Baxter State Park, Togue Pond

Togue Pond Gate is the southern entrance to Baxter State Park in Maine, west of Millinocket. The park (about 327 square miles, or 848 km²) was established in 1931; former governor Percival P. Baxter bought the land and gave it to the state in 28 gifts through 1962, wanting it kept “forever wild.” Inside the park there is no electricity, no running water and no paved road. The highest point is Baxter Peak on Katahdin at 5,267 feet (1,605 m), the official end of the Appalachian Trail.

For day hikes up Katahdin you need a parking reservation, called the Katahdin Trailhead Pass since 2025 (formerly the Day-Use Parking Reservation); it can be booked online and, according to the Bangor Daily News, was still required in 2026 (as of June 2026). According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, passes usually run from early June to mid-October, you must check in at the gate by 7 a.m., and a line can form from 5 a.m.; in late fall the mountain closes depending on the weather. Vehicles from other states pay an entrance fee. There are no stores or trash cans in the park and pets are not allowed, so pack out all your trash. The 46-mile (74 km) Tote Road runs from the south gate to the north gate at Matagamon.