Friends & Family Guide to Baxter State Park

Finishing a northbound (NOBO) thru-hike or section hike of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is an incredibly special accomplishment and many hikers want to share their final steps on the Trail with loved ones. We put together this information for you and your hiker to help share the end of their A.T. journey.

Katie 'Rainbow' Quinn and Kevin 'Gray Mountaineer' Quinn on Katahdin

Katahdin and Baxter State Park 

The A.T.’s northern terminus is Katahdin, a mountain in Baxter State Park in Maine (and the state’s highest peak!). The park is managed with special rules that are different than many other places along the Trail to protect Baxter’s wilderness. You can read more about why Baxter State Park and Katahdin are so unique on our Finish Well page. 

To enter the park and hike up Katahdin with your hiker, you’ll need either a Katahdin Trailhead Pass for the day your hiker plans to finish or a campground reservation for the night(s) before they plan to finish. 

You can make reservations online or call the Baxter State Park reservation line at 207-723-5140.  

Hiking Katahdin  

The A.T. up Katahdin is known locally as the Hunt Trail, which leaves Katahdin Stream Campground and climbs 5.2 miles to the summit (10.4 miles roundtrip). Katahdin is the longest sustained ascent on the entire A.T. and is considered one of the hardest climbs of the entire Trail. Keep in mind that a northbound thru-hiker will be incredibly fit by this point in their hike and may be hiking at a much faster pace than you.

That is not to discourage you from hiking the mountain, but everyone should come prepared to spend the entire day on the mountain. This means packing the 10 Day Hike Essentials and bringing plenty of food and water. 

Reaching the summit will be an almost indescribable moment for your hiker – the culmination of five million steps and even more life-changing memories. Help them celebrate respectfully: 

  • Public consumption of alcohol is not allowed in the park. We recommend saving that celebratory beer or champagne for the nearby town of Millinocket.  
  • The maximum group size is 12 to protect the fragile alpine environment on the mountain.  
  • Allow the sounds of the mountain to prevail and keep summit celebrations quiet. 
  • Stay on trails and stick to bare rocks. The tablelands and summit of Katahdin are home to rare, fragile alpine plants that are usually only found hundreds of miles north in the arctic.
  • The park has cut-off times for when hikers can begin their climb of Katahdin, and those times get earlier each month as daylight hours get shorter. Plan to begin your ascent early in the day.

Getting into Baxter State Park & Park Reservations 

Baxter State Park is different than many other places on the Trail because you need a reservation to get into the park and hike Katahdin. You’ll need to enter Baxter State Park through the Togue Pond Gate entrance and will likely meet your hiker at the Katahdin Stream Campground. The section of the A.T. that takes hikers up Katahdin is known locally as the Hunt Trail and passes through Katahdin Stream Campground. Non-Maine residents must pay a $20 entrance fee per vehicle. Entrance is free for Maine residents with a Maine ID. 

You have three options for entering the park: 

Option 1: Hike the mountain with your hiker using a Katahdin Trailhead Pass (KTP)

Who: Anyone who plans to drive into the park and hike Katahdin as a day hike or anyone who wants to hike Katahdin the day their campground reservation begins. 

What: A KTP costs $10 each and reserves a parking space at one of the three Katahdin trailheads:  

  • A KTP for Katahdin Stream will allow you to hike the A.T. (also called the Hunt Trail) up the mountain.  
  • A KTP for Abol will allow you to hike the Abol Trail up the mountain, which joins the Hunt Trail just below the summit.  
  • Roaring Brook is on the other side of the mountain, so it is not a viable option if you want to hike up the mountain with your hiker.  

When:  

  • KTP reservations open four months in advance. It is easiest to get a KTP for weekdays and after Labor Day. 
  • KTP holders must check-in at the Togue Pond Gate by 7:05 a.m. on the day they plan to hike, or else the KTP will be forfeited. You can line up at the gate starting at 5:00 a.m. 

How: Visit the park’s KTP page on their website and scroll down to the “Make a Reservation” button. Create an account and be sure to register a vehicle in your account. The reservation system will not show any availability until you register and select a vehicle. 

Tip: Make an online account first before calling to make the process go smoother. 

Questions: Contact the park’s reservation office at 207-723-5140.  

Option 2: Hike the mountain with your hiker and/or stay in the park using campground reservations

What: Baxter has many rustic campgrounds for those who want to stay in the park. There are tent sites, lean-tos, bunk houses, cabins, and group areas. Keep in mind:  

  • There is no electricity in the park and little to no cell phone service.   
  • There are no flush toilets or showers, and no trash cans.  
  • There are no ATMs and the park only accepts cash for campsites paid on-site.   
  • There are no stores or services in the park. Bring everything you need for your stay and plan to pack everything out when you leave. 

Who: Anyone who plans to stay overnight in the park that did not hike 100 continuous miles to get there (so, most likely you!). Those with campground reservations can hike Katahdin during their reservation without a Katahdin Trailhead Pass (KTP). The exception is if you plan to hike Katahdin the day your reservation starts – then you’ll need a KTP for that day as well.  

Where: When looking for camping reservations, check for availability at these campgrounds (in order of increasing distance from Katahdin Stream):  

  1. Katahdin Stream Campground (where the A.T., called the Hunt Trail in the park, goes through) 
  2. Abol Campground 
  3. Foster Field Group Area (these sites are administered by Katahdin Stream and are listed under Katahdin Stream on the reservation website) 
  4. Kidney Pond Campground 
  5. Nesowadnehunk Field Campground (about a half hour’s drive from Katahdin Stream) 
  6. Roaring Brook Campground (about an hour’s drive from Katahdin Stream) 

When: 

  • Campground reservations open four months in advance. It is easiest to get campground reservations for weekdays and after Labor Day.  
  • Campground check-in starts at 1:00 p.m. on the day of your reservation. 
  • If you camp anywhere other than Katahdin Stream the night(s) before you plan to climb Katahdin, you can drive to Katahdin Stream Campground on the morning of your summit day to park and meet your hiker. You should arrive at Katahdin Stream no later than 6:30 a.m., which is when other hikers will start pouring into the Katahdin Stream parking area from the Togue Pond Gate.  
  • Hiking the mountain the day you check-out? Be sure to pack up everything and move your car to the day-use parking area at Katahdin Stream by 6:30 a.m. Campground check-out is at 11:00 a.m., and you’ll most likely still be on the mountain then! 

Tip: We recommend getting a campground reservation for two or more nights around your hiker’s planned summit day. This will give you both more flexibility and alleviate stress if plans change. If you don’t use all your reserved nights, tell park staff so another hiker can use the site. 

Questions: Contact the park’s reservation office at 207-723-5140. 

Option 3: Pick up your hiker and not climb Katahdin

If you are just picking up your hiker after they have summited, you can enter the park after 3:00 pm without a Katahdin Trailhead Pass or campground reservation. 

If you’d like to just meet them partway up the mountain and hike down with them, the Katahdin Stream and Abol Campground day-use parking areas reopen to the public after 3:00 p.m. Parking spaces become available on a first come, first served basis.  

Photo by Janene Sullivan (@Janene_sullivan4) from Abol Bridge

ATC Staff Tips 

  • Confirm with your hiker ahead of time which trailhead you will meet them at (most likely Katahdin Stream, maybe Abol) since there is no cell reception in the park or at the gate.  
  • It is easier to get a reservation mid-week after Labor Day weekend. 
  • As mentioned above, we recommend getting a campsite for two or more nights if possible. This gives you and your hiker more flexibility in case plans need to change due to schedule, weather, etc. 
  • If you’re concerned about the rugged hike up Katahdin or worried you won’t be able to keep up with your hiker, consider not summitting with them and celebrating with them after they finish instead. 

You can read more and contact the reservation line for the park through their website.

Baxter State Park