Bugs & Baxter State Park

[roadtripper]

Odds are this question has been asked before...

In prior years, when do the bugs typically start biting in BSP? Is it mid-May? late-May? early June?

I want to do some camping/backpacking around South Branch Pond & Russell Pond this spring and i'm considering early to mid-May. I can handle NH's bugs during the spring & summer, but upstate Maine is a whole different story

 

[Mad Townie]

Early to mid-May you should be fine. In my experience they don't really start until after Memorial Day. Patriotic bugs we have up here, but they REALLY party on the 4th!

 

[peakbagger]

Just keep in mind that last year some of the roads werent open and major campground openings were delayed a few weeks due to snow.

 

[king tut]

typically the bugs come out right when the roads are cleared from the snows from the winter. I made the mistake of going in June one summer. Save your blood, and book the trip in the dead of summer or the fall. Visit Acadia, the bugs are not bad in the springtime there.

 

[spencer]

The bugs are terrible. The Whites are probably a better option

Like peakbagger said, you can't count on the Park being open, or at least not the parts you want to get to, in May. The bugs get bad right off so if that's a deal breaker for you (and it shouldn't be, IMNSHO) then go in mid-summer or better yet, fall.

The places you mention never see the heavy crowds that Baxter Peak sees so don't worry too much about lots of people. Get to Russell and relax...

 

[sli74]

The bugs in Baxter were terrible at the end of June in 2002 but not bad at all in September.

sli74

 

[MikePS]

Also consider that So Branch to Russell is the buggiest of all trails in BSP, you spend a lot of time near water-So Branch,to Russell-that is why the fishing is so good-I don't think that you can "beat the bugs" in May

 

[roadtripper]

Also consider that So Branch to Russell is the buggiest of all trails in BSP

Well that's great news! The whole purpose of the trip is to visit & photograph the waterfalls in that area - Grand Falls, Ledge Falls, Green Falls, Howe Brook Falls & South Branch Falls. Sounds like I'm going to be eaten alive while doing that.

I think I might postpone until August. Thanks for the info everyone.

 

[GBKDalton]

The bugs in Baxter were terrible at the end of June in 2002 but not bad at all in September.

sli74

I considered the fact that there were still mosquitoes at the end of September a truly horrific omen of what they're like in the summer up there.

 

[marty]

Well that's great news! The whole purpose of the trip is to visit & photograph the waterfalls in that area - Grand Falls, Ledge Falls, Green Falls, Howe Brook Falls & South Branch Falls. Sounds like I'm going to be eaten alive while doing that.

I think I might postpone until August. Thanks for the info everyone.

Greg,
I have stayed at S. Branch Pond three times in the mid July through mid August timeframe and explored some of the waterfalls you mentioned. The only bug problems we encountered were some mosquitos at dusk on our July trip and somewhat bothersome (but certainly not horrible) black flies when hiking on parts of the Pogy Notch Trail.

Feel free to PM or email me if I can be of any assistance.

Marty

 

[Christa]

I was up there last June doing the Coe-Brothers-Fort loop and, toward the end of the day, the bugs did get pretty vicious. Two particularly vengeful ones got me really good - one right on the corner of my eye and one on the top of my ear. The next morning, both were swollen so that it looked like I'd been in a boxing match.

I'd avoid June.

 

[Stan]

I think I might postpone until August. Thanks for the info everyone.

If you alter your plans you might be better off going earlier than later ... higher waters, more dramatic falls. Of course, one year we were up there in August and they had something like 11" of rain over a day or two.

 

[Mad Townie]

Just keep in mind that last year some of the roads werent open and major campground openings were delayed a few weeks due to snow.

Good point, Peakbagger. One year we had reservations at Russell for Memorial Day weekend (which we got by getting in line around 3 a.m. on January 2nd) but couldn't use them because there was so much snow on the trails they weren't open.

 

[Lawn Sale]

As a general rule the black flies are out just after the buds start to form on the trees. It could be the middle of May or the beginning of June, depends on how late winter goes and what the spring is like.

Baxter typically opens the first week of June, and the SOBO hikers are in the 100-Mile Wilderness then, but according to the White House Landing owners (30 miles south on the AT), a lot of them bail from the trail due to how bad the bugs get.

I avoid hiking in the deep woods for a month and a half while the bugs are really bad. Somewhere I have pictures of the shadows on the ground made by the black fly swarms.

 

[Double Bow]

There's no bugs right now. Go now!

 

[Raymond]

I first went there in May 1992. The black flies were at Togue Pond gate when I was checking in; two days later they reached Roaring Brook campground. May 19th, I think, right after the park opened.

 

[rup]

Are you reading this Al?? Mid-July could be cannabile season.