Baxter State Park has eight campgrounds accessible by car, and two more backcountry camping areas that must be walked into; most are open from mid-May until mid-October. Don’t count on finding a spot if you show up without reservations in the summer. Reservations are made on a four-month rolling reservation system, beginning in January, and they are competitive. The cost of camping inside the park ranges from $17 to $32 per site (a night in a bunkhouse is $12 per person per night), while entire cabins can be rented for from $57 to $135. Reservations are most easily made at www.baxterstatepark.com but can also be made by mail, in person at the headquarters in Millinocket, or by phone, no more than four months out. Don’t call them about any other dates.. And remember: they don’t accept credit cards inside the park, only when reserving by mail or online ahead of time.
North Maine Woods, Inc. maintains a small network of primitive campsites on its 2-million-acre holdings. While you may have to drive through massive clear-cuts to reach them, some are positioned on secluded coves or picturesque points. A map showing logging-road access and campsite locations is available for a small fee plus postage from the North Maine Woods headquarters. Daily camping fees are minimal, though you must also pay an access fee to the lands.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument christened its first small, simple campground in 2021, a collection of five single-party sites and two group sites (one ADA-accessible) on the gorgeous East Branch of the Penobscot River. The sites at the the Lunksoos Campground have tent pads (wooden platforms at the group sites), picnic tables, food storage, and pit toilets. There are a few drive-in campsites (notice I’m not saying campgrounds) elsewhere in the park, but all of the monument’s campsites are minimally developed and not for the faint of heart—some are little more than fire pits in a clearing. They’re free, though, first-come-first-served and noted on the park map.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
