Home»Scenics»Baxter State Park

Given that we spent only a day in September 2009 driving in the south end of Baxter State Park, the title of this gallery should be more like "a short exploratory drive into a small section of Baxter State Park." Baxter, dominated by Mount Katahdin, is huge: 200,000 acres sprawling across the north-central highlands of Maine. After entering the south entrance to the park, we drove about 15 miles northwest on the Nesowadehunk Tote Road, a narrow but well maintained gravel road. We drove from the Togue Pond Gatehouse up to the camping areas at Nesowadnehunk Field.

The park is named after Percival P. Baxter, governor of Maine from 1921 - 1924. He acquired and donated to the State of Maine the huge tract of land that comprises the park, and also set up a trust fund to support the administration and maintenance of the park. Baxter State Park has over 40 peaks and ridges, all dominated by Mount Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.