Opening Day for Baxter Park - Saturday, January 14

[Stan]

The tradition of camping out to be first in line for the coming season's reservations may be waning but our purposes in participating are still relevant. OK, so we camped out in a warm hotel room and once were as low as # 135 in line, arriving at 5:30, but over 25 years we always got what we wanted and, better yet, we spent a few days snowshoeing, xc or bc skiing, and, on rare occasions, hiking. Two years ago I arrived in line about 7 AM, # 30.

In addition to destinations and loops on the periphery of Baxter Park, there are some nearby trails not to mention the AT itself, which this year we hope to take to Hurd Pond and return via logging roads which will most likely be broken out by snowmobiles. We may also see what the new National Monument will offer though I expect the best is yet to come so see it while its wild.

Hope some of you join the tradition. Though there are limits as to how much of each campground they'll book on this day, chances are you'll get exactly what you want, especially if you are booking a complex route involving multiple campsites, shelters, bunkhouses etc.

 

[peakbagger]

For those interested, here are the rules they have used in the past

Each campground can have up to 20% of the sites reserved on any one day. Once that limit is reached no more reservations are allowed at that campground on opening day. It goes by sites not campers so a group site for 10 folks is the same as a tent site for 2. Every campground has a map which has numbers on all the sites, if you want a particular campsite or leanto write the number down as you can reserve that particular site. These maps are available on the website and at the headquarters.

When arriving at the headquarters (no call ins or internet, you have to be there in person) you are given a ticket. You wait in line in a meeting room with many BSP rangers available to talk to. They are usually in a great mood and if you ask arcane questions about remote areas, odds are one of the staff members present will be able to give you an answer. While waiting, you fill in a reservation slip of your desired campgrounds and if you want, a specific campsite within the campground. If campgrounds get over 20% full (very unlikely on the first round) the staff has access to the real time reservations so you can adjust your choices.

When your number is called, you go in to see a reservation clerk and hand them your slip. You can reserve up to 10 continuous days in the park at this one sitting. Assuming someone earlier in line didn't grab your particular campsite, odds are you pay your bill and go home with your reservations.

If you want a second set of reservations over and above the first reservation, get a new ticket and wait until you are called again.

Note reservations are made in one persons name but the reality is that they are transferable. More than a few folks hang around and make the second set of reservations for a friend and then transfer them later.

Unless you want the experience or are going for a very specific site on specific day (like a group site on prime weekend) there is no need to sleep in the parking lot overnight. I have walked in at 10 AM and got my choices. The most popular campgrounds are usually Daicey and Kidney, they potentially could hit the 20% rule on popular weekends. The two group sites at the base of Katahdin also get booked on popular weekends. Most years Chimney Pond does not fill up until later in the day even on popular weekends. The prime lean tos on South Branch Pond also tend to fill up on prime weeks (Its great family campground)

By the way the rolling reservation process in place the rest of the year seems to really made making reservations easier. Its still difficult to do a last minute holiday weekend but getting something 4 to 6 weeks in advance is generally doable with a bit of flexibility. Chimney Pond is definitely an exception unless you get lucky its hard to get a spot as its full usually well into late September.

Most folks who go to opening day are long term users of the park, they tend to gravitate to drive in campgrounds with cabins. The folks willing to backpack into the remote sites tend not to go so these don't fill up.

Assuming I have free day and the roads are in good shape I will probably make a run over.