Welcome to the Penobscot Outdoor Center
Maine Campground

Closest Maine Camping to Baxter State Park
and Mt. Katahdin

Located on spectacular Pockwockamus Pond, the Penobscot Outdoor Center is the closest campground to Baxter State Park. In the shadow of mile high Mount Katahdin, just two miles from the south entrance of the Park and some of the best day hikes in the East, the Center provides wilderness camping and cabin tent accommodations served by clean, modern facilities. With a restaurant, bar, hot tub, sauna, and entertainment area, make the Penobscot Outdoor Center your full service base for exploring Maine's North Woods, Mt. Katahdin, and Baxter State Park.

Maine's Baxter State Park

As Governor of Maine from 1921 to 1925, Percival Baxter tried unsuccessfully to gain state ownership of Mount Katahdin. Between 1930 and 1963 he purchased the land with his own money, then donated the 202,064 acres to the State of Maine for what is now known as Baxter State Park. As a generous gift to the people of Maine, Governor Baxter conceived the park "for those who love nature and are willing to walk and make an effort to get close to nature." Primarily a park for adventurers on foot, the 200 miles of maintained hiking trails range from the popular boardwalk around Sandy Stream Pond, to the primitive and lesser traveled Northwest Basin Trail. Hikers can enjoy moderate trails to the many ponds and waterfalls in the Park, or try a challenging route on a boulder strewn trail to the summit of mile high Mount Katahdin. There are 46 mountain peaks and ridges, 18 of which exceed an elevation of 3000 feet.

The Appalachian Trail

The 2168 mile Appalachian Trail runs from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Complimenting the Appalachian Trail experience are the many trails within Baxter State Park.