Percival P. Baxter made it his life’s “magnificent obsession” to create, protect, and provide to the people of Maine a wilderness haven encompassing some of the most rugged terrain in the Northeast.

The Katahdin Trailhead Pass system (formerly known as Day Use Parking Reservations) is an important tool for managing the impact of Park visitors on Katahdin’s alpine ecosystem and its trails, which experience the highest level of use in the Park.

Attention Baxter State Park Customers - Please Read the Information Below Prior to Making a Reservation. Baxter State Park has upgraded the security for credit card transactions. Customers will now need to include a street address, city, state and zip code that correctly matches the information associated with your credit card.

Many exciting things are happening at Baxter State Park in 2025. Click through the options below to learn more about what changes we’re making to improve our visitors’ experiences, what educational opportunities are available and ways to get involved, and ongoing projects in the Park that may affect visitor usage.

Baxter State Park offers some of the most remote and challenging technical climbing in New England. Climbers can find any type of climbing to challenge themselves, from bouldering to multi pitch climbs. Most of the Katahdin climbing routes are accessed from Chimney Pond via the Roaring Brook Campgrounds, a 3.3 mile hike.

Map of Baxter State Park compiled by Park staff, cartography by Steve Bushey. Water and tear resistant paper. 2021 Edition with updated Dudley trail. Note: This is the same map that is included in the purchase of Katahdin: A Guide to Baxter State Park

Since the AT’s establishment, Baxter State Park has hosted the 10 northernmost miles of the Appalachian Trail, which terminate on Katahdin’s summit. Baxter State Park is an independently-funded unique State agency and is managed as a large public trust. The AT within Baxter State Park is managed by the Baxter State Park Authority in ...

Baxter State Park is a unique organization governed separately from the Maine State Park System by a three-member Authority. In order to ensure the trust deeds of the donor, Percival P. Baxter, are respected, these Rules and Regulations have been adopted.

The Baxter State Park Authority, a three-person authority consisting of the Attorney General, the Director of the Maine Forest Service and the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, has full power in the control and management of the Park and in the exercise of all Trust obligations.

The old trusty trail guide to the Park, with updated trail descriptions written and vetted by Park staff. This book comes with the 2021 edition of the Baxter State Park map with the updated Dudley trail (also sold separately for $6.00)