Maine’s Famous Baxter State Park Listed Among Nation’s Best

Maine's largest state park has gained national attention from a popular publication.

Travel + Leisure recently released an article on the best state parks to visit in the United States, selecting one park from each state. Unsurprisingly, Maine's Baxter State Park was chosen as the state's representative.

Located in Piscataquis County in North-Central Maine, Baxter State Park spans over 200,000 acres and serves as a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. The park is known for its pristine waters, beautiful scenery, world-class hiking, excellent fishing spots, unique wildlife, and outstanding camping.

Baxter is also home to many of Maine's tallest peaks, including Mount Katahdin (the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail), as well as Baxter and Hamlin Peaks, North and South Brother, Double Top, and others. Many of these peaks are easily connected by the park's trail system, making it truly a hiker's paradise.

Here is a little of why Travel + Leisure named Baxter as Maine's best.

This Maine state park is huge, at more than 200,000 acres, and recreation opportunities are near endless. There are 200-plus miles of biking and hiking trails (including a segment of the Appalachian Trail), lakes, streams, and, of course, excellent camping.

As special as Baxter is, it somehow remains somewhat underrated. This is probably due to Acadia National Park receiving so much attention, especially from tourists. However, I'm not complaining. I would absolutely hate to see titanic-sized crowds at Baxter. Park officials are wise to limit the number of campers and day passes, which helps keep the park as authentic as possible. It's a true gift for Mainers.

Congrats to Baxter on its inclusion on this list! Now, all I can think about is my next trip to this amazing park. Soon enough.