Geography and Climate
Mount Katahdin consists of a cluster of mountains. One of the highest peaks, Baxter Peak, is named after Park donor and former Maine Governor Percival P. Baxter and rises up to 5,267 feet (1,605 m). The mountain is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
There are many bodies of water in the park. The three largest bodies of water are Grand Lake Matagamon, Webster Lake, and Nesowadnehunk Lake. There are also several smaller ponds, such as Hudson, Draper, Russell, Center and the South Branch ponds. Numerous streams and rivers connect these water bodies, most prominently Trout Brook (between Grand Lake Matagamon and Nesowadnehunk Lake) and Nesowadnehunk Stream (connecting Nesowadnehunk Lake and the small collection of ponds near Sentinel Mt.). Some of these have waterfalls; Nesowadnehunk Stream has Big and Little Niagara Falls, as well as Ledge Falls. Wassataquoik Stream has two waterfalls, Grand and Norway; another popular waterfall is Green Falls, tucked between Bald Mt. and South Pogy Mt. None of this water is available for consumption, and the Park advises that visitors bring or treat their water.
The climate of Baxter State Park lies within the Northern Forest Region of the American continent and experiences the cool, moist climate typical of this region. The annual mean temperature is 38.6 °F (3.7 °C); the record high temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 °C), and the record low stands at minus 45 °F (−43 °C). The average annual precipitation is 37 inches, which includes 100 inches (2,500 mm) per year of snow. Summer temperatures and conditions peak in the Park in July and August; fall foliage colors begin to emerge in early September and peak in late September or early October. Leaf-fall in deciduous trees is complete by the end of October. Lasting snowfall usually begins in mid to late November, and lasts through April. Leaves emerge on deciduous trees around the last week of May. Weather in Baxter State Park can be characterized primarily by its variability; snowfall can occur any month of the year, and temperatures can and do fluctuate widely around the averages.
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