Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway

We decided to take a wander up to Mount Katahdin this weekend by way of the Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway. Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in the state of Maine and resides within Baxter State Park. Though we weren’t able to get too close because of seasonal road closures, and Dawn’s refusal to venture too far down a muddy road that may or may not have had a “Closed” sign, Katahdin was certainly stunning even from afar.

I have split the Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway into two sections: The Right Path and the Left Path.   The Right Path:   Set your GPS for Togue Pond Gatehouse. I promise it will give you better directions than I ever could. 

When we got into Baxter State Park the road was still covered in ice and snow so we were thankful for our four-wheel drive pickup truck. Baxter Park Road is a winding, mostly paved, road that gives you views of grazing grounds, ponds, and vistas.

Abol Bridge was heralded as a must stop so we found a connection to Golden Rd and traveled North again. Remember how I mentioned our pickup truck? Even we had difficulty driving down the dirt, gravled, and sometimes paved road. It was full of potholes and was an all together uncomfortable drive. Upon arrival at the raved about bridge I found that the drive up Golden Rd was not worth it. If you have a desire to traverse this road to get an admittedly good view of Mount Katahdin, you have at least been warned about the road conditions.

The Left Path:   When we took our drive, we went up the left path of the Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway first and spent the whole trek in disbelief. This section of the Byway did not match the photos and reviews I had seen online during my research. While disappointing, I feel that the right path made up for it. My suggestion is to head straight for Togue Pond Gatehouse from Captain Nickels Inn and bypass the left path.

We did stop at the Mt. Katahdin Scenic Outlook which is on the left path, and though the view was fantastic, it wasn’t a highlight of the day.   The moral of this Sunday drive adventure is that Baxter State Park is absolutely beautiful and definitely worth a visit!

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