Last Minute Baxter Questions

DayTrip said:

Down to just a few days now until my first Baxter trip and I had some last minute questions after reading through all my prior posts and notes:

1) Water. Are the nearby rivers the only water source in park? I know it says there is no potable water but I didn't know if they had pumps or something more convenient to the actual campground other than just grabbing it right from a stream. I assume a nearby stream is readily available at the campgrounds (I'll be at Roaring Brook). I'll be bringing a decent amount of water with me and will also have a filter. No Pumps for campers, you need to grab it from the brook. A water bucket really makes things convenient
2) Gate Fee. When I booked my site they added a gate fee to the reservation. Does that cover my entire stay or just one trip through the gate? (i.e. if I decide to run into town on a rainy day or because I forgot something will I be paying another gate fee to reenter park?) Good for the duration of the trip no matter how many times you come in and out, just be aware a drive into town is 2 hours

3) Leaving. Is there a separate departure gate for outbound park traffic or do you battle the same inbound crowds when you're leaving? I'll be leaving on a WED so I don't imagine it would be an issue either way but I was curious if getting up to get an early start home would involve a long wait at the gate for inbound hikers.Not an issue, there is a box to deposit your slip as you drive out for good

4) Walk In Site Parking. I have a walk in site and I'm curious if they have dedicated parking somewhere like the other sites or if I have to park in the general lot (again where I might be competing with day use traffic for a spot). The parking lot on the left is for day hikers and the parking lot on the right is for campers. Parking is tight so park close to the other cars

5) Saddle Spring and Caribou Spring. In planning my route I noticed two springs marked on the map between Baxter summit and Hamlin Peak. Are these reliable springs, especially in drier conditions? I consume a lot of water when it is hot and the exertion level is high. Having a source in that area would make filtering a nice option versus carrying a ton of water up all the vertical. My "standard" hike I usually carry 3L but on a warm day 4-6L is not unusual for me. Wondering if I should start out with 4L instead of 3L and suck up the extra weight just to be sure I have no issues.Both are reliable this time of year, I treat them due to large number of folks in the area, caribou is my favorite . I have far less faith in Thoreau Spring There is also a interesting spring heading down Hamlin ridge Trail on the left as you start heading down, its usually a trickle by August.

Definitely plan on heading up early and doing South Turner the afternoon you get there, stop by Sandy Stream Pond and visit the moose.

Unless things have changed, I haven't found a place in town that stocks block ice (but haven't looked hard). Ice cubes last 1/3 as long as block ice. Once you go past the grocery store across from McDonalds in Millinocket you start paying a premium for supplies the closer you get to the park. Cheapest gas is usually Dysarts about a mile in from the interstate in Medway on the left. There is a camp store at Ambajejus lake half way to the park but you pay a premium for everything. The AT café on Penobscot street in Millinocket is the best place in town for breakfast, take a left at the light in downtown. If its around lunch I usually stop by the hot dog stand in East Millinocket on the same side of the road as the old mill complex (it may be closed for good with the mill gone). Watch your speed through East Millinocket, its enforced aggressively. Cell coverage drops off soon after you pass under the railroad bridge heading out of Millinocket. I always stop at park headquarters as they have the latest maps for sale.

Some of the best views of the mountain are immediately before the park gate on the right. There is also a nice spot a mile or so up the road to Kathadin Stream Campground. There is pull over spot in amongst the red pines , from there until KSC, there are few if any views unless you go past up towards the Marston Trailhead where there are nice views up Doubletop. Kind of cold to go swimming anywhere most folks usually swim at togue pond before you enter the park.

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peakbagger said:

I resisted suggesting Abol Bridge store as a good option for a supply run as last year their supplies were pretty sparse. The old State road was reopened from the Togue Pond road directly to Abol bridge last year obviously for logging purposes. They ran a road grader down the road over the old tar and the result was a couple of miles of classic washboard road, try to make some speed on it and it will rattle out fillings. Compared to it being abandoned with trees in the middle of it, it was an improvement but still real rough. The Golden Road itself was also in pretty poor shape with potholes that would eat small cars.

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peakbagger said:

Follow the State of Maine Baxter State Park Signs and you cant go wrong unless you insist on using a car navigation system. Act like a Mainer and buy a Delorme guide . If you are driving through Millinocket go past the business district, you will come to an obvious T intersection with a large old school (now elderly housing) on your right. Take the right on the main road, there is a BSP sign. About 1/2 mile past there the main road bears left, there is BSP sign. From there just go straight following the state highway. Eventually you will pass between two lakes (one of them is Ambjejus lake) and this is the location of the last store. Stay on the main road for several miles and look out the windshield as there are some real nice long views of the Kathadin. Eventually the road coincides with a powerliine right of way and soon after there is distinct right turnat an intersection (with a BSP sign). The old state road to Abol Bridge goes straight at this intersection but its obviously a secondary road compared to the right turn. Once you go past a girl scout camp with some bumps in the road to slow you down, the BSP visitor center is on your left, you don't need to stop there. You are now on a dirt road, go less than mile and after the great view of katahdin you will arrive at the gate.

There is a very good restaurant at the Twin Pines Resort, on the right just before the Ambjejus store.

I don't know when you are actually heading up there but boy you picked a nice stretch of weather if its in the next week.

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