007) and was very satisfied with it..has history of the park on the back side...and it's not a boring history!! Don't know if there is a newer edition..think this has been mentioned before, but it appears AMC maps may show more or better drainages (brooks etc) than other maps...

 

[Red Oak]

The older "Complete map of Mt. Katahdin and Baxter state park" by Jim Witherell is the best I have run across so far.I got mine at the mountain wanderer a few years ago.Maybe this map is out of print if Amicus did not get one from steve recently.This map has a green cover and has pullout maps of Katahdin lake and a few other spots in the park.Maybe this is the baxter map spoken about here.However last time I was up at baxter,I got the "Baxter park" map by Stephen Clark,is this the baxter map maybe?The amc map is ok,better than the Delorme most likely.Sometimes when I can not locate a map ,I just print one up from google maps[mostly for bushwacking].Good thread here....

 

[Umsaskis]

It may not be waterproof, but the park has issued its own detailed guidebook with a very good map this year (though I don't know if this is actually new or is an updated version of a previous guide). The only downside to the book is that it does not give elevation changes for major segments of trail, the way the AMC guides do. Also, there is no alphabetical index of trails or summits; they are organized by region in the index so you have to know the area or refer to the map to look up your trail. But I was duly impressed with trail descriptions and the map, which was made of sturdy material and is a good packable size.

 

[mtruman]

It may not be waterproof, but the park has issued its own detailed guidebook with a very good map this year (though I don't know if this is actually new or is an updated version of a previous guide). The only downside to the book is that it does not give elevation changes for major segments of trail, the way the AMC guides do. Also, there is no alphabetical index of trails or summits; they are organized by region in the index so you have to know the area or refer to the map to look up your trail. But I was duly impressed with trail descriptions and the map, which was made of sturdy material and is a good packable size.

Interesting. The one that they sold us at the visitors center a few weeks ago was the new 7th Edition of the Stephen Clark book "Katahdin, A Guide to Baxter State Park". The new edition now says "Compiled and edited by Baxter State Park". It came with a waterproof (plastic) map. The map is excellent, although not as detailed as the Map Adventures map and doesn't have mileages and many of the trails aren't named. The book is very good and has extremely detailed trail descriptions for all the trails in the park with details of every segment, turn and point of interest. Does this sound like the same one that you got? If so, I'm surprised that it had a paper map...

 

[Amicus]

Maybe this map is out of print if Amicus did not get one from steve recently...

Steve Smith is usually there on Saturdays, when I stopped by, but he was on a search mission for a guy who later turned up intact in No. Car. I didn't ask his assistant what Katahdin maps they had, but specifically for the new AMC 10th Tyvek, which I'd already read about. I like it, but if you have no interest in the 100-Mile Wilderness, half of it is of no use.

 

[Red Oak]

Steve Smith is usually there on Saturdays, when I stopped by, but he was on a search mission for a guy who later turned up intact in No. Car. I didn't ask his assistant what Katahdin maps they had, but specifically for the new AMC 10th Tyvek, which I'd already read about. I like it, but if you have no interest in the 100-Mile Wilderness, half of it is of no use.

Saturday seems to be the best day to catch Steve.A.M.C. seems to be pushing their Maine huts and trails thang,its ok because it leaves plenty of areas where there will not be as many people!Glad you found a map to work for your Baxter trip though.

 

[TDawg]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'll be picking one of these up sooner than later.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Yet another option is to go the Baxter SP website and download a PDF version of them. I'm going to Baxter in October, and while I have a good map of the Roaring Brook area, I don't have one for the Travelers which is what Baxter refers to it's South Branch area. The webpage for their maps is here.

 

[peakbagger]

FYI, the most recent map adventures map appears to already by out of date. The North Peaks trail has been reopened as a thru trail again. Most maps shows it as a spur to the Howe Peaks and dead ending