What’s New This Year in Baxter State Park

Many exciting things are happening at Baxter State Park in 2025! Changes are in the works for day use parking, park fees, the online reservations system, and more. The following information is excerpted from the full article on Baxter State Park’s website:

Day Use Parking Reservations:

Baxter State Park’s staff and Advisory Committee have gathered information about the experiences of Park visitors along with visitor use data from Park gates, trailhead parking areas, trail registers, and the online reservation system to understand current challenges that visitors face in planning for a hike on Katahdin trails. Based on this information, and with the aim of providing the clearest and most fair access opportunities as envisioned by Governor Baxter, the Park will be implementing the following changes to the parking reservation system starting in 2025:

• Name change from Day Use Parking Reservation (DUPR) to Katahdin Trailhead Pass (KTP)

• KTPs will cost $10 and be limited to 2 per month

• All visitors will have access to reserve passes on April 1st

• KTPs will look more detailed to better reflect what visitors need to know before they come to the Park

Online Reservation System:

The park has updated the look and efficiency of their Reservations System. Since these updates went live on November 18th, 2024, making a reservation online has been clearer and more user friendly than ever before! Learn more about how they’ve improved the look and efficiency of their Reservations System here.

Park Fees:

Did you know? Baxter State Park is independent of other state parks and receives no state funding from tax revenues. It operates entirely using funds gifted by Governor Percival Baxter, private donations, and Park-generated revenue such as camping, parking, and non-resident fees.

• Camping fees will increase slightly at all sites

• Parking reservations will cost $10 per vehicle

• Non-resident entrance fees will cost $20 per vehicle

SFMA:

The Scientific Forest Management Area (SFMA) of the Park is the only area within Baxter State Park where logging and other forest management practices occur. When Governor Baxter created this portion of the Park in 1955, he wanted it to be a showplace for the kinds of sustainable forestry practices he had learned about throughout his global travels. To this day, all wood used throughout the Park – be it firewood or logs used in the maintenance of Park infrastructure – is harvested from the SFMA. Visitors can learn more about the SFMA here.

2025 Harvesting Plans:

• Southern SFMA: For the first time in many years, no harvesting is expected in the southern extent of the SFMA, meaning that these roads and trails are expected to remain open and accessible to hikers, bikers, and other recreationists throughout the summer camping season.

• Northern SFMA: All harvesting efforts are anticipated to take place in the northern part of the SFMA.

  • The main road in the north, Brayley Ridge Road, is expected to be closed for much of the season.

  • Other road closures in the north may take place as well. Check our Daily Conditions page for the most up-to-date information.

  • As there are no trails in the northern part of the SFMA, no trail closures are expected.

Other updates include upcoming Trail Crew projects, educational programs, and the near completion of the Daicey Pond Cabin repair project. Read the full article for more information: