Welcome to Baxter State Park

Rules & Regulations

When an individual/organization recieves any form of compensation for services provided in the Park OR an individual/organization intends to possibly produce products for sale as a result of visiting the Park, they are defined as commercial.

Although no special permit is needed for commercial activities in Baxter State Park, commercial users are asked to identify themselves when they enter the Park and some policies do apply to commercial users in certain areas. All rules, regulations and policies apply to all users. The Park tries to be non-restrictive unless necessary and works with users to provide better opportunities while always remaining within the standards Percival Baxter espoused for his Park.

BSP manages commercial use to:

• Stay consistent with standards for wilderness resource management & recreation opportunities.
  
• Reduce risk to public health & safety
  
• Comply with laws, regulations & policies
  
• Allow visitation that doesn’t create exclusive right or occupancy
  
• Keep conflicts between user groups to a minimum
  
  

In 2003, Baxter State Park surveyed commercial users and compiled statistics regarding commercial use. We found that:

• Commercial use is about 2% of total use. It was decided that a permit system was not currently necessary. We will continue to monitor commercial use and may implement limits or a permit system if use increases significantly.
  
• Commercial use mirrors regular use in most areas. Commercial visitors use group camping areas more heavily than general visitors.
  
• Some users may not be in compliance with ME laws or aware of Park mandates.
  
• Park information and policies for commercial use are not reaching the users.
  
  

BSP Policies that may affect commercial users include:

• Organized camp groups of 5 or more may only visit Chimney Pond once from July to August.
  
• All visitors: Groups of 13 or more individuals in a camper group must stay at group areas.
• Commercial users cannot reserve day use parking spots; spots are not for financial gain.
  
• Large groups or commercial users will not stay at “the Birches”- long distance hiker site, but will use their advance knowledge of trip itineraries to work with the BSP reservations system.
  
• All canoe groups running Webster Brook must camp at authorized campsites on Webster Lake before canoeing Webster Brook. No canoe groups shall run Webster Brook after 10:00 am unless they have reservations for BSP sites in the area.
  
• Vehicles will not be parked overnight in BSP, if staying outside the Park.
  
• Season Passes issued to Maine residents by the Director are not for commercial purposes.
  
• Although not required by BSP, many landowners require users to list them as additional insured for activities on their land. If you hold such insurance, we encourage you to add Baxter State Park (usually done free of charge by the insurance company).
  
  

Listing of commercial users on BSP’s web page:

Each year, we compile a list of commercial users from the gate passes that were filled out during the year at our gatehouses. At the end of each season, users will be contacted to sign and date a statement verifying compliance with all laws and giving us permission to list them for the upcoming year. This list of commercial users (including name, address, phone number and arranged by activity in alphabetical order) will be added to our Park website as a courtesy to visitors and commercial users who are working within Park rules and regulations.

Listing is subject to the Park Director’s discretion and may be denied if:

• Users are out of compliance with ME/BSP laws.
  
• User has received a written warning from staff in the last 2 seasons.
  
• Use is not compatible with BSP mandates/not compatible with wilderness.

What are requirements to specific groups? Contact information follows.

Youth Groups:

• ME Law: If camp is licensed in ME or similarly licensed in another state AND camping away from their home base, they must have a trip leader permit.
  
• BSP Law: All groups of 5 or more persons under 16 years of age must be accompanied by at least one responsible adult (at least 18 years of age) for each 5 minors.
  
• ME Law: Any leaders of groups that are not a licensed ME camp, receiving any form of compensation for services, and camping, hunting, fishing, trapping, snowmobiling or boating in BSP are required to have a ME guides license.
  

Guided Trips:

• ME Law: Any leaders of groups that are not a licensed ME camp, receiving any form of compensation for services, and camping, hunting, fishing, trapping, snowmobiling or boating in BSP are required to have a ME guides license.
  

Shuttle Services (“for hire” vehicle transportation):

• Special insurance is required for people operating shuttle services (including drop-offs and/or guided tours) in the state of Maine. Please contact your local town office, insurance agent and the State of Maine Operating Authority Unit of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for more information.
  

Artists:

• The Park Director requests film crews contact the Park a year in advance of the proposed project to avoid conflicts with Park operations and policies as well as ensuring a quality final product for the filmmakers.
  
• No special permits or authorization is required for still photographers, painters, writers or other artists, but please be aware of all Park rules and regulations. Please feel free to contact the Park Director or Park Information/Education division for assistance with special projects.

Who to contact for more information:

Special notes/extra information available for visitors:

Percival Baxter desired that this park "shall forever be retained and used for state forest, public park and public recreational purposes ... shall forever be kept and remain in the natural wild state ... shall forever be kept and remain as a sanctuary for beasts and birds." He also wanted the Park available to people of “moderate means” and sought to “provide against commercial exploitation.” Due to Baxter’s wishes, BSP does not advertise the Park. Baxter felt such advertising would bring too many people for the limited facilities available. He also felt no more facilities should be built since, he said, “the Park is really for a select group who want it left as an untouched wilderness insofar as this is possible and who are willing to put up with minor inconveniences.” (Hakola, 1981).

To this end, we ask commercial users to be thoughtful in their advertising and realize that increasing visitation to the Park will only lead to limiting use further. If possible, references to Baxter State Park and specific locations (such as Sandy Stream Pond) should be avoided and generic terms (“northern Maine wilderness, secluded forests, pristine wildlife areas”) used instead. Thank you for your assistance as we try to comply with Percival Baxter’s wishes for this unique area.