Wilderness Edge Campground

We stay at Wilderness Edge every time we visit Millinocket. The campground has all of your basics and is a great gateway spot for Baxter State Park or ATV trails. 

The sites are better suited for smaller RV setups but it is not impossible to get a bigger camper in. We have a 30 foot toy hauler and have fit in our spots ok. We don't recommend coming in after dark- it can be difficult to navigate. Another thing to note is how long your hoses and electric cords are, you may need to stretch them under/behind your camper depending on site location. 

The staff here are fantastic and have helped us on multiple occasions. Our last trip we had to extend a night because our truck broke down and needed more time, it was no problem. We have also had to buy a new 30 AMP power cord after store hours because ours was making us nervous.

I would give this place a million stars if I could. It is a beautiful campground with many excellent rustic spots if you want to be in the wilderness and sites with electricity and water and fantastic Wi-Fi and cell service if you want to have a little wilderness but still be connected. The facilities are also very clean with wonderful showers that you don’t have to deposit quarters in. But the best thing about this campground is the wonderful people. I’m traveling with my husband, who is through hiking the Appalachian Trail. We were on week 12 of our journey. My husband was on the trail for three days when our camper van broke down and was in a remote place, not knowing anyone, and was telling the ladies my situation when I checked in. Vicky made a call and got me an appointment with a mechanic who was terrific and fixed my car. I was able to pick up my husband at the hundred-mile wilderness as planned. I did not think checking in with them that day that was even going to be a possibility, so they are absolutely amazing, kind, and generous people. It’s great in these times to see that there is still genuine kindness in the world. Please stay here.

I enjoyed my stay here 2 years ago and was glad to have a chance to visit again. This campground provides hookups, a pool, friendly hosts, and an expanded store. They're also expanding the campground and have created additional RV sites with water and electric, though the hill to the upper sites (the Tent Area on their map) is rougher than the loop in the RV section.

Many of the RV sites will require larger units to park parallel to the road. Bring longer power cords and hoses to ensure it will reach your rig because they may be on the 'wrong' site of your connections depending on how you park. Dump station available.

Owners are friendly and helpful. They'll offer moose tours, shuttles, and good advice on where to go, what to do. Stay here and you're not too far from Baxter SP, Katahdin Woods and Waters NM, and white water rafting. ATV trails are available. Hiking, fishing, photography are just a few of the other activities to enjoy in the area. Groceries available in Millinocket.

I didn't explore the tent area when i stayed here before, so I've tried to add pictures of most of those sites. 

Reservations open a year in advance.

Good location as I was supporting an AT hiker through the 100 mile wilderness. Close to Baxter state park and the Katahdin Iron Works area that provided access to the wilderness. There was a fee to access the wilderness from KI-Jo-Mary area but it they had their own great trails. Arrived a little early and the owner tried to get me to pay a fee which I declined. 12:30 arrival isn't too early in my opinion. Lots of ATV riders occupying sites so I'm sure lots of riding trails nearby.

We’ve stayed here in cabins a tent sites when hiking Mt Katahdin. Both were clean and tent sites were spacious. Bathrooms are tidy with all the hot water a smelly tired pack of hikers could ask for. Staff is always friendly and they almost always have spaces available.

Base camp to Katahdin, close in to Millinocket. Went with a diverse group of campers with hammock, tent and cabin sleeping preferences and everybody found their spot.

Pros are: clean (like super clean) showers and bath house, fire pit and picnic table at each site and cabin, super helpful, friendly hosts and last minute gear avail at the office (we got a waterproof map for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument).

Only con I can think of is the tent sites are a bit close together and barely deep enough to park a car (not sure if a larger SUV or F350 would even fit) - just a bit of a congested layout overall.

Would go back, nice option to the Baxter or other backcountry sites with no bathrooms, or for times those sites are all taken.

This is a great campground! It is pet friendly & they will check on your pets or even walk them! Water & electric sites are well spaced, roomy, quiet, & in the trees. It is near Mt Katahdin, Bacter State Park, & water (river/lake/pond). Owners Wendi & Marcel are kind, knowledgeable, & treat you like a friend. Their excursions are fun. Campground is very clean & well-kept. Wi-fi is finicky but the best they can get without solar/satellite setup. Verizon signal is 3-4 bars. I will definitely return.

This is my 2nd time enjoying this camp. The management is very friendly and helpful in the care of my family pets, they’ll walk and occasionally keep an eye on your pets while you’re out hiking on Mount Katadhan, and will provide a shuttle to and from the mount, for an agreeable fee.

Wooded lots can be tight, lot you reserve isn’t always what you get when you reserve a spot, they will change it and surprise when you get there, not always a good thing

Campground Review

I headed to the Millinocket area because I wanted to explore the new Katahdin Woods & Waters (KWW)National Monument, Baxter SP, ponds and byways. Staying at Wilderness Edge proved to be an ideal location with full amenities. It’s convenient to each of these areas without requiring an extensive drive to any of them. My visit was very early in the season ( late May/early June) and the trails to peaks at Baxter state Park were still closed, so it was quiet. The sites are in two sections, with tenters up the hill in an area I did not have time to explore, and a lower section with hookups for RVs. The RV sites offer electrical and water. The location of the hookups is somewhat unusual and inconsistent. My site had the connections on the right side of my camper once I had backed it in, so I had to be careful about placement or have longer cords. It then made sense why Marcel explained that some campers like to park parallel to the camp road to create some privacy,

My site (6) was large and level, backing up to the woods and with trees between the sites providing some privacy. There were no sites directly opposite mine as the loop road turned and went up a hill. The very clean bathrooms are up the hill, providing free hot showers and also a dishwashing sink.

There’s a small camp store with a selection of necessities, just in case you need a map or forgot a backpack, etc. They’ll deliver firewood to your site. There was wi-fi available, strongest near the bathroom, but I had more than adequate cell phone coverage (Verizon) at my site, that I did not need to use the wifi. There’s a pool and a play area near the entrance.

This is not a campground packed with seasonal sites; they only have 2 seasonal campers. Instead, the campground fills with families, singles, couples, looking for a quiet camp setting with amenities. The amenities do come at a price, costing more than other campgrounds, but also providing more.

If you want to explore, the Discover Katahdin app is great for identifying hikes or paddles, etc. so be sure to install it to help with your planning. It’s also worth stopping by the Moose Prints Gallery in Millinocket. Anita provided some excellent suggestions for wildlife watching and paddling. If you’d like a guide, Marcel is happy to offer small tours.

In town there are a variety of shops, including groceries, dollar stores, and hardware.

Product Review: GCI Outdoors Compact Camp Table 20

As a ranger with The Dyrt I sometimes get to test and review camping equipment. On this trip, I was able to review the GCI Outdoors Compact Camp Table 20 (it also comes in a larger, 25” size). This is a great little table with telescoping legs (love the squeeze mechanism to get them to collapse), giving you two height options while occupying very small space in your vehicle while traveling. You may find yourself using it for more than just camping (I saw one in a picture of a recent tailgate party). It’s aluminum top allows you to place a hot pot on it. It can handle a substantial weight and doesn’t feel wiggly. It’s great for dinner by the campfire!