Friends of Baxter State Park is an independent citizen group working to preserve, support, and enhance the wilderness character of Baxter State Park in the spirit of its founder, Percival P. Baxter.
The focus of our efforts is Baxter State Park, a wilderness area in northern Maine covering 209,644 acres. The Park includes the state's tallest peak, Katahdin, and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. This spectacular area was given to the people of Maine by Governor Percival P. Baxter beginning in 1931, with the provision that it be used for recreational purposes and "left forever in its natural wild state as a sanctuary for wild beasts and birds." Despite its name, Baxter State Park it is not part of the Maine State Park system, and is not funded by tax dollars or governed by the State legislature. It is managed by the Baxter State Authority and is largely funded by a trust set up by Governor Baxter. Friends of Baxter State Park is dedicated to maintaining Baxter's vision of this special place as "Forever Wild".
