News:

2013 BSP Calendar now for sale

The 2013 Baxter State Park Calendar features photos of the far reaches of the Park, broad vistas as well as close-ups, all donated by Park visitors with captions written by Park Naturalist Jean Hoekwater. At only $12.00, it is a must-have item for all who appreciate wilderness. Photos for consideration for the 2014 calendar should be submitted by October 30, 2012. To purchase calendars, visit our store.


Baxter State Park and Katahdin by John W. Neff and Howard R. Whitcomb

New book available soon!


Newsletter

Spring Issue of Forever Wild now available!


New 2012 Walks in Park Schedule

Visit our walks in the park page for more info.


Join us for Governor Baxter Day!

August 22, 2012
Golden Anniversary of his Wilderness Legacy in Portland, Maine

Trip Report

"In 1961, our family group of 13 went into Russell Pond – 5 adults and 8 children. Our gear came mostly from the Army-Navy Surplus Store. Our clothes were cotton and wool. Our food included hamburg, onions, and some things in cans. We staggered..."


-John Mirick, Princeton, MA  

Read more Trip Reports or learn how to share your experiences in Baxter State Park.

Links

Important BSP resources can be found on our Links Page.

"The mountain seemed a vast aggregation of loose rocks, as if some time it had rained rock, and they lay as they fell on the mountain sides, nowhere fairly at rest, buy leaning on each other, all rocking-stones, with cavities between, but scarcely any soil or smoother shelf."

– Henry David Thoreau, The Maine Woods

Friends of Baxter State Park is an independent citizen group working to preserve, support, and enhance the wilderness character of Baxter State Park in the spirit of its founder, Governor Percival Baxter.

Green Falls
Green Falls

We support a philosophy of wilderness in which resources are primary and recreation is secondary. This philosophy is based on the Deeds of Trust by which Baxter State Park was conveyed to the State of Maine by Governor Percival P. Baxter, supported by other Baxter writings and speeches, and informed by the respected voices of others in wilderness preservation.

This philosophy includes:

  • preserving the natural order for its own sake, set apart in perpetuity, and unspoiled by negative human impact
  • protecting natural resources
  • managing human presence so it will be in harmony with the natural environment
  • providing opportunities for persons to get away for a time in order to gain perspective and insight in a "forever wild" setting

We are committed to this philosophy in developing our short- and long-range goals and actions.

Our Objectives:

  1. We encourage others to understand and embrace this philosophy of wilderness by providing programs and educational materials on Baxter State Park's unique resources, values, and wild character to Park visitors, government decision-makers, those in the private sector whose decisions affect the Park, and the general public.
  2. We endeavor to bring people together to share opinions, ideas, and convictions and to work for the good of Baxter State Park.
  3. We strive to represent the Park's resources and values through strong, consistent, and informed advocacy.
  4. We work with Park Staff to develop means and opportunities for our members to participate directly in stewardship of the Park.