21 Jun 2024 - Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin

 

We had an awesome day traveling into Baxter State Park to see not only Mount Katahdin but Doubletop Mountain and many other sights along the way.  We are so lucky to have my Air Force buddy Kirk Small and his wife Pam who live just a few miles from where we are camping,  None of what we saw today would have been possible without them.  First, they know the area very, very well.  Next, the rules pertaining to Baxter State Park would have precluded our visit - no pets and no vehicles wider than seven feet, i.e. no duallys,  

So we drove to their house which sits right on Millinocket Lake.  Like I posted last night, here is a view of Mount Katahdin from their deck:

We left Liberty there, loaded up into Kirk's truck and away we went up Baxter Park Road.  Not far down the road and we passed Pockwockamus Rock, a painted rock next to the road.

  Down the road a bit further we were at the entrance to the park.  It has a bit of a "timed entry" in that they only allow so many vehicles up each road.  They also check for pets, firewood, vehicle compliance, etc.  They also document names and emergency contact info for everyone going in.  When you depart, they gather the passes, so check in, check out.  

Once inside the park it is evident why the rules on vehicle size.  The roads are basically narrow, old gravel roads with no shoulders.  There are very few places to pull over or park.  

Beautiful scenery!

A crew of volunteers working on the trails

We passed a couple primitive campgrounds and a trail head for the Appalachian Trail.  The trail's southern terminus is at Springer Mountain in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia. The AT is a 2,200-mile hiking trail that runs through 14 states, including New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

 

Interesting story about Baxter State Park.  Percival Baxter was the governor of Maine from 1921-1924.  He tried to legislate the park but that failed, so he purchased the land himself and donated it to the State.  He stated with 6000 acres and added more and more until his final purchase in 1962 totaling 201,018 acres.  He stipulated the sole governing authority for the park would be just three public officials:  the Commissioner of Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; the Director of Maine State Forest Service; and the Attorney General.  He. also created a complex series of deeds of trust.  The park is self-sufficient and it must be maintained in a natural state - basically unimproved.  And it is an amazing place.  

The streams are crystal clear and beautiful!  The woods are thick and dark, never cleared or thinned except for natural events.  

Log flume area

Metal pins attached steel cables that kept the logs in the stream when they floated down the water.

We passed a very old grave marked "The Unknown River Driver", assumed to be a casualty of logging operations when the logs were driven down the stream years ago.  

At this point we turned around and headed back to Kirk's house to let Liberty out.  We have not seen Kirk in about 50 years, so this is the first opportunity I've had to give him one of my coins.  They have a gorgeous, relaxing place here.  Kirk is a 100% disabled Air Force Veteran and we are very proud of him and his service.  

We grabbed some lunch at a nearby establishment and walked around the gift shop while we waited. 

 

After lunch we headed out again, this time towards Ripogenus Dam.  The water flow was minimal so we got a great view of the area below the dam.  

Another view of Mount Katahdin

Blueberry's that have not yet ripened

Some crazy rapids

What a memorable day, and more to come tomorrow.  Thanks again to Kirk and Pam Small for hauling us around and being our tour guides!  Great memories reminiscing about our days at Loring too!