Baxter State Park is among 15 ‘bucket list’ parks, according to Reader’s Digest

By Christopher Burns, Bangor Daily News Staff

Baxter State Park is among 15 state and national parks that should be on your bucket list.

That’s according to Reader’s Digest magazine, which ranked Baxter State Park No. 11 on its list alongside other attractions like Arches National Park in Utah, Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii and Glacier National Park in Montana.

“In and of itself, Maine is a playground for nature lovers, and Baxter State Park is no exception. Mount Katahdin begs for you to climb its terrain, while 200,000-acres of backcountry offers wild adventure galore,” Reader’s Digest said.

The magazine singled out South Branch Pond Campground as the “prettiest” in Baxter State Park.

“Enjoy a spot on a large, clean pond surrounded by 3,000-foot mountains on all sides,” Reader’s Digest said.

Most Baxter State Park campgrounds open May 15, except for Chimney Pond, Nesowadnehunk and a handful of other sites, according to the park’s website. They remain open through Oct. 15, except for Daicey Pond, Katahdin Stream and Kidney Pond, which stay open until Oct. 22.

Baxter State Park features more than 220 miles of trails and more than 40 peaks across its 209,644 acres.