DFT19 - Baxter State Park

Five years ago in Acadia, Daniel asked where he could see a Moose.  There answer was in Baxter State Park.  Apparently most of the Moose in Maine are up in Baxter, so this trip we made it a point to go to Baxter State Park. 

After an amazing breakfast in Portland at place called The Sinful Kitchen (I highly recommend it, I had pineapple coconut stuffed French toast that was to die for) we started our journey to Baxter.  The park itself is only about 30 mins from a town, but once you get into the park you have to travel about 40 mins to your cabin or campsite, so once we were in – we weren’t coming back out until it was time to leave.  Also the AT ends in Baxter State Park at Mt. Katahdin. 

We finally made it to our cabin about 3:30 or so.  It was really nice.  They are all primitive, no running water or electricity.  We were staying on what I consider a lake, but they call it a pond. You could rent canoes or kayaks to paddle around in the water, for $1 an hour.  And it was on the honor system so you just put your money in a box at the ranger station near your pond.  Our cabin had an amazing porch that overlooked the lake.  And the pond area had a library with tables to eat at and games to play. 

We tried to hike to an area called Big Rocky Pond and Little Rocky Pond.  But we got to Big Rocky Pond and it started thundering.  We waited out the storm and had sandwiches for dinner before hiking to The Falls, both Big Niagara and Little Niagara.  About the time we were finishing up that hike it started raining again.  We made it back to the cabin and Daniel and I were going to hike to a moose viewing area but it started pouring rain.  It came a pretty nice thunderstorm and it was even better under that cabin tin roof. I’m pretty sure we were all asleep by 9pm. 

This morning we drove over to Sandy Stream Pond, which was at least an hour drive from Kidney Pond, where we stayed.  Because it was suppose to be a haven for Moose.  Unfortunately we did not see any Moose on this trip.  My explanation for why we didn’t see one is because EG is too loud as we are hiking down the trail.  Pretty sure she sang every song she knows J

The MAJOR DOWNSIDE to Baxter are the mosquitos.  They are awful, I mean as soon as you are out in the open about a 100 swarm your head. We had read they would be bad and to take bug repellent.  I stocked up on the Young Living insect repellent because it works so well at home. But Young Living has apparently never tested their product in Baxter.  One got stuck in my leggings about bit me 4 times in the same place on the back of my leg.  Poor EG has bites all along the part in her hair.  And this morning one was in the cabin as we were trying to leave and it bit her on the eye.  So now she looks like she has a big black eye.  I feel like an awful parent because she is covered in bug bites, but we are all covered in them from head to toe.  

What exactly is the point of the mosquito?  What role do they play in the ecosystem?  Because I don’t think they are good for anything but being a nuisance.  It brought great pride and pleasure every time I killed one.  But I’m pretty sure for each one I killed 100 more were born.  Every time we opened a car door 1000 would fly in.  There are tons of dead mosquitos in the car, it was like a game to see who could kill the most. 

All in All Baxter is beautiful and I would highly recommend a visit, but make sure that you wear nothing but pants and long sleeves and take bug stuff that can be sprayed on your clothes and basically on everything you own.