Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument Camping

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is located in Maine's north woods, protecting part of an extraordinary natural and cultural landscape: the mountains, woods, and waters where the East Branch of the Penobscot River and its tributaries, including the Wassataquoik Stream and the Seboeis River, run freely. Campsites, lean-tos and huts located throughout the monument provide opportunities to stay overnight while hiking, biking, paddling and enjoying other recreational activities. Hikers can choose a route that meets their abilities to observe the biodiversity of the monument, and bikers ride historic logging roads, current and former, that display signs of logging activity dating back as early as the 1800s. Paddlers can experience the scenic hydraulic features that are ecologically and culturally significant within the monument; the streams and rivers provide important habitat for spawning and rearing federally endangered Atlantic salmon. Anglers enjoy catching brook, rainbow and brown trout, as well as smallmouth and largemouth bass. Birds can be seen and heard year-round, pollinators, reptiles, and amphibians are most active during the spring and summer months, and large mammals like moose, black bear, and Canada lynx are often what visitors have their cameras ready for. Snowmobiling and hunting are allowed only in specifically designated areas, and a limited area of groomed cross-country trails at the North Gate is available for skiing and snowshoeing in winter. Campsites, lean-tos and huts are dispersed throughout the monument; huts are open only during the winter season. All roads within the monument are unpaved, and some sites can only be reached by hiking, biking, paddling, skiing or snowshoeing. There are no flush toilets within the monument boundaries: campsites may have vault or pit toilets, and other sites require following Leave No Trace practices for human waste. Most campsites have picnic tables and a stone or metal fire ring. Brown metal food storage lockers, also known as bear boxes, are available at some campsites, and all odorous items must be stored in a bear-resistant canister or in a contained vehicle where no food locker is available. Campfires may require a permit from the Maine Forest Service. The East Branch of the Penobscot River flows all the way through the monument, about 25 miles from north to south. The first 10 miles drops over 200 feet, creating a series of waterfalls and rapids: Stair Falls, Haskell Rock Pitch, Pond Pitch, Grand Pitch, the Hulling Machine, and Bowlin Falls. The Seboeis River and Wassataquoik Stream also create scenic viewpoints, such as Orin Falls. Haskell Rock is a 20-foot-tall conglomerate bedrock pillar in the East Branch, and popular hikes include trails on Barnard, Deasey, and Lunksoos Mountains. Forest, waterways, and wetlands provide critical habitat and corridors for plants and wildlife, including threatened species such as Atlantic salmon, Canada lynx, and rare mussels and butterflies. Katahdin Woods and Waters is known for its dark sky; in 2020 it was certified as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, the first to be certified in the state of Maine and in New England. Baxter State Park, where Katahdin and the Appalachian Trail's northern terminus are located, is adjacent to the western boundary of the monument.