Baxter State Park: Mt. Katahdin

June 22, 2016

When we began to explore the southern Appalachian Mountains (the Great Smokey Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Skyline Drive), we came across (literally and figuratively) the Appalachian Trail.  The northern end of the trail is in Baxter State Park in Maine, about two hours north of our campground near Bangor.  We had to check it out.

Mt. Katahdin

                 Jane in front of Mt. Katahdin

The park is named for Percival P. Baxter, who served in the Maine House of Representatives and Senate before serving as Governor 1921-24.  He tried to unsuccessfully to have the State create a park around Mt. Katahdin and then purchased 6000 acres of land including Mt. Katahdin himself and donated it to the State.  He continued making purchases and donating the land until there were 201,018 acres in 1962.  He established trusts so that most of the land would remain wilderness.  Then he established a financial trust of nearly 7 million dollars to provide for operation of the facility.

Baxter’s quote at the bottom of this plaque:  Man is born to die.  His works are short-lived.  Buildings crumble.  Monuments decay.  Wealth vanishes.  But Katahdin in all its glory shall remain the mountain of the people of Maine.

We started our visit with a walk to Big Rock on Roaring Brook.  A moose was feeding in the lake.

He was a long way from us.  We’re grateful for the 80X electronic zoom on Jane’s camera.

A second walk required crossing a bridge with its flooring spaced too far apart.  For Jane.  [She has never forgotten her terror of falling through the cracks in the deck behind her childhood home on Missionary Ridge in Chattanooga.]

The Appalachian Trail led us to three sites along the Nesowadnehunk Stream.

Big Niagara Falls

Jane in front of Big Niagara Falls

                Dave at Big Niagara Falls

Little Niagara Falls

Toll Dam

                 This tree along the trail seems pretty-well anchored.

                 Lady slipper along the trail.