Standing as the highest peak in the state of Maine, Mount Katahdin holds breathtaking views and one of the most challenging trails in the Northeast the infamous “Knife’s Edge”.

Mount Katahdin sitting in the heart of Maine resides within Baxter State Park. This remote and awe inspiring peak is comprised of granite carved out by glacial cirques into a bowl like shape.These cirques have caused sharp drop offs on the inner side of the bowl along the Knife’s Edge.

If you are someone who is interested in exploring Mount Katahdin you need to get there really early!!

You are going to need to get a parking permit for Roaring Brook Campground before you go up there. Baxter State Park allows you to buy a parking pass 14 days ahead of time. You must get to the entrance gate of Baxter State Park by 7am of the date you chosen otherwise your parking pass will be released. As you can see below Mount Katahdin sees a significant amount of traffic due to it’s popularity as the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and unique beauty. This line of cars was over 40 long and at 5:30am!

A definite benefit of sitting in line waiting to enter Baxter State Park is seeing the incredible lakes and views!!

After entering the gates into Baxter State Park, make the drive up to Roaring Brook campground, park and get yourself all geared up, you of course need to check in at the registration box. Right on the deck where the registration box is on the left you will see a model of Mount Katahdin. This model outlines all the trails going throughout the mountain. Stop and take a couple of minutes to study it! I recommend taking a few pics of it as well to keep a reference along with you. It is extremely useful & easy way to plan out a route with your group.

For our team we set off from Roaring Brook campground and making our way up the Chimney pond trail to Chimney Pond Campground.

It is highly recommended to make your way up to Chimney Pond. Not only is the views of the mountain from here incredible but also a major junction to many trails to the summit. Once there you are at about 2915 ft elevation and can check in with the ranger station to get a status report on the weather conditions. This is definitely important as weather conditions such as incoming storms, wind & temperature can quickly change higher up. If you are considering the Knife’s Edge as part of your route, it is even more of a reason to check in with the ranger station to get an update.

Many folks looking to reach the summit of Mount Katahdin will often take the Saddle trail up to the Tableland as this approach is the least daunting & weather dependent of the trail options. Let this not be confused with it being easy. This approach to the summit is still very difficult and consists of a number of rock scrambles throughout up to the Tableland.

The Tableland region of Mount Katahdin is one of the most beautiful alpine locations you can witness in the Northeast. When blessed with clear skies the backdrop of adjacent peaks makes for majestic and just awe inspiring vistas one can possible witness.



Just like any alpine region, clouds and weather roll in and out of frame at a moment’s notice. It is important to be prepared for this and carrying a good hard shell jacket and rain gear with you is rather imperative. Once you make your way through the clouds up through the Tableland you will see this incredible and infamous sign noting your summit! As the clouds move in and out around the summit you may be lucky enough to catch a break getting a view of Chimney Pond down below. This gives you a true perspective of your accomplishment and sheer height of where you are in relation to it! The Knife’s Edge is almost as popular as Mount Katahdin itself. It is considered the most unique and popular feature of Mount Katahdin. A 1.1 mile long ridge line it connects the sub peak of Paloma to Baxter (highest point on Katahdin). In the matter of minutes it can go from being cloud covered, windy and wet to clear dry and calm. The Knife’s Edge is a talus field consisting of non-stop rock scrambles. Boulders along it can range from the size of small cars to microwaves. It is extremely important to take your time as you maneuver through this section of the mountain. Portions of the trail can be only 2-3 feet wide with several hundred feet of drop-offs on either side of you. The Knife’s Edge will even have you test your climbing skills as certain sections have you go up 20-30 feet of rock.





The power of nature is quite incredible, from the glacial cirques that have made Mount Katahdin so unique to the wind carved boulders that you encounter along the Helen Taylor trail. This mountain once experienced will stay with you for the rest of your life. We had quite the pleasant surprise on our way back down below treeline and discovered a plethora of wild blueberry patches all long the trail offering a rather sweet end to our adventure! To learn more about Mount Katahdin and the incredible beauty that Baxter State Park has to offer check out their website – HERE

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