Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Here are some recommended hikes in the park.
Freezeout Trail, Baxter State Park
. Extended backpacking trips of
up to 22 miles are possible on this seldom-used path in the park's north-
ern reaches. The trail begins at Trout Brook Farm on the Perimeter Road
and heads due north along an abandoned woods road that occasionally
skirts Mattagamon Lake.
Unique slate ridges and a two-acre sawdust pile at the site of an old saw-
mill are passed. There is a good tenting area and lean-to at Little East
where Webster Stream meets the East Branch of the Penobscot River.
Other lean-tos are available by advanced reservation. From here the
trail gets rougher as it passes spectacular Grand Falls and then parallels
the Webster Stream, although most of the route is not near the water.
You'll see the rusting remains of several old logging camps. At about 13
miles the recently relocated trail cuts back south to a new lean-to on Hud-
son Pond (no views - the lean-to is stuck back in damp woods). It is an-
other 9½ miles back to the Perimeter Road through very thick and
tangled woods where the occasional moose may be spotted. For reserva-
tions for other multi-day trips contact park authorities (
723-5140).
Katahdin, Abol, Baxter State Park
: Although long, Abol Trail up the
south side of Katahdin is perhaps the quickest way up Maine's highest
mountain. The three-mile trip begins at the Abol Campground on the
park's perimeter road and carves north and slightly east up the face, fol-
lowing for a time the path of an avalanche of rock. Most of the route is ex-
posed and above treeline. Footing is often loose and slippery. The total
elevation gain is just under 4,000 feet and there is no reliable water. Still,
along with the 5.2-mile Hunt Trail, which is the route the Appalachian
Trail takes to the top, Abol is often a preferred path, especially by day
trippers. Views begin quickly and you can see for more than 100 miles on
a clear day.
Katahdin, Chimney Pond, Baxter State Park
: Chimney Pond is a fa-
vorite destination for hikers and backpackers who want to make an ex-
tended trip out of a climb of Katahdin. The four-mile Chimney Pond Trail
from Roaring Brook Campground (where you park) to Chimney Pond has
an impressive elevation gain of 1,500 feet. This well-worn and marked
foot trail criss-crosses a tumbling stream and passes a good view spot at
Basin Ponds.
Ice cold Chimney Pond, nestled at the foot of the 2,000-foot headwall in
the Great South Basin, is perhaps the most spectacular scenic location in
the state. A small reservation-only campground here has several lean-tos
and a bunkhouse that sleeps 12. Four trails from the campground offer
access to the summit of Baxter Peak and nearby ridges. It is the best
place to begin and end a transit of the infamous Knife-Edge using the Ca-
thedral and Dudley Trails (see below).
