Mt Katahdin via Knife Edge Trail Hike Trail Guide

Mt Katahdin or Baxter Peak is Maine’s highest peak at just over 5,200ft. This remote mountain is a popular day hike for hikers around New England. The peak has several ways to access its summit which is also the northernmost point of the Appalachian Trail but the trail that gets the most attention is the Knife Edge. This mile long trail offers hikers class 3 and class 2 ridge scrambling with spots of moderate exposure on the northern side of the mountain. Mt Katahdin is a New England classic and certainly worth the long drive to hike. 

Mt Katahdin Quick Facts

Virtual Trail Guide: Mt Katahdin via Knife Edge

Mt Katahdin Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Distance: 11 Miles (adding Hamlin Peak), 9 Miles Without Hamlin

Elevation Start:1,500ft 

Highest Point: 5,269ft Mt Katahdin, 4,757ft Hamlin Peak

Total Elevation Gain: 4,600ft – take away 500 or so without Hamlin

Estimated Time to Complete: 6-8 Hours RT

Difficulty: Moderate Difficulty System Explained

Class: Class 3 What does this mean?

Season: Late May – Early December (Expect snow outside of this period)

Weather: Check the Weather Forecast

Directions to Mt Katahdin

Trailhead: Roaring Brook

Getting Here: Enter Baxter State Park from the south end via the Tongue Pond Gatehouse and continue for 8 miles to reach the end of the road and the Roaring Brook parking area and campground. 

Fees & Reservations: There is a $15 non-Maine resident fee to hike in Baxter State Park in addition to a $5 fee to reserve your spot at the Roaring Brook parking area. Reservations are highly recommended but are not required if you want to gamble on a first come first serve parking basis for any free spots without recommendations. If you are a Maine resident you just need to pay the $5 reserved parking fee. Maine residents can make reservations at any time where non-Maine residents can reserve a parking spot up to two weeks in advance to their trip. Read more about reservations here.

Parking: In all honesty, the Roaring Brook parking area is massive. It can easily fit 50-60 cars. I am positive that on weekends the lot will fill up, but there is a chance that you could park here without a reservation during the week. The parking area has several non-plumbing bathrooms. 

Summary

Camping: There are a total of 337 campsites in Baxter State Park to access Mt Katahdin. Read more about reserving one here. Backcountry camping is also an option, but it’s best to read more here as this page has everything you need to know about camping within the park. 

Dogs: Baxter State Park does not permit dogs anywhere in the park. 

Make it a Loop: There are several ways to make a loop of Mt Katahdin, but the most common is the Helon Taylor to Knife Edge trail on the way up and taking the Cathedral to Chimney Pond on the way down. View a complete hiking map here. 

Trail X Factors: Reservation System & Knife Edge Trail

When hiking Mt Katahdin, you don’t NEED a reservation, but if you want to hike from the North side of the mountain and attempt the knife edge trail, it’s highly recommended. If you are from Maine, this is all a non-issue because you can reserve whenever you want. However, if you are on a tight schedule and from out of state, you basically have to take a shot in the dark that the reservation will be available and the weather will be good on that day you can hike. 

When hiking the Knife Edge trail from Pamola Peak, the crux (hardest point) of the route is right off the bat. There is a steep class 3 down-climb to gain the shoulder and then an even steeper class 3 scramble to get back onto the ridge. After this, there is loads of fun hiking to still be had but this is without a doubt the most technical portion of the hike.

Hike Tip(s): When hiking Mt Katahdin, crowds are going to be nearly unavoidable. Usually, below treeline you can create your own space no problem and even before gaining the summit to Pamola Peak. However, once you start the Knife Edge trail, there is usually going to be a lot of waiting around for groups ahead of you to tackle sections and with passing spots hard to come by (or hikers being completely unaware of trail etiquette) this can get tiresome. If you want to avoid crowds, I would suggest hiking down the Knife Edge trail vs up it. In addition, getting a later start in the day (so long as weather is good) will usually be a great way to avoid crowds as well. If you are looking for even more seclusion, adding the 2ish miles to hike Hamlin Peak is a great way to get some unique views of the area while having a summit all to yourself. 

Best Views: Mt Katahdin is somewhat rare for a New England hike in that it offers amazing views for about 75% of the hike. Once you leave treeline on either side of the mountain, you will be greeted with breathtaking views of the thousands of acres of forest and loads of lakes that comprise Baxter State Park. From the summit, my favorite views were looking north and east. 

Mt Katahdin Hike Route

Helen Taylor Trail to Knife Edge to Hamlin Peak to Hamlin Ridge Trail to North Basin to Chimney Pond

Gear Needed

• Mickey’s Mountain Kit
• Backpack 
• Hiking Shoes or Hiking Boots
• Map of area or GPS – I use the Garmin inReach
• Bug Spray
• Optional: Hiking Poles
• *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. 

My Trip to Mt Katahdin: July 2020

About 10 years prior I had hiked Mt Katahdin with a few friends and remembered that I had a blast doing so. At the time, I didn’t know anything about class or exposure – we would just pick the “hardest” hikes we could find around New England and try to complete them. Many years later, with hundreds of hours of experience under my belt and a much more comprehensive knowledge of the mountains, I was back to re-hike Baxter Peak. I woke up at 2AM to make the 5 hour drive from my parents’ house in southern Maine and arrived to Baxter around 7:15AM. I was shocked to see how many cars were already in the lot. It was a Thursday and this truly was a reminder of how popular this hike would be. The initial hiking was sticky with humidity but mild with bugs and my lungs didn’t mind the low elevation at all. I vaguely remembered most of the hike but once I started the Knife Edge trail the amount of experience I have gained over the years really kicked in. I remember the first time hiking this section was full of hesitation and “can we do this?” moments. This time around was just a blast as I boulder hopped, scrambled quickly along rocks and tried picking the most difficult lines possible. 

Once on the summit of Mt Katahdin, I was still full of energy and decided to tackle Hamlin Peak which would be a first. The hike over to the smaller neighboring mountain was much more secluded than Mt Katahdin and offered tremendous views and a fun descent down its namesake ridge trail. Overall, I had a blast on Mt Katahdin and was very grateful to have the opportunity to be in this beautiful and underrated part of Maine once again. 

Mt Katahdin via Knife Edge Virtual Trail Guide

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