Welcome to Baxter State Park

About us

A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR PARK

Percival P. Baxter was governor of Maine during the years of 1921-1924. He enjoyed fishing and vacationing in the Maine woods throughout childhood and his affection for the land and Maine’s wildlife were instrumental in his creation of a park for people of the State of Maine. He began to fulfill his dream of a Park in the year 1930, with the purchase of almost 6,000 acres of land, including Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak. In 1931, Baxter formally donated the parcel to the State of Maine with the condition that it be kept forever wild. Over the years, Governor Baxter purchased additional lands and pieced his park together, transaction by transaction. He made his final purchase in 1962. Since then, using monies Baxter earmarked for addition land acquisition, the park has increased by about 1,000 acres, making the total acreage in Baxter State Park 204,733 acres. The core of the park 150,564 acres is managed as a wildlife sanctuary. In the northwest corner of the park a 28,594 acre parcel was designated by Governor Baxter to be managed as the Scientific Forest Management Area. A showplace for sound forestry; hunting and trapping are also allowed in this area. Additional, there are 22,906 acres outside of the SFMA where hunting and trapping are allowed under the deed of trust.

Demonstrating not only enormous generosity, but admirable foresight, Baxter left a trust of nearly 7 million dollars to ensure that park managers would have sufficient funds to maintain the park without ever having to compete for Maine taxpayers’ dollars from the general fund account. He also stipulated that the sole governing authority regarding the park and management would be a group of 3 public officials namely: the Commissioner if Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Director of the Maine State Forest Service and the Attorney General. The individuals holding these three positions in Maine comprise the Baxter State Park Authority and as such are responsible for protecting the natural resources and upholding the conditions set forth in Governor Baxter’s Deeds of Trust. Park managers also work closely with the BSP Advisory, a committee of 15 citizens dedicated to examining issues and supporting the stewardship of the Authority.

There are over 40 peaks and ridges besides Katahdin in the park. The trail system features over 180 miles of trails popular with hikers, mountain climbers and naturalists. Baxter State Park operates ten (10) campgrounds, eight (8) of which are drive-in and 2 of which are hike-in, backcountry campgrounds. There are also numerous individual backcountry sites for backpackers

The Park is now a premier year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts. A year-round staff of 22 swells to about 61 in the summer, including office administration and reservation personnel, field and law enforcement rangers and resource specialist. Roughly 60,000 people visit the park in the summer months. Some stay for 10 nights, some visit only for one day. As visitation increases and the world becomes more complex, park managers face new challenges daily that threaten to undermine the magnificent gift that Baxter left for all generations of Maine citizens to cherish. He left us these words to emphasize the humble attitude he felt would be the key to saving some wilderness and forest for those coming after us