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  1. #1
    New Member trippclark's Avatar
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    Question Hanging at The Birches at Baxter State Park, Maine

    Does anyone know if it is allowable to hammock camp in The Birches at Katahdin Stream Campground in Baxter State Park? If it is allowed, is it practical? I am hiking the Hundred Mile Wilderness and Baxter to Katahdin with 4 others and we all are hammock campers.

    Tripp

  2. #2
    Formerly octothorpesarus mudsocks's Avatar
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    Hammock camping in Baxter is allowed. minimum of 1" straps required. No hanging from structures. The Birches is only open to thru-hikers.

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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by trippclark View Post
    Does anyone know if it is allowable to hammock camp in The Birches at Katahdin Stream Campground in Baxter State Park? If it is allowed, is it practical? I am hiking the Hundred Mile Wilderness and Baxter to Katahdin with 4 others and we all are hammock campers.

    Tripp
    Ive hung all over BSP. But like Mudsocks said its only open to thru hikers but I believe that includes section hikers also. BSP has great customer services so just give them a call and ask
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  4. #4
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trail Slippah View Post
    Ive hung all over BSP. But like Mudsocks said its only open to thru hikers but I believe that includes section hikers also. BSP has great customer services so just give them a call and ask
    One thing to keep in mind, however, is that options are limited — in most cases extremely limited — because you must hang over the designated tent pad, and at some shelters, such as Pogy Pond, there is no hanging or tenting allowed at all... you must sleep in the shelter.

    When I was there a couple of years ago with friends, on our first night we stayed at Roaring Brook and I hung my hammock on a pair of trees that were literally about 3 feet off the tent pad. NOPE! A ranger advised me that this was not permitted and I was darn lucky that at this particular site there was a tree on another corner of the tent pad that I was barely able to reach with my suspension. Otherwise I would have been sleeping on the ground on my air mat, which I had carried having learned about the Pogy Pond restriction.

    For the general backpacker hiking within Baxter, you must have reservations and they are expensive, and the rangers will check to see that you're there when you should be and will also ensure an accurate head count. If you don't show up, somebody might well be sent to look for you, so there's no 'stealthing' it.

    BSP is a beautiful place and everybody should see it at least once. But understand that it is quite regulated and that if there are multiple hammockers in your group it is very likely there might not be enough suitable trees for everyone.

    Note that this is an observation, not a complaint. It's the Baxters' park and their rules, and given the beauty and the popularity of the area I fully appreciate the need for strict controls.
    Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
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