Peak Summer – August eNewsletter
A wonderful Woods & Waters Day, record visitation, Stars Over Katahdin this month, fall community events, and more…
Are you feeling it? The air’s shift from stiflingly hot to fresh and breezy, a wink of bright orange amid the green canvas of a hillside, or the ease of sitting outside at dusk – without the shrill approach of a mosquito’s whine.
Fall is not here yet, but it will be soon. Make plans now to soak up the quieter days of late summer with a day trip to Orin Falls for a dip in the warmest water the Wassataquoik can offer or a pre-dawn drive to the Lynx Pond viewing platform to witness a wetland waking up (that might include a moose, if you’re lucky). Or think ahead to fall days for a weekend away that includes a peaceful paddle from the Lunksoos boat launch and taking in the foliage from the balcony of Tekαkαpimək Contact Station.
To make the most of your excursion and stay safe in your travels, begin with these three steps:
1. Spend time taking in the rich resources at: nps.gov/kaww/planyourvisit,
2. Install the NPS App on your smartphone and tap the cloud-shaped icon at the top of the screen to download all the park maps and information for offline use (trust us when we say cell service is unreliable),
3. Visit Destination Katahdin and/or the Katahdin Chamber of Commerce website for lodging, shopping, dining, and more to explore!
Of course, if you still have questions, send me a message and the Friends staff will do our best to provide an answer or connect you to someone who can. We are mission-bound to inspire you to explore, learn, and deepen your relationship to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, so we can’t wait to hear from you!
Celebrating Nine Years! Woods & Waters Day Highlights
Before we start thinking about sweaters and pumpkins and leaves turning, let’s recap a wonderful weekend of celebrating the ninth anniversary of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument – Woods & Waters Day! An exceptional weekend of clear blue skies welcomed hundreds of visitors to the Katahdin region and monument. A testament to years of support from YOU, Park Superintendent Neal LaBrie reported 207 individuals- a one-day record for the monument – visited Tekαkαpimək Contact Station on Saturday alone, with 428 over the weekend! From taking in a cultural experience to finding a new favorite hiking trail to a party complete with mouth-watering barbeque and toe-tapping tunes, visitors found plenty to delight in and celebrate. It was extra special to take a moment and recognize the dedication and volutneerism of our former Vice President, Steve Richardson, and say thank you for all he has done for Friends. Be sure to follow Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters on social media to see our gallery of Woods & Waters Day photos on Facebook and Instagram, coming soon!
Every year we are overwhelmed by the support of our corporate and nonprofit sponsors that make this event possible. Thank you to our Katahdin Sponsors Maine Beer Company and Richardson’s Hardware; Lookout Sponsors Burt’s Bees, Down East Magazine, Elliotsville Foundation, L.L.Bean, National Parks Conservation Association, Versant Power, and Wright-Ryan Construction; Deasey Sponsors Bangor Savings Bank, Haley Ward, NorthLight Foundation, and New England Outdoor Center; and many more!
Next year marks the tenth birthday for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and we are already excited to start planning for the momentous occasion. Stay tuned!
Preserving and Protecting Our Night Skies
Have you registered yet? Stars Over Katahdin is Friends’ annual celebration of the International Dark Sky Association’s recognition of Katahdin Woods and Waters as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, boasting the darkest skies east of the Mississippi River! Each year, Stars Over Katahdin draws families, school groups, members, and visitors from afar for campfire chats, educational experiences, and inspiration before turning our eyes upward to explore the cosmos through state-of-the-art telescopes.
This year, the event returns to Taylor’s Katahdin View Campground on the Swift Brook Road in Stacyville, right on the way into the monument’s southern entrance. Make a day of exploring the woods and waters via the Scenic Loop Road with a stop at Tekαkαpimək Contact Station to check out the maps, chat with a ranger, and take in the artistry of the the building, exhibits, and landscape. Return to Taylor’s in the later afternoon for an evening of wonder featuring a presentation by James Eric Francis, Sr., Penobscot; a family-friendly naturalist activity with a National Park Service Ranger (and an opportunity to earn a Junior Ranger badge!); a model rocket launching; and so much more! See the full schedule and register for this free event here.
Behind the Signs
News from the National Park Service and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
- The Katahdin Overlook at Loop Road mile 6.4 remains closed for construction. Visitors are not permitted due to construction hazards, however, a short detour preserves passages and access to all other highlights on the loop road.
- The monument is currently under a high fire danger warning issued by the Maine Forest Service. Please exercise caution and obtain permits where required. Campfires are permitted only in designated locations such as established campsites and lean-tos.
- The process to create the General Management Plan, or GMP, for Katahdin Woods and Waters is underway. A GMP is a strategic planning document that outlines the future management of a National Park Service site for the next 15-20 years! Stakeholders involved in the GMP include Wabanaki Tribal members, local municipal leaders, commercial forest management companies, and many more – including Friends.
- Did you know? The monument shares a birthday! Katahdin Woods and Waters was designated on August 24th, 2016, just one day before the National Park Service’s 100th birthday! In fact, the more than 89,000 acres comprising the monument remain the largest gift of land in park service history.
Ripple Effect
News and notes from the Katahdin region, the Friends community, and beyond
- We’re excited to share that Friends has received a grant from the National Park Foundation as part of our ongoing participation in the Collective Campaign for National Parks.The campaign represents a nationwide movement to elevate philanthropic support of our nationalal parks, ensuring these iconic places thrive for generations to come.
- Congratulations to Wright-Ryan Construction, winner of the ENR New England 2025 Best Project Winner in the Government/Public Building category. More accolades for this unique project’s construction team can be found on their blog.
- We’re listening to: podcast “Wild Neighbors with Molly Ross,” from Friends of Baxter State Park. Listen in for a lively and interesting conversation with our board president as she recounts the process of establishing the national monument and why the East Branch of the Penobscot is important to all of us. (Also check out the following episode with Friends’ board member Matt Polstein of the New England Outdoor Center!)
- Just around the corner, don’t miss out on the Trail’s End Festival in Millinocket – September 12-14th. With a stellar lineup culminating with a performance by the Mallett Brothers, it’s a weekend of live music, food, fun, and more!
- Trails, friendly compettion, and a fun afterparty with great beer and pizza…find it at the 1st annual Fall Trail Rally on Hammond Ridge in October.
Sponsor Spotlight
Thank you to our newest Lookout level sponsor Wright-Ryan Construction! For more than forty years, the team at Wright-Ryan has been building Maine’s great spaces – among them the award-winning Tekαkαpimək Contact Station. 
Sponsors provide crucial funding that supports Friends’ mission and work. To learn more about becoming a sponsor, visit friendsofkww.org/sponsorship or contact sarah@friendsofkww.org.
—This blog post was adapted from an email sent on August 29, 2025. Sign up for our email list at friendsofkww.org/signup
