Baxter State Park
The Baxter State Park is a large wilderness area that is permanently protected as a state park. It is located in Piscataquis County in north-central Maine. It was built in 1931 and enlarged its area to over 800 km ². The park is also the highest mountain in Maine, Katahdin of. The number of visitors went in the 21st century from 75,000 in 2000 to 55,000 in 2005.
Geography and climate
The Katahdin Mountain consists of a group of mountains. One of the highest peaks, the Baxter Peak, named after Governor Percival Baxter and is 1,605 m high. The mountain is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
The three largest bodies of water are the Grand Lake Matagamon, the Webstersee or Lake Chaubunagungamaug and Nesowadnehunk Lake. There are also several smaller ponds, for example, Hudson, Draper, Russell and Center Pond and the South Branch Ponds. Numerous streams and rivers derive the water from these lakes which are famous Trout Brook ( between Grand Lake and Matagmaon Nesowadnehunk Lake ) and Nesowadnehunk stream ( connects the Nesowadnehunk Lake with small pond near the Mount Sentinel ). Of these, some waterfalls; the Nesowadnehunk Stream has, for example, the Big and Little Niagara Falls and the Ledge Falls. The Wassataquoick Stream has two waterfalls, the Grand Falls and Norway; another famous waterfall is the Green Falls, between the Bald and the South Pogy Mountain, whose water is available for consumption, but the Park Service advises visitors to bring their own water bottles.
The climate in Baxter State Park is located in the Northern Forest Region of the Americas and is rather cool, typical of this region. The normal annual temperature is 3.7 ° C, the highest temperature was 35 ° C and the lowest temperature was -43 ° C. The average annual rainfall was 2500 mm. Summer temperatures reach their peak in July and August.
The foliage in the autumn begins in early September and reached its peak in late September to early October. End of October, the deciduous trees are bare. Permanent snow usually starts mid to late November and lasts even the whole of April. The first leaves of deciduous trees sprout in May. The weather in the park is characterized by its variability; it can snow in every month of the year and temperatures can vary widely from the average.
Animal and plant life
The Baxter State Park has various animal and plant populations, the most important of these moose, black bears and white-tailed deer. These animals are active in the summer and can sometimes be seen from the street. The many swamp areas of the park are home to animals such as beavers, muskrats, otters, and raccoons. There are many beaver colonies in the park. In forest areas in the park other animals live, including bobcats, fisher marten, Real martens, weasels, chipmunks, squirrels, snowshoe hares, coyotes, red foxes and lemmings. There are also bird populations in the park, the most important birds are warblers, thrushes and tyrants as well as owls, hawks, ducks and other water- loving birds.
History
The park was a gift to the residents of Maine Governor Percival Baxter, who used his personal wealth to purchase and donation of the original 813 km ² of the park. Since his death in 1969 the area of the park grew to its present size, with the addition (2006) a 19- km ² plot and the spectacular Katahdin Lake. The head office is located about 32 km from the current theme park in the small town of Millinocket. There are no stores or gas stations in the park. Access and use are strictly regulated, " originally forever " according to Governor Baxter's desire to let the park.
Infrastructure
In the park there is neither electricity nor running water, nor paved roads. The use of radios, stereos and cell phones is prohibited in accordance with the "forever originally " philosophy. Winter walks are strictly regulated, but increasingly popular. For camping ( stay overnight), the park is open from 15 May to 15 October. Just to the north migratory Appalachian Trail hikers can stay in the park without a reservation; the stay is limited to a night on the The Birches campsite, which is limited to the first twelve hikers. You must sign up in advance in the information kiosk. He is many ways kilometers further south. In addition to hiking and camping, the park allows limited hunting and fishing, access for snowmobiles. He also maintains a small scientific Forest Project. Police and fire protection in the park provided by the State of Maine; Waste disposal and recycling is mostly from those who visited the park, done. The maintenance is done by the many volunteer workers and paid employees of the park. The current Park Director Jensen Bissell is.