More than 220 miles of foot trails crisscross the wild country of Baxter State Park, Gov. Percival Baxter’s “magnificent obsession” and enduring legacy. These winding, scenic, oftentimes rugged paths offer myriad ways for day hikers and backpackers to explore the park’s 209,644-acre expanse, from Nesowadnehunk Stream to Baxter Peak to Russell Pond to Matagamon Lake.

A small but dedicated seasonal trail crew, several full-time staff, plus volunteers and contractors, work hard to ensure that the park’s trail system and related infrastructure is well-maintained and safe for the hiking public, while also protecting the natural resources. That’s no easy task, for sure, so the next time you encounter a Baxter trail crew, be sure to give them a big thumbs up.

Two summers ago, on a beauty of a Katahdin circuit from Chimney Pond, I was descending Pamola on the spectacular Dudley Trail, so named for the legendary Baxter warden and Maine guide. A rock slide in 2016 had closed the lower part of the trail until 2020, and this was my first chance to check out the rerouted section, which was now significantly longer.

Nearing the tree line, I reached a sign that read “Trail Work in Progress” and excitedly continued down into the boulders and krummholz. Soon after, the trail, neatly lined with rocks, switchbacked right. A switchback! And there were more to come, as well as rock staircases, log ladders and water bars, all artfully built into the impossible terrain of the steep mountainside.

Then I came upon the Baxter trail crew muscling squarish chunks of granite into the trailway, yellow hard hats on their heads and big smiles on their faces. I gave them space and admired their work for a few moments before safely approaching and saying hello. I shook the hand of each person and thanked them profusely for their outstanding work under difficult field conditions.

“Trails are the heart of the park, the ways that people experience the park’s backcountry. It’s our responsibility to keep the trails open,” said Brennan Turner, BSP’s trail supervisor and one of the crew I met on the Dudley Trail. “What we do facilitates access for hikers. Through routine maintenance, we remove blowdowns, brush out trails and refresh paint blazes.”

There’s also alpine stewardship to do, replacing the trailside string protection to keep hikers on track and off the fragile vegetation, and replacing the weathered trail signs. And then there are the larger projects, such as building and repairing bridges, and rehabilitating and relocating trails, like the lower section of the Dudley Trail, a work-in-progress that will take years to complete.

It was a beautiful afternoon last July, when on a climb of Baxter Peak up and down via the Saddle Trail, I ran into the BSP trail crew again. I gave Turner a big wave but steered clear, watching in total awe from a safe distance while they grappled with grip hoists, tripods, steel cables and winches to move large rocks from a remote, off-trail location.

Turner later told me that in 2023, the crew quarried a remarkable 1,500 pounds of rock to the trailside. It’s being used to erect cairns, build scree walls and install water bars, and as rip-rap to harden the treadway on the heavily used section between Saddle Junction near the top of Saddle Slide and the Cathedral Trail a few 10ths from Katahdin’s summit.

“Working with sharp tools and heavy objects is dangerous work. It’s high risk, so we move slowly and thoughtfully. It’s a technical construction project on top of a mountain. The logistics are a real challenge,” said Turner. “It can be brutal, a real suffer-fest. But we’re proud of the work we do. It’s highly rewarding.” And best suited for strong young men and women, I might add.”

When it came time to dedicate the latest Maine Mountain Guide, well, for me that was an easy call: “This 12th edition is dedicated to the trail maintainers and trail builders throughout Maine, and in particular to the incredible BSP trail crew, who over the past 10 years has accomplished three enormous relocation projects, one on Mt. OJI and two on Katahdin—Abol Trail and Dudley Trail. Absolutely amazing work. Thank you!”

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is the author of Beer Hiking New England, AMC’s Best Day Hikes Along the Maine Coast, and the AMC Maine Mountain Guide. Follow more of Carey’s adventures on Facebook and on Instagram @careykish