Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters

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Plan your trip to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

From family-friendly hikes and stunning vistas to backcountry adventure and pristine paddling, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument offers visitors a unique experience of the rugged and remote North Maine Woods, homelands of the Penobscot Nation, significant to all Wabanaki nations.

Are you planning a trip to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument? Here’s how to get started.

  • Check out the National Park Service website for the latest travel alerts, maps, directions, and park details, and Recreation.gov for camping reservations and information.
  • Download the National Park Service app (available on iPhone and Android), search Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, then tap the cloud icon to download for offline use.
  • Be prepared: monument roads are unpaved and shared with logging trucks. Drive slowly and carefully. Cell service is limited. Always plan ahead with adequate food, water, spare tire, and maps.
  • Plan your trip! Whether hiking, biking, paddling or camping, explore the official NPS Things To Do page, check out local resources, and find trip reports and more below.

  • All sections of the monument can be reached from I-95 exit 264. Find official maps and directions from NPS.
  • The monument has two main sections with separate entrances. There are no entry fees.
  • The Southern Section, accessed from Route 11 in Stacyville, includes Tekakapimek Contact Section, Lunksoos Campground, Loop Road, and signature hikes to Barnard Mountain and Orin Falls. Accessible by vehicle from May to October.
  • The Northern Section, accessed from Grand Lake Road near Matagamon, lets visitors explore unique features along the East Branch of the Penobscot River, and offers a variety of backcountry and winter experiences.

Tekαkαpimək Contact Station

Atop Lookout Mountain, Tekαkαpimək welcomes visitors with stunning architecture and exhibits told through a Wabanaki lens.

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Hiking in the Monument

Explore hikes like Barnard Mountain and Orin Falls in the Southern Section, or head north for scenic solitude along the East Branch.

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Experience the Night Sky

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

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  • Trip Report: Day Hike up Deasey Mountain

    If you’re looking for a challenging hike, with solitude, fascinating natural history and geology, plus amazing views, you need to check out Deasey Mountain on the IAT in Katahdin Woods & Waters. On a hot and humid day, my good friend and hiking buddy, Cat, joined me for a trek into Katahdin Woods & Waters…

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  • Trip Report: Seboeis River Paddle

    Outside good cell service, away from wall clocks and computers, there are many ways to experience time in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Alternative time-telling questions in this neck of the woods include: Have the fiddleheads come up? Which wildflowers are growing? How are the blackflies? And one of my favorites, what’s the water…

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  • Three Days, One River, and a Different Kind of Fourth

    On a stormy 4th of July, while families prepped their fireworks, lit the grill and recounted their favorite floats in their small town parades Joe, Luna (our sometimes chaotic but always loveable pup), and I pushed off and slipped quietly into the East Branch of the Penobscot River. This river runs through the present and…

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Looking for more information?

Reach out to Friends staff, we’re happy to help answer your questions about visiting.

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Your Support Makes The Difference

Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters supports the National Park Service through direct grants and in-kind contributions, as well as through local and national advocacy efforts. Your generosity makes this work possible!

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