Baxter State Park
| Baxter State Park | |||
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| Location: | Maine , United States | ||
| Next city: | Millinocket | ||
| Surface: | 829 km² | ||
| Founding: | March 3 , 1931 | ||
| Visitors: | 55,000 (2005) | ||
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The Baxter State Park is a large wilderness area, which as a permanent State Park is protected. It is located in Piscataquis County in north central Maine . It was built in 1931 and increased its area to over 800 km². Maine's highest mountain, the Katahdin, is also located in the park . The number of visitors fell from 75,000 in 2000 to 55,000 in 2005 in the 21st century. The Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument borders the state park to the east.
Geography and climate
Katahdin Mountain consists of a group of mountains. One of the highest peaks, Baxter Peak, was named after Governor Percival Baxter and is 1,605 m high. The mountain is the northern end of the Appalachian Trail .
The three largest bodies of water are the Grand Lake Matagamon , the Webstersee or Lake Chaubunagungamaug and the Nesowadnehunk Lake . There are also several smaller ponds, such as Hudson, Draper, Russell, and Center Ponds, and the South Branch Ponds. Numerous streams and rivers drain the water from these water bodies, the best known are Trout Brook (between Grand Lake Matagmaon and Nesowadnehunk Lake) and Nesowadnehunk Stream (connects Nesowadnehunk Lake with a smaller pond near Mount Sentinel). Some of them have waterfalls ; the Nesowadnehunk Stream has z. B. the Big and Little Niagara Falls and the Ledge Falls. The Wassataquoick Stream has two waterfalls, the Grand and Norway Falls; Another famous waterfall is Green Falls, between Bald and South Pogy Mountains, whose water is available for consumption, but the park administration advises visitors to bring their own water bottles.
The climate in Baxter State Park is in the Northern Forest region of the American continent and is rather cool, typical for this region. The normal annual temperature is 3.7 ° C, the highest temperature was 35 ° C and the lowest temperature was −43 ° C. The annual average precipitation was 2,500 mm. Summer temperatures peak in July and August.
The fall foliage color begins in early September and peaks in late September to early October. The deciduous trees are bare at the end of October . Sustained snowfall usually begins in mid to late November and continues through April. The first leaves of the deciduous trees sprout in May. The weather in the park is characterized by its variability; it can snow any month of the year and temperatures can vary widely from average.
Flora and fauna
Baxter State Park has diverse animal and plant populations, the most important of which are elk , black bear and white-tailed deer . These animals are active in the summer and can sometimes be seen from the street. The park's many wetlands are home to animals such as beavers , muskrats , otters, and raccoons . There are many beaver colonies in the park. Other animals live in forest areas in the park, including bobcats , fishing marten , real martens , weasels , chipmunks , squirrels , snowshoe hares , coyotes , lemmings and red foxes . There are also bird populations in the park, the most important birds are warblers , thrushes and tyrants and owls , hawks , ducks and other water-loving birds.
history
The park was a gift to Maine's residents from Governor Percival Baxter , who used his personal wealth to purchase and donate the original 813 km² of the park. Since his death in 1969, the area of the park has increased to its present size with the addition (2006) of a 19 km² parcel and the spectacular Katahdin Lake . The main office is located over 20 miles from the current park in the small town of Millinocket . There are no shops or gas stations in the park. Access and use are strictly regulated, according to Governor Baxter's request to keep the park “forever original”.
Infrastructure
There is no electricity, running water, or asphalt roads in the park. The use of radios, stereos and cell phones is also prohibited, in line with the “forever original” philosophy. Winter hiking is strictly regulated but increasingly popular. For camping (staying overnight) the park is open from May 15th to October 15th. Just to the north migratory Appalachian Trail hiker can stay in the park without reservation; the stay is limited to one night at The Birches campsite, which is limited to the first twelve hikers. You have to register at the information kiosk beforehand. It is many kilometers further south. In addition to hiking and camping, the park allows limited hunting and fishing, access for snowmobiles. He also runs a small scientific forest project.
Police and fire protection in the park are provided by the state of Maine ; Garbage disposal and recycling is largely done by those who visited the park. Maintaining this is done by many of the park's volunteer laborers and paid employees. The current park director is Jensen Bissell.
literature
- John W. Neff, Howard R. Whitcomb: Baxter State Park and Katahdin , Arcadia Publishing, Charleston ( South Carolina ) 2012.
- Frank H. Sleeper: Baxter State Park and the Allagash River , Arcadia Publishing, 2002.
