Across the street from the Trout Brook Farm Campground in Baxter State Park are a couple of trails that lead to a long network of of trails to remote ponds with native and wild brook trout.
We decided to try a 6 mile loop called 5 Ponds Trail. Named because it goes by 5 remote ponds. This trail had a little over 600 feet of elevation over 6 miles. So it was not a lot of elevation but the weather was hot and humid and we didn’t set out till about 11am.
Once we got to the first remote ponds, High Pond and Long Pond we found the area where the canoe should be but there was no canoe. After a little waiting there was a couple that came around the bend with the canoe. So we got our poles ready and jumped in for a paddle.
Date:
8-2-2020
Location:
Baxter State Park, ME
Distance:
7.3 mi
Elevation Gain:
624′
Total Time:
5 hr 54min
Parking:
10+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Easy
Granted the heat of the day is not the best time to fish for trout. We tried anyway. After a quick paddle around we made our way back to shore and headed out on our way. I was having some issues with my hip on this second half of the hike and by the end I was moving with much difficulty. I’m not sure what the issue was, but we made it back to the car.
I would like to visit some of these ponds in the spring when the water is cold and fish are biting.
Funny story about this campsite. This camp site is located in the very north east corner of the Baxter State Park. When we arrived we checked in with the ranger. We couldn’t find our print out reservation so he took a look at our park ticket and told us our camp was a walk-in site called TS1. He pointed to where we needed to go and told us where to park.
When we got to the place we had to park we decided to take a walk to the site first. It was about a tenth of a mile in. So we walked over a rickety wood foot bridge and continued down the trail for what seemed further then we needed to go. We thought we might have missed a turn. So we turned around.
Back at the car I decided to go back up to the ranger station and make sure that was the right path. He said we would correct and our tent site was on that path a little further and would be on our left. So we purchased some wood at the ranger station and when back down to park.
Date:
8/1/20 – 8/2/20
Location:
Baxter State Park, ME
Price:
$48
Site Number:
Group Site 1
Toilets
Outhouse
Max People Per Site
8
Parking:
4+ cars
Dog/Pets:
No
Hammock:
No
This time we grabbed all our gear and loaded the three bundles of wood in to some steal wheel barrels they had and headed back down the trail for the second time. This time we went a little further and finally found the trail to out tent site. Once we got there we saw two tents set up and a bunch of camping equipment on the picnic table.
So, once again back to the car and up to the ranger station to find our what the situation is. The ranger radioed to someone and said he would find out what is going on. He said he would meet us back by the parking area. So we headed back down.
A few mixtures later the ranger pulled up and said we were supposed to be a group site 1. Not tent site 1. ugn. So we grabbed the wheel barrel and headed back to the tent site and grab our stuff and had to haul it out again.
After a little shuffling around we got to our site and set up our tents. Trout Brook Farm is mostly a tent site in a large field full of wild flowers. There was good size brook (Trout Brook). that runs by the campground. There are canoes available for people to paddle in. Each of the group sites had a small pavilion with a picnic table or two.
One small draw back to these sites is that there is only one outhouse. So there was often a line if someone needed to use the facilities.
I think this was unique campsite. And I’m sure that in the spring the fishing is amazing up here.
This campground is one of my favorites in Baxter State Park.
The camp ground consists of 13 cabins that you can rent. Each cabin is outfitted with 2-4 beds depending on which cabin you rent. There is also a wood stove table and chairs. Most have a porch on the front and many of them are right on the water.
Three of the cabins you have to walk in a bit. Cabins 1, 2 and 13 are those walk-ins. The nice thing about these sites is they are the only ones with their own fire rings. All the other cabins have to use the group fire pit.
Our site was Cabin 13 (Moosewood). This was the furthest site in. When we checked in with the ranger he told us we could drive our vehicle down to the cabin. That is the only one they let people do that with.
Date:
7/31/20 – 8/1/20
Location:
Baxter State Park, ME
Price:
$57
Site Number:
Cabin 13 (Moosewood)
Toilets
Outhouse
Max People Per Site
2
Parking:
1 car
Dog/Pets:
No
Hammock:
No
This cabin is not on the water like the rest of the cabins. It’s a short walk but you can see the pond through the trees. One really nice thing about this cabin is, you get your own out house. That means no waiting when nature calls.
I’ve wanted to visit this crash site for a long time. It was a bit of a maze getting to the plane crash site but once you are there it is a short and easy hike.
As the story goes.. On January 24, 1963 the B-52C bomber lost control during a training flight and crashed in to Elephant Mountain near Greenville Maine. A total of 9 members were on board, 7 of them died in the crash. 2 were able to eject and survived.
Date:
7-31-2020
Location:
Greenville, ME
Distance:
0.5 mi
Elevation Gain:
90′
Total Time:
25min
Parking:
10+ cars
Difficultly Rating:
Easy
From the start of the trail there is debris along the trail. Lots of small pieces of the planes body. As you get closer to the main debris field there are lots more pieces of metal and rubber. Full tires from landing gear and in the middle part of the cockpit with a stone black that has the names of those who died etched on it.
We continued on through the labyrinth of wreckage. Pieces of metal lodged high in trees. You can’t even imagine the kind of explosion that would have caused this kind of destruction.
This was a fun hike and I’m glad we made the stop on the way up to Baxter State Park. If you are ever in the area of Moosehead Lake in Maine I would highly suggest this short easy hike.
This is a great campground that is not far from Moosehead Lake in Greenville Maine. This is a small family focused campground. There was a camp store where you check in. There I met the owners, who were very friendly. We purchased some fire wood and headed to our camp site.
Our site was “tent site 5”. This was a simple site that you could drive right onto. Their was a picnic table and a fire ring. The site was also very flat and grassy. There was also a mulched area that was soft to set up a tent on.
Date:
7/30/20 – 7/31/20
Location:
Greenville, ME
Price:
$36
Site Number:
Tent Site 5
Toilets
Flush/Shower
Max People Per Site
4
Parking:
1 car
Dog/Pets:
No
Hammock:
No
This site is pretty open to the road and some sites are a little close together but over all it did not seem like people were on top of each other. This site worked perfect for us as a place to camp before continuing on to Baxter State Park.
The next morning we stopped in Greenville, Maine where the Mt. Katahdin Boat docks.
A buddy and myself decided to take a road trip up to Baxter State Park in Maine for some fishing and hiking.
The whole trip would be 4 nights and 5 days including travel time. Baxter State Park is home to Mt. Katahdin, Maines highest peak and the northern terminus of the Application Trail.
Date:
7/30/20 – 8/3/20
Location:
Baxter State Park, ME
Distance:
1000+ mi RT
Outing Time:
5 days
Reason for Trip
Fishing/Hiking
Baxter State Park is also home of the best fishing in New England. The park is real wilderness. There is no running water anywhere in the park. You have to bring your own water or filter if from lakes, ponds or streams. There is only one small dirt tote road that runs along the western side of the park. The rest of the park you have to access on foot.
Baxter State Park is located in the far north woods of Maine and is a 5-6 hour drive from our starting point. On our trip up we decided to visit a B52 Bomber site near Moosehead Lake. This small detour would take us a little out of our way but worth the side trip. So we decided to stay the night at Moosehead Family Campground in Greenville Maine and make our way up to Baxter the “back way”. This was an adventure as most of the “roads” are all dirt and very bumpy.
On our way many of these dirt roads split into logging roads and it can be hard to tell which is the correct (less bumpy) way to do. We stopped in the town of Kokadio to make sure we were still on the right path. The lady that owned the restaurant, campground head quarters, convience store, liquor store and gas station assured us we were on the right track. She also told us the gas pump was located out back. “be sure to remember how much gas you got” she said.
Once we got to the park we headed to our first campsite at Kidney Pond. All the campsites here have cabins. The next day we went to Slide Dam. From here we walked up and fished the Nesowadnehunk River. The water was low but still moving well.
After that we proceeded up to Trout Brook Farm Campground where we would spend the night at one of the group tent sites. After we set up we explored the northern park area and just out side the park for some fishing locations. We were also able to stock up on ice and some other creature comforts from a great campground store just outside the park. Most of the group sites were in an open field. That evening a full moon rose over the mountains. It was beautiful.
The next morning we broke down our site and headed up the road to hike the Five Ponds Trail and try our luck in some of the remote ponds along the way. Once we were done we headed down to Nesowadnehunk Field Campground.
Once we arrived to Nesowadnehunk Field we when to check in but there was no ranger on duty for the next few days. So we made our way to our cabin and found it open and ready for us. We got some wood and got a fire going and in the morning we set out for a little fishing along the Nesowadnehunk River before packing up and heading out. On our way out of the park we stopped one more time at Slide Dam.
Neither of us ended up catching any fish on this trip but we both had a blast trying. It was a lot of fun exploring the park. I’m already looking forward to my next trip back.
