The Maine Highlands Guidebook The Maine Highlands Guidebook | Page 34

Lands
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BAXTER STATE PARK The vast Baxter State Park is the legacy of
former Maine Governor Percival P. Baxter who donated the park’s
first land, including Mount Katahdin, under the condition that it be
kept forever wild. Today, visitors can hike 215 miles of trails, camp
at one of 337 campsites, or explore 210,000 acres of wilderness.
The Appalachian Trail famously terminates at Baxter Peak on
Katahdin, and the park offers opportunities for all types of outdoor
adventure year-round, including hiking, paddling, backcountry
camping, rock climbing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing,
fishing, and hunting and trapping (in designated areas). The park
is famous for its wildlife; bears, moose, eagles, and deer abound.
All visitors must register. Fees apply for day use and
camping. Camping is rustic, with natural water sources
and outhouses. Camping reservations are required.
Info at baxterstatepark.org
MOUNT KINEO STATE PARK is located on a large peninsula
on the Eastern shore of Moosehead Lake. A prominent feature
is Mount Kineo; its sheer face rises straight out of the water,
forming 700-foot cliffs. A steep but short hike to the old fire
tower at the summit provides an excellent panoramic vista.
Three primitive campsites offer private lakefront camping,
and an old carriage road forms an easy loop trail around the
perimeter of the peninsula. Outside of the park you’ll find New
England’s second-oldest golf course with 9 regulation holes.
The Park can only be reached by water, with a public launch in
Rockwood. Experienced paddlers will find the 3-mile trip to be
very doable. In the summer, a ferry is available from Rockwood.
Day use fees apply. Remote campsites are first-come, first-served.
Info at maine.gov/mountkineo
LILY BAY STATE PARK is a public recreation area on the
Southeast shore of Moosehead Lake. Lily Bay is a great
spot for year-round day use and family camping; two
campgrounds offer wooded and lakeside campsites for tents
and RVs, showers, playgrounds, picnic areas, swimming
beaches, hiking, mountain biking, paddling, motorized boating,
and fishing on Moosehead Lake. In winter, the Park’s trails
may be used for skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Roger Merchant
PEAKS-KENNY STATE PARK is located on Sebec Lake in Dover-
Foxcroft. Ten miles of gentle hiking trails, a sandy beach, and a
lakeside campground are the perfect setting for family camping,
wildlife watching, boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, and
picnicking. In winter, visitors may snowshoe or cross country ski.
Day use fees apply. Camping reservations are strongly
encouraged. Canoes and kayaks may be rented.
Info at maine.gov/peaks-kenny
THE KATAHDIN WOODS AND WATERS NATIONAL MONUMENT
is 87,563 acres of untouched wilderness that is open year-round
for canoeing, kayaking, hiking, bird watching, fishing, cross-
country skiing, mountain biking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling
(on designated trails), and hunting (in designated areas).
The monument begins about an hour north of Bangor
and is accessed by the Woods and Waters Scenic Byway
(Route 11) and a 14-mile scenic loop road (closed in
winter). There are no facilities in the monument. Welcome
centers in Millinocket and at the Lumberman’s Museum
in Shin Pond provide visitor information and maps.
There is no entrance fee. Primitive campsites and lean-
tos are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Info at nps.gov/kaww
THE KI JO-MARY MULTIPLE USE FOREST (The North Maine
Woods) is a privately-owned commercial forest located
between Millinocket, Greenville, and Brownville. Its 175,000
acres encompass a network of well-maintained dirt roads,
over 30 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the Gulf Hagas
Reserve, the Katahdin Iron Works historic site, numerous
rustic and remote campsites, more than 50 lakes and
ponds, and over 100 miles of brooks, streams, and rivers.
This area is a sustainably-managed working forest, with
active logging operations taking place at all times. Outdoor
recreation is managed by a consortium of landowners.
Fees apply for day use and camping. Permits may be
purchased at checkpoints upon entering the forest.
Info at northmainewoods.com
Day use fees apply. Camping reservations are
strongly encouraged.
Info at maine.gov/lilybay
Use the FIND PARKS & LANDS TOOL at maine.gov/dacf/parks
to search for natural areas by region or activity.
STATE PARK DAY USE FEES, when they apply, typically range
from $3–6 for Maine residents and $4–8 for non-residents.
Campers typically do not need to pay a Day Use Fee.
Annual Park Passes are available.
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