mt. katahdin questions

[bruno]

i've never been up to baxter and am thinking of going in a couple of weeks (maybe the last week of this month). ok, so here's my main question--say on a weekday (monday or tuesday) what is the procedure to get in to the trailhead? should i get there the night before and just sleep in my truck or can i stay in millinocket and get there early in the am? i'd hate to drive all the way there and not be able to get in. along those lines, where is a good place to stay in millinocket and to eat?

thanks.

 

[Artex]

I've never gotten there day of without having reservations first, so I won't comment on that.

However, if you go the hotel route, there are a few, both locally owned and national chains, in Millinocket and E. Millinocket you could stay at the night before. As for eating in that area, the Appalachian Trail Cafe is pretty darn good. We always eat there after any adventure in Baxter.

 

[poison ivy]

Not sure if you're looking for campsites or a motel to stay in... but if it's campsites you're after, I really like Hidden Spring Campground... it's located about 20 minutes outside the park gate (on the same road) and is a good place to stay.

I've never waited outside the gate on a weekday... just on a weekend. We got there about two hours before the gate opened and were the third or fourth car in line. They were only letting 35 cars in on that particular day!

- Ivy

 

[TenPeaks]

The few times I've been to Baxter I usually camp outside the park at Hidden Springs campground, which is about a half hour from the gate. On the day I want to hike Katahdin from the Roaring Brook campground I'm up at 4:00 and at the gate by 4:30. Typically I'm about 5 or 6 cars back and never have trouble getting a parking spot.

 

[grog]

call quickly

first thing to do is go to Baxter head quarters and see what they have . If you go in sept. they will have more . Another thing is to call asap and see what they have and then reserve it ( you have to mail in but should still be available ). You have to get to the gate before 8:00 pm ( check with hq ),to get in park nite before. They should have something even if you have to tent or walk in to site. I just called BSP hq and Nancy said they may have something ( someone else was using THE BOOK ) at KS or abol during the week in a couple weeks and definately more during the week after labor day. With new rules you may be able to use credit card over phone. It will be much nicer staying in park for a couple days so get a map of BSP, check out camp sites and call quickly.

grog

 

[HockeyPuck]

Here's a link to Baxter State Park it contains a list of campgrounds, maps, their Rules and regulations and prices. The rules seem very strict but the atmosphere is very laid back once you arrive.

I've found "Spencer" to be a great resource on details in the park. Hope he dosen't mind the plug.

 

[bruno]

thanks for all the info. maybe i should have been clearer though. i just want to dayhike the peak (knifedege, etc). i'll likely stay in millinocket the night before. so it seems as along as i get there around say 5.30 (!), i'll get in to park at the trailhead? is that right? again, it'll most likely be a weekday.

thanks again.

 

[truepatriot09]

We try to stay in the park now, but when we did it as a day hike, we were at the gate at 4:45am and we were about 12th in line. And we hiked the mountain around this time in August on that trip...

The title of this thread reminded me of a bit of local trivia about the name of the mountain. The local guide book dedicates the first page to the name Katahdin, which translated means, "Greatest Mountain". Those who wrote the book cautioned against calling the peak Mount Katahdin as then you are technically saying "Mount Greatest Mountain"! As someone who repeatedly calls the peak Mt. Katahdin (and now I bang my head with a big oops each time), I thought this was both interesting and funny...

 

[grog]

A friend of mine gets to the gate about midnite and sleeps in his truck,no problems.

grog

 

[luv2hike]

We hiked Pamola, Knife Edge, Baxter and Hamlin on Thursday. We stayed at the Econo Lodge in Millinocket on Wed. night. (59.00 for a single room)Thursday morning we arrived at the gate at 4:45. There were 3 cars ahead of us. I'm sure that if you get an early start you won't have a problem. It took us about a 1/2 hour to get from Millinocket to the gate and then about another 1/2 hour to drive the 8 miles to Roaring Brook.