Is there an entrance fee at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument?

NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee. Confirm on the official park page before your trip.

When are the entrances open?

NPS lists the north and south entrances as open to wheeled vehicles from late May to late October, with exceptions. From mid-November to late May, wheeled vehicles cannot use the north entrance or Katahdin Loop Road.

Where pets are allowed, NPS requires a crate, cage or a leash no longer than six feet. Each park can close more areas to pets.

Can you camp in the monument?

NPS and Recreation.gov list 17 campgrounds here. The listing with the most sites has 27 sites.

What is the busiest month?

In 2025 the busiest month by NPS recreation visits was February at 6,934. The quietest was April at 182.

All parks › Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): February^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 33,835^[3]
Campgrounds: 17^[4]

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a National Park System unit in Maine^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the monument is open year-round^[6]. Wheeled vehicles cannot use the north entrance or Katahdin Loop Road from mid-November to late May^[6]. NPS lists both the north and south entrances as open to wheeled vehicles from late May to late October, with exceptions^[7]^[8]. It also lists a late fall to late spring exception from 2026-11-02 to 2027-05-27^[7]^[8]. Two gates on Swift Brook Road belong to a neighboring timber company and may close to wheeled vehicles from mid-November to late May^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month by recreation visits was February at 6,934^[2]. The quietest month was April at 182^[2]. NPS describes four seasons, with first frost in mid-October and snowfall from November that can continue through April^[9].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, February, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	1,124
February	6,934
March	2,213
April	182
May	1,500
June	2,078
July	4,083
August	6,164
September	3,965
October	2,561
November	1,470
December	1,561

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	39,485
2022^[3]	43,231
2023^[3]	38,455
2024^[3]	35,173
2025^[3]	33,835

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list 17 campgrounds in the monument^[4]. The listing with the most sites is Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument Camping at 27 sites, followed by Lunksoos Campsites at 7 sites^[4]. Many of the others are single-site campsites or lean-tos^[4]. Site counts can differ a little between the two sources, so check Recreation.gov before you book^[4].

Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument Camping, 27 sites^[4]
Lunksoos Campsites, 7 sites
Sandbank Stream Campground, 3 sites
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument Huts, 2 sites
Upper East Branch Campsite, 1 sites
Stair Falls Campsite, 1 sites
Esker Campsite, 1 sites
Katahdin Brook Lean-to, 1 sites
Wassataquoik Lean-to, 1 sites
Wassataquoik Campsite, 1 sites
Big Seboeis Campsite, 1 sites
Big Spring Brook Campsite, 1 sites
Haskell Deadwater Campsite, 1 sites
Pond Pitch Campsite, 1 sites
Grand Pitch Lean-to, 1 sites
Big Spring Brook Hut, 1 sites
Haskell Hut, 1 sites

Pets and dogs

Where pets are allowed, NPS requires them to be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times^[10]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on designated swimming beaches, with service animals excepted^[10]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 25 of its 25 listed things to do, but each park can close more areas to pets^[11]^[10].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours change, so confirm on the official park page before you go^[1].
Plan around the closures from mid-November to late May for the north entrance and Katahdin Loop Road^[6].
A neighboring timber company manages the gates on Swift Brook Road, which NPS describes as a private logging road^[8].
NPS lists one visitor center, the Tekakapimək Contact Station^[12].
NPS lists 1 thing to do that requires a reservation, so check the official page for details^[11].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument?: NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1]. Confirm on the official park page before your trip.
When are the entrances open?: NPS lists the north and south entrances as open to wheeled vehicles from late May to late October, with exceptions^[7]^[8]. From mid-November to late May, wheeled vehicles cannot use the north entrance or Katahdin Loop Road^[6].
Are dogs allowed?: Where pets are allowed, NPS requires a crate, cage or a leash no longer than six feet^[10]. Each park can close more areas to pets^[10].
Can you camp in the monument?: NPS and Recreation.gov list 17 campgrounds here^[4]. The listing with the most sites has 27 sites^[4].
What is the busiest month?: In 2025 the busiest month by NPS recreation visits was February at 6,934^[2]. The quietest was April at 182^[2].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 39,485, 2022: 43,231, 2023: 38,455, 2024: 35,173, 2025: 33,835. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (list on this page). National Park Service
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Monument) in Maine. National Park Service
Operating hours, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is open year-round. From mid-November to late May, the north entrance and Katahdin Loop Road are closed to wheeled vehicles. Two gates on the Swift... National Park Service
Operating hours, North Entrance: The north entrance to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is reached by turning on New River Road (also known as Messer Pond Road) from Maine Route 159/Grand Lake Road. This entrance is typically open to wheeled... National Park Service
Operating hours, South Entrance: The south entrance to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is reached via Maine Route 11 and Swift Brook Road. This entrance is typically open to wheeled vehicle traffic from late May-late October. Swift Brook Road... National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 25 things to do at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: Hike Deasey Ponds Trail, Hike To Orin Falls, Hike the International Appalachian Trail, Stargaze at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Hike To Barnard Mountain, Bike the... National Park Service
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 1 (Tekakapimək Contact Station). National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.