Katahdin Stream Campground — Baxter State Park

The primitive sites are either AT style leantos or tent sites. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. There is NO potable water, electricity, showers or cell/internet service in the Park. Firewood is for sale at the Ranger station for $5 per bundle. NO firewood is permitted to be brought into the Park. Pit toilets are clean and well maintained. Most sites are within easy access to Katahdin Stream which is fast moving and cold. You can get into the water but no soap or detergent of any kind is permitted. It is approximately 45 minute drive from the Togue Pond Gate over narrow dirt roads (very dusty). You are at least an hour from the nearest supply and closer to 2 hours from Millinocket where there is a Hannaford supermarket. Be sure to bring everything you need! Pack bug spray in June & July.

Reservations can be made beginning 4 months from the first day of your reservation. Current fees are $16 per night per site. You can do this on-line or call the office. $16 per out-of-state car collected at the gate. (Maine cars are not charged an entrance fee.)

This campground offers large sites, many with lean-tos and along the stream. a nice base for a morning ascent of Mt Katahdin. Black flies can be unbearable in May/June, so prepare accordingly. There are pit toilets. Bring either drinking water or a water filter for water from the stream. You'll need to bring all your supplies; there are no stores in the park, so stock up in Millinocket. Also, beware that you need to arrive no later than 8:30pm your first night! No cell phone coverage.

Baxter State Park is no frills, but great beauty. There are a few of New England's 4000-footers here, but the goal for most is Mt Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.  If you stay here the night before, you can get an early start without having to wait at the park entrance. If you're not interested in the high peaks, there are trails along waterfalls and ponds, places to launch a canoe or kayak, ample opportunity to see moose.

2020, won't open until at least July. in 2019, it didn't open until late May because of a wet spring and trails were closed until mid-June because of snow cover on the trails.

If you enjoy camping with a wonderful view of Mt. Katahdin, then this campground is for you. This is 1 of the 3 campgrounds in Baxter that stays open for a bit past the normal season. It offers a few spots for small RV’s, tent sites, lean-tos, and a few camping cabins, each with a picnic table and fire ring. Our site even had a sheltered area over the picnic table.

There is no running/drinking water, but the stream nearby is perfect for filtering. The pit toilets are cleaned daily. There is no electricity, so bring your solar panel. Plan on packing out your trash. Rangers are assigned to each campground, so there is always someone to chat with if you have questions or emergencies while in the park.

You can start the 8 to 12-hour round trip to the summit of Mt. Katahdin from this campground, as it sits right at the base of the mountain. Or, you can choose from a variety of other trail options if a 4000 ft elevation gain isn’t your thing. You are sure to see many Appalachian Trail thru-hikers as they use this campground as their final base camp before summiting.

Fall is one of the best times to be here…no bugs, less people, and full of autumn color! Be ready for wind and cold days though.

Your last stop for food and gas is in Millinocket, so be sure to stock up before you make your way to the park. Millinocket is about 18 miles from the main entrance to Baxter State Park.

Note: Dogs are not allowed in the park, but Katahdin Kritters is a pet boarding facility located in East Millinocket.

Katahdin Stream provides the perfect site to give you a restful night’s sleep before taking the Hunt Trail up Mt Katahdin/ Baxter Peak. The tent sites were flat and spacious and though we had downpours all day, there was no puddling or pooling of water in the site. All tent sites and lean-to sites came with firepits and tables, and plenty of trees around to hang wet articles of clothing to dry after the rain passed. The campground was clearly marked and provided parking for 1-2 vehicles at each site, but not much more than that and the day use site campers were very friendly and engaged with the overnight campers, offering us BBQ and other leftover food which very welcome after an 11 hour day of hiking.

Katahdin Stream is easily accessible and provides an excellent source of fresh water, as water is limited once you start up the Hunt Trail. Therefore I highly recommend taking as much water as you can reasonably carry. We had 2- 2 liter bladders and 4 Nalgene bottles on our trip and we ran out by the time we reached the end of our trip. (Between two hikers- went up Hunt and down Abol and back around to Katahdin Stream for a second night’s stay).