Baxter State Park — Attraction in T4 R9 WELS

The Abol trail reminds me of a Dutch fairy tale i heard once about a boy who loved cheese so much that he joined the elves who were feeding him cheese but then they wouldn't stop no matter how full he was or how much he begged...no more cheese...then he woke up face down in a field alone with a mouthful of grass. That was this hike....On a scale of 1-5, where 0 is plodding along gently on a tradmill set at 1 in your mother's basement while watching citizen's court and 6 is no longer hiking, but clinging to the sheer face of El Capitan wondering how you go there and how to get out, I would give this trail a 4, at least for the average idiot like me, who has hiked all her life and rock climbed a bit, but is not interested in spending several hours pondering my own mortality and cursing the park rangers who sent me on this godforsaken trial in the first place while I grope around in the cracks of giant granite boulders at 4000 ft. It's as if a 12 foot tall demon ran gleefully up an avalanche with a blue paint can singing "this ways idiots" at every mark he made. The best part was that by the time you figure out you might meet your maker, it's too late to turn around, you've scrabbled your way up from the start, which seemed fine enough, a little dirt path through some beautliful forest with little chipmunks hopping around, a few gravely switchbacks, some steep stone steps, and then all of a sudden all hell breaks loose but you've seen the top and you've already run more than half the marathon, so you say "f it" and keep chugging along, even as your own sense of self-preservation begins to make the skin on your neck rise with every step in altitude. The best part is going back down, where you really see the practically verticle stone face that you somehow managed to traverse just an hour ago and wonder to yourself if it was all a dream and if so "can i please wake up now? Is there any other way off this mountain?" after sliding on your butt and crab walking back down the "deadly avalanch of boulders" level, you then face the half-cut path level, full of loose gravel that makes you dream longingly of ice skates rather than sliding to your death, and then a mile of loose roots that trip you and catch your toes at every desperate moment, threatening to send you face first rather than nearer to the top where, at least, you might fall feet first...It all sort of reminded me of the three sister's trail on Jefferson, which was a blast, but then again, I was 17 when I ran up that trail. Now I'm a sad 34, havin eaten one too many sundeas and lost my gym pass long ago...At the end of it all you end up sitting in your car, with your best freind, or as in my case, your awesome boyfriend who has not dumped you yet for taking him up such a horrifying trail. You are breathless, covered in dirt, stinking of fear, and wondering if it all really happened...because you were so out of breath from humping your way to the top that your brain ran out of oxegyn and you kind of blacked out for a while. In fact there were parts of the trail that I marveled at on the way back down because I simply did not remember the way up. Kudos the the family who seemed to run down the trail in front of me gleefully chaising that psychotic demon with the blue paint, who, if I ever find him, I will drown in his paint bucket. So to sum it up, if you like bouldering on the edge of rock climbing and prefer to spend most of your time thinking about how not to fall off and get injured, this trail is for you...for the rest of us, IDK, but don't ask the rangers because they were to ones who sent me in the...

Newest Update . . . July 7, 2022 !

It took this 63 year old retired teacher 6 hours to hike Abol Trail to the peak of Katahdin mountain! FANTASTIC, checked off a “ Bucket List” goal! Thanks to my hiking buddy, Andy we enjoyed the best CLIMB of my life on perfect day of sunshine & cool temperatures!

I will post several videos/photos for those interested in Abol Trail !

Update: Oct. 2021 - Take a friend & Nikon camera during foliage time, catch the plethora scenic spots around BSP ! We hiked into Sandy Stream Pond at 6 am . . . WOW!

Then hiked further to Whidden Pond!

Then over to Daicey Pond for another ZEN moment! My Nikon happily snapped away! ( will share some of those foliage photos)

June 22, 2019 - If you're up for a challenging hike, the Katahdin summit is ready for all ! 100% nature in it's TRUEST form. . . No snack bars, no kiosks, no gift shops here in Baxter Park. Bring your bug spray, clean water, and power bars . . . You'll need them!

Katahdin starts ( or ends) the Appalachian Trail . . . A mile high with several different trails to climb, each is moderate to difficult for most climbers. If you're in training with a mountain goat , don't sweat it, try scaling Cathedral, and top it off with Knife's Edge!

For those who don't run marathons or compete in Crossfit tournaments, or showcase their talents on TV’s American Ninja, you might stick to Saddle Trail, a long day of 11 miles over 11 hours of hiking. Saddle Trail was closed in June, due to snow! You must obtain parking passes months in advance from the Park rangers. No cost to enter the park, if a Maine resident. Check out the trails on line, please do your research on the trails you are considering. . . especially on line "Go Pro" clips of climbing specific trails. Very helpful in linking your skill level to the trail difficulty you wish to tackle. We tried Hamlin Trail. . . much too difficult for us.

Awesome views in all vantage points, so bring your cell phone, or camera. You won't be sorry. Best wishes on your climb! Maybe you’ll see a moose? We did a couple of years ago at Sandy Stream Pond . . . thanks to our guide Justin (Eagle Lodge)!

Note: We need to remember former Maine Governor Percival Baxter for his gift. . . thousands of acres donated to start Baxter State...

Awesome place to visit for a short while or to stay night after night. Option, range from tenting to leantoo, up to different sizes of small cabins. Little disappointed that only 2 vantage points were created to view the Mountain by driving around and both are viewing the easterly side.Took in most of the drivibal Road Ways. There is around 20 miles of open ways, soon to be more whence gated of section is reinstated to be safe and passable up to more sites people are able to use.

Popped a few quality photos (Copyrighted material) for printing. Enjoy my photos, try to find the Duck (hint, floating, this requires H2O), ifin you can, please press the like button, thanks.

People are so friendly, its like your on a different Planet than Earth, so laid back and sereen, I emmagen they could be hard butt if you break the rules, searosley.

Not only sights there are plenty of places for people to go swimming on some nice Beaches even has accommodations, cabins, close by. There are a lot of areas that are grassed off and flat with accommodations to be used for daylight, dayusage. Some of these areas are Basecamp areas at Trail Heads to the Mountain.

From inside the park there are a few places to view Kataden from the western vantage points, you need to exit your vehicle and walk a short distance, some even have off road parking, there is also taken into consideration people who are in Wealchair to enjoy the moment and opportunity, these areas are all around the park,

The western Road is a bit winedly, take your time, hard to see around the corner even before folleyage is fully sprouted, cannot drive through, gated access, must return pass paperwork permit at the entrance when exiting. Safety first.

I took in the area on opening day. Lowland areas are open and for usage and some are allready occupied. All trails to the highland are strictly Closed due to being dangerous. Some sections still have alot of Snow in the beginning of the Trail. Most of the upper parts (Highland) has alot of snow, footage.

I would love to be able to climb just part way up to photograph from a higher advantage point, unfortunately disabled, hard times walking up Hill. The sights must be fanomanabil.

Mr. P. Says, Jaw dropping....