Millinocket

Millinocket, a former paper-mill town with a population of about 4,000, is the gateway to "forever wild" Baxter State Park and a jumping-off point for Maine's North Woods. The town is the place to stock up on supplies, fill your gas tank, and grab a hot meal or shower before heading into the wilderness. On the east side of Baxter, President Obama created the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in 2016. Numerous rafting and canoeing outfitters and guides are based in the region. Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway (www.katahdinwoodsandwaters.com), much of which flows along Route 11, links the region's conserved lands and scattered towns.