Baxter State Park · caps RVs at 22 ft

Governor Percival Baxter purchased the 200,000-acre tract privately between 1931 and 1962 and deeded it to Maine with the famous covenant: "shall forever be left in the natural wild state, shall forever be kept as a sanctuary for wild beasts and birds." Today the Baxter State Park Authority operates independently of Maine's state-park system and enforces vehicle restrictions stricter than any other public lands east of the Mississippi: maximum length 22 feet, maximum width 7 feet, maximum height 9 feet — and the perimeter road's gravel surface plus narrow bridges enforce the cap physically. Roaring Brook and Katahdin Stream Campgrounds are the most RV-relevant of the eight developed loops; all are dry-camp, all reserve 4 months ahead through the Authority. Mount Katahdin's summit is the Appalachian Trail's northern terminus. Daily vehicle entry caps trigger gate closures by 7-8 a.m. summer weekends.

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