Trailhead parking questions for August trip to Maine

I'm planning a trip to Maine in August to hike all the 4000 footers. I plan to spend a week with the family in Carrabassett Valley, hiking the peaks around there. Then they will head back to NY and I will head to Baxter State Park to bag the three up there. I plan to camp at Baxter, I see sometime no sooner than I think after June 16 I can make reservations for camping there. The family and I have lodging right at Sugarloaf so parking for that peak is a no brainer. But here is my question. Do I need a pass to park at other trailheads in that area for the other peaks? Each year when I would go to NH I would get a pass that allowed me to park anywhere instead of messing with those self pay stations. How's it work in Maine?

You don't need a parking pass in Maine (nor does one exist) for the majority of the state. There is a small portion of the White Mountain National Forest that sticks into Maine. It does not contain any 4Ks but still is nice to visit, there are a few parking lots that require WMNF parking passes or you can just pay for a day use permit. I am not familiar with Acadia National Park's policies so that would require research if you wish to visit there.

With respect to Baxter, you can reserve a site 4 months in advance of the beginning date of your trip. Thus the first day you can reserve a site is the first day or your intended visit minus four months. There is an additional wrinkle with Baxter, the parking is very limited at the three Mt Katahdin trail heads, Katahdin Stream, Roaring Brook and Abol (assuming the Abol trail reopens this year). If you have camping reservations at these sites you are covered for parking. If you are camping anywhere else in the park and want to climb Katahdin, you have two choices 1. Get up real early and get to the trailhead before day hikers enter the park or 2: get a Day Use Parking Permit.
http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/reservation/parkingReservations.htm Getting a DUPR complicates things so do yourself a favor, get a site at one of the three camp grounds I mentioned or get up real early. The park gets heavy use on weekends and the Katahdin trailhead lots are usually full on weekends so plan you trip to be there on non weekend day. The crowds on the summit are far less and on the majority of the other trails there will be few other folks. D note the DUPR is only for those who want to climb Katahdin permits are not required for any other summits.

A quick comment about hiking in the Carabasset valley. Bring good maps as some of the trail heads are on lesser used roads.

Summer parking at the ski centers is free. You can drive up CVR / CPR and park on the side of the road. The parking for Abraham is free (The Rapid stream side). I don't think there is a fee for the Bigelows. But there might be a fee for Old Speck since it is in the WMNF.

After completing the 4000 footers in NH this past Sept I did Old Speck. It was just across the border and not near any of the rest. I figured that was the time to get it. That required I pay at a self pay station.
When I go to Baxter I was planning at camping at Roaring Brook.

Old Speck has a voluntary donation canister.

The parking lot is actually in Graton Notch State Park, the Mahoosucs are outside the WMNF declaration boundary which is roughly south of US RT until the Berlin Area where it goes north of RT2.

You can buy a pass that covers all the national parks as well as all the national forests. It didnt take long to figure out as much time as I spend in Acadia and WMNF, it becomes a bargain.

I have stayed outside of Baxter Park at Wilderness Edge Campground (Millinocket), a family run private campground that is on the road toward Baxter Park. I got up around 5:00 AM to be in line with my car for admission in to the park. The park gate is closed at night. I had a reservation to camp at Chimney Pond, so I parked at Roaring Brook. Be sure to bring cash for entrance in to the park - there is no electricity at the entrance so they do not take credit cards for the entrance fee.

Assuming I get a camping reservation for a couple nights at Roaring Brook camp ground....
1) will I be able to get a small trailer in there with my truck? I might have my motorcycle in tow on a Lowe's 5X9 trailer.
2) When I do North Brother and park at Slide Dam will the fact that I'm camping at Roaring Brook allow to me to camp at Slide Dam for free or there just is no fee for parking there?

adirobdack46r said:

Assuming I get a camping reservation for a couple nights at Roaring Brook camp ground....
1) will I be able to get a small trailer in there with my truck? I might have my motorcycle in tow on a Lowe's 5X9 trailer.
2) When I do North Brother and park at Slide Dam will the fact that I'm camping at Roaring Brook allow to me to camp at Slide Dam for free or there just is no fee for parking there?

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There are restrictions on vehicle size in the park but I don't think you will trip it with a small trailer. They will warn you that motorcycles can not be used in the park. I would call to verify that you can bring one in on trailer. Parking at RR brook will be PITA as the area is set up for pull in parking and your combination will be too long. I expect you be best parallel parking as you enter the lot

May be a misprint but you cant camp at Slide Dam. You can park and do not need a parking pass (which only applies to the three Katahdin trailheads). Do plan for a long slow ride from Roaring Brook to Slide Dam, probably 1 and 1/2 hours.