Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Spread across a wild landscape offering spectacular views of Katahdin, Katahdin Woods and Waters invites discovery of its rivers, streams, woods, flora, fauna, geology, and the night skies that have attracted humans for millennia.
Alerts
- CautionNPS ↗Hunting Season Begins
Hunting in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is now open for the 2026 season. Hunting is permitted on all monument land east of the East Branch Penobscot River. It is recommended that all visitors wear high visibility clothing regardless of their location within the monument until hunting seasons concludes.
- CautionIncreased Logging Traffic Along Swift Brook Road
Be alert for logging trucks along Swift Brook Road between the monument boundary and the start of the Loop Road. Logging trucks will be transporting logs on Swift Brook Road to Roberts Road. Logging trucks ALWAYS have the right of way. Keep your headlights on. Never stop on roads or bridges. Pull over to the side of the road to allow trucks to pass by.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument | Daily · All Day |
| North Entrance | Daily · All Day |
| South Entrance | Daily · All Day |
| Katahdin Loop Road | Daily · All Day |
North Entrance: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | All Day |
| Nov 4, 2026 to May 13, 2027Late October to Late May | Closed |
South Entrance: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | All Day |
| Oct 31, 2026 to May 25, 2027Late October to Late May | Closed |
Katahdin Loop Road: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | All Day |
| Nov 4, 2026 to May 23, 2027Late October to Late May | Closed |
When to go
February draws the most visits here and April the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Sandbank Stream Campground | 3 sites | |
| Sandbank Stream Campground is open year-round. Access by wheeled vehicles is available from late May to early November. · 3 reservable | ||
| Lunksoos Campsites | 7 sites | |
| Lunksoos Campsite is generally accessible by road from Memorial Day to early November. In the winter, it is only accessible by snowmobile, skis or snowshoes. · 7 reservable | ||
| Upper East Branch Campsite | 1 site | |
| The Upper East Branch Campsite is open year-round. Typically, it can be accessed by vehicle from late May-early November depending on road conditions. · 1 reservable | ||
| Stair Falls Campsite | 1 site | |
| The Stair Falls Campsite is open year-round. Depending on road conditions, it can be accessed from late May-early November by parking at Haskell Gate and… · 1 reservable | ||
| Esker Campsite | 1 site | |
| The Esker Campsite is open year-round. Access by vehicle via Swift Brook Road and the Katahdin Loop Road is typically available from late May-early November. · 1 reservable | ||
Show all 16 campgroundsHide
| Katahdin Brook Lean-to | 1 site | |
| Backcountry lean-to · 1 reservable | ||
| Wassataquoik Lean-to | 1 site | |
| Backcountry lean-to · 1 reservable | ||
| Wassataquoik Campsite | 1 site | |
| Backcountry Campsite · 1 reservable | ||
| Big Seboeis Campsite | 1 site | |
| Backcountry Campsite · 1 reservable | ||
| Big Spring Brook Campsite | 1 site | |
| Backcountry campsite · 1 reservable | ||
| Haskell Deadwater Campsite | 1 site | |
| Backcountry campsite · 1 reservable | ||
| Pond Pitch Campsite | 1 site | |
| Rustic hike-to backcountry campsite open year round. · 1 reservable | ||
| Grand Pitch Lean-to | 1 site | |
| Backcountry Lean-to open year round · 1 reservable | ||
| Big Spring Brook Hut | 1 site | |
| A cabin with bunks, a table, woodstove, kitchen area, outhouse, and woodshed filled with firewood. · 1 reservable | ||
| Haskell Hut | 1 site | |
| Available for overnight reservations during the winter. · 1 reservable | ||
| Lunksoos Mountain Lean-To | 1 site | |
| Backcountry Lean-to · 1 reservable | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Tekakapimək Contact StationPassport stamp
Tekαkαpimək Contact Station is located in the southern section of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, within the homeland and ancestral territory of Penobscot Nation. National Park Service staff will be available to provide orientation and information and to help plan your visit.
Explore
Things to do
- Hike Deasey Ponds Trail45-90 Minutes
Hike to Deasey Ponds by taking an easy 1.4 mile (round-trip) trail located at the southern area of the monument. From the parking lot, there is an option to extend your hike to view another wetland habitat.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike To Orin Falls3-6 Hours
Hike to Orin Falls for a magnificent view of a cascading waterfall.
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike the International Appalachian Trail2-3 Days
Hike a segment of the International Appalachian Trail that connects the southern section to the northern section of the monument.
Opens on the Park Service site - Stargaze at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Enjoy stargazing in an International Dark Sky Sanctuary with some of the darkest skies east of the Mississippi!
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike To Barnard Mountain2-4 Hours
Hike to the top of 1,558ft Barnard Mountain for a magnificent and expansive viewpoint of Katahdin Lake and Mt. Katahdin.
Opens on the Park Service site - Bike the Katahdin Loop Road
The Katahdin Loop Road is a 17 mile loop starting on the Swift Brook Road past Sandbank Stream Campground.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Fall Colors1-8 Hours
Explore ways to enjoy beautiful fall colors at Katahdin Woods and Waters.
Opens on the Park Service site - Birding In The Southern Section
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument provides important and diverse breeding habitat for many species of birds. Enjoy birding in the monument!
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike the Seboeis Riverside Trail0-7 Hours
Hike the Seboeis Riverside Trail from the Seboeis Connector Trail. Starting from the Seboeis Connector Trail makes this hike 7.2 miles out and back (14.4 miles round trip). Enjoy the scenic hike alongside the Seboeis River.
Opens on the Park Service site - Birding At The North Gate Area
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument provides important and diverse breeding habitat for many species of birds. Enjoy birding at the north end of the monument!
Opens on the Park Service site - Hike the Lichen Trail1-2 Hours
Enjoy a 1.2 mile (1.9km) day hike on the Lichen Trail at the south section of the monument with a wonderful view of Katahdin.
Opens on the Park Service site - Paddle the East Branch of the Penobscot River (From Lunksoos Boat Launch to Big Seboeis)3-5 Hours
Enjoy paddling the East Branch of the Penobscot River in Katahdin Woods and Waters!
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Bird Walk at Lunksoos Boat Launch10/1708:30 AM · freeMeet at Lunksoos Boat Launch. From exit 264 on Interstate 95, turn north on Maine State Route 158.
- Bird Walk at Tekakapimek Contact Station10/1808:30 AM · freeMeet in front of Tekαkαpimək Contact Station. From exit 264 on Interstate 95, turn north on Maine State Route 158.
- Dark Sky Series (1/3) - Home Is Where the Dark Is at Millinocket Memorial Library10/2206:00 PM · freeMillinocket Memorial Library 5 Maine Avenue Millinocket, ME 04462
- Dark Sky Series (2/3) - Space: The Final Frontier at Millinocket Memorial Library10/2806:00 PM · freeMillinocket Memorial Library 5 Maine Avenue Millinocket, ME 04462
- Dark Sky Series (3/3) - Storytelling By Starlight at Millinocket Memorial Library11/0406:00 PM · freeMillinocket Memorial Library 5 Maine Avenue Millinocket, ME 04462
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Guidebooks for Maine's national parks and New England
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Local history books for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthMoose 3× · Ruffed Grouse 2×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 171 birds, 25 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barred Owl · Broad-winged Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Great Horned Owl · Hen Harrier · Merlin · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Bittern · American Black Duck · Barrow's Goldeneye · Blue Goose · Blue-winged Teal · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Common Goldeneye · Common Loon · Common Merganser · Common Teal · Double-crested Cormorant · Great Blue Heron · Green Heron · Hooded Merganser · Pied-billed Grebe · Ring-necked Duck · Virginia Rail · Wood Duck
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · Black-bellied Plover · Bonaparte's Gull · Common Tern · European Herring Gull · Greater Yellowlegs · Killdeer · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Yellowlegs · Ring-billed Gull · Semipalmated Plover · Semipalmated Sandpiper · Short-billed Dowitcher · Solitary Sandpiper · Spotted Sandpiper · Wilson's Snipe
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Ruffed Grouse · Spruce Grouse · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersBlack-backed Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklistAlder Flycatcher · American Cliff Swallow · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · American pipit · Baltimore Oriole · Barn Swallow · Bay-breasted Warbler · Belted Kingfisher · Bicknell's Thrush · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-billed Cuckoo · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Jay · Blue-headed Vireo · Bobolink · Boreal Chickadee · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Canada Jay · Canada Warbler · Canvasback · Cape May Warbler · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Redpoll · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Towhee · Eastern Whip-poor-will · Eastern Wood Pewee · Evening Grosbeak · Field Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Gray Catbird · Great Crested Flycatcher · Hermit Thrush · Horned Lark · Indigo Bunting · Least Flycatcher · Lincoln's Sparrow · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · Mourning Warbler · Nashville Warbler · Northern Cardinal · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Raven · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Ovenbird · Palm Warbler · Philadelphia Vireo · Pine Grosbeak · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Purple Finch · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rusty Blackbird · Sand Martin · Savannah Sparrow · Scarlet Tanager · Snow Bunting · Song Sparrow · Sora · Starling · Swainson's Thrush · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Tree Swallow · Tufted Titmouse · Two-barred Crossbill · Veery · Vesper Sparrow · Warbling Vireo · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-throated Sparrow · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-bellied Flycatcher · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-rumped Warbler · fox sparrow
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · Common Muskrat · Eastern Chipmunk · Gapper's Red-backed Mouse · Red Squirrel · Snowshoe Hare · mole shrew
PredatorsAmerican Black Bear · Bobcat · Canada lynx · Common Otter · Coyote · Cross Fox · Fisher · Long-tailed Weasel · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsMoose · White-tailed Deer
BatsEastern Red Bat · big brown bat · hoary bat · little brown bat · northern long-eared bat · silver-haired bat · tri-colored bat
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Horseback riding in the national parks · Skiing in the national parks · Stargazing in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
Northern Maine experiences all four seasons. Summer temperatures range from 45-90F (7-30C). Fall temperatures range from 30-70F (-1-21C). Typically, the first frost is in mid-October and first snowfall begins in November and can continue through April with an average accumulation of 73 inches (185 cm). Winter temperatures range from 14-35F (-10 - 2C). Spring temperatures range from 30-70F (-1-21C).
Questions people ask
Does Katahdin Woods and Waters charge an entrance fee?
No. Katahdin Woods and Waters is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
Is Katahdin Woods and Waters open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Katahdin Woods and Waters?
Yes. The Park Service lists 16 campgrounds in Katahdin Woods and Waters: Sandbank Stream, Lunksoos Campsites, Upper East Branch Campsite, Stair Falls Campsite, and Esker Campsite, and more. 16 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
Is anything closed at Katahdin Woods and Waters right now?
2 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Hunting Season Begins; Increased Logging Traffic Along Swift Brook Road.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Katahdin Woods and Waters?
33,835 recreation visits in 2025, number 295 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
What is the weather like at Katahdin Woods and Waters?
Northern Maine experiences all four seasons. Summer temperatures range from 45-90F (7-30C).
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
