Are you looking to make a difference in protecting one of the most unique alpine areas in the northeastern US? Baxter State Park (BSP) is pleased to invite applications for the Summit & Trails Intern for the 2025 summer season! This position will provide epic experiences and diverse learning opportunities in the vast and beautiful wilderness setting of BSP. Home to Katahdin’s expansive alpine tableland, over 200 miles of rugged trails, abundant wildlife, and pristine waterbodies, BSP offers an adventurous and avid hiker the opportunity to protect the natural communities and trails through a diversity of activities.
Additional Information
The Summit & Trails Intern will spend most of their time in the Park, with office work as needed to support their primary responsibilities. Along with spending considerable time on Katahdin’s tableland every week, they will regularly staff Katahdin trailheads between 6 and 9 a.m. to speak with visitors. The intern will report to one of the Park’s District Rangers, and coordinate work with other Park Rangers, educators, trail, and natural resources staff, which will provide opportunities to learn more about different parts of the Park’s summer operations.
The Park-provided housing is a private bedroom and shared bathrooms in a dorm style building with up to 8 housemates. All appliances are run on propane, and while there is hot running water, it is not potable. There is no electricity, wifi, or cell service throughout most of the Park, though interns can check in with the outside world in various “phone booths.” The nearest grocery store is roughly a 45 minute drive from Park housing. The intern will also spend 1-2 nights each week camped in the Park, most often in a tent at the Chimney Pond Campground, in order to facilitate their access to alpine areas. Due to the weather dependent nature of work above treeline, weekly hours will range from 20-40. The Summit & Trails Intern must be available to work weekends and holidays, in order to perform their educational duties when the Park hosts the greatest number of visitors.
This position is filled through Tri-State Staffing Solutions and is assigned exclusively to BSP under the supervision of BSP.
Encompassing over 200,000 acres of land and boasting 220+ miles of trails, 50+ mountains, and 60+ ponds and lakes, Baxter State Park offers nearly limitless possibilities for adventure in one’s off-time. Whether your hobbies include fishing, hiking, paddling, photography, or quiet time in nature, there’s a place for you here at Baxter State Park!
Principle Responsibilities:
Patrol Katahdin’s tableland and peaks to educate and assist hikers (1-2 days/week, weather dependent)
Complete a trail sign and sign post inventory on Katahdin
Make and install new alpine area trail signs
Perform basic trail maintenance work above tree line
Brushing
Repairing rock cairns and string fencing
Refreshing trail blazing
Communicate with Park visitors at alpine trailheads
Assist in patrolling the Appalachian Trail
Additional Duties May Include:
Assisting with alpine plant data collection
Data entry
Maintaining trails below treeline
Assisting with various needs at duty stations around the Park
Assisting education staff with programs/events
Participating in search and rescue efforts
Typical Training/Education Provided (Subject to Availability):
Wilderness First Aid
Leave No Trace principles and interpretive basics
Alpine ecology and plant identification
Search and Rescue in BSP
Introduction to BSP rules, policies, and protocols (including for the Appalachian Trail)
On-the-job training on the Park’s natural and cultural resources
Requirements:
Completing strenuous hikes with a heavy backpack (including consecutive day trips with camping, rocky terrain, and large elevation changes) on a weekly basis
Hiking up to and spending multiple hours in alpine zones on a weekly basis
Initiating one-on-one conversations with Park visitors
Ability to use hand tools and perform trail maintenance work
A valid driver’s license and personal vehicle adequate for travel on the Park’s gravel roads (mileage will be reimbursed)
Work a non-standard work week (20-40 hrs per week, weather dependent), including weekends and holidays
Desired Qualities:
A passion for natural resources and wilderness protection
Eagerness to work at a physically demanding job, often in inclement weather
Ability and willingness to live in rustic shared housing in a remote situation without electricity or cell phone service
Ability and willingness to camp in a tent, lean to, and bunkhouse some nights each week
Enthusiasm for learning about the BSP’s natural history, rules, and policies, and a keen interest in sharing this knowledge with others
Strong people skills, including being outgoing and friendly
Previous experience in interacting with the public, stewarding natural areas, backpacking, and/or working in a wilderness setting
Ability to work both independently for long days, and to communicate effectively with fellow employees, supervisors, and Park management
Strong organizational skills
Creativity, resourcefulness, and flexibility
Availability for the entire length of the internship
Baxter State Park is a 210,000-acre wilderness region located northwest of Millinocket, Maine, and is home to Maine’s most iconic symbol and tallest mountain, Katahdin. The Park is also home to 48 heritage brook trout water bodies, 10 wilderness campgrounds, 46 peaks and ridges, multiple backcountry campsites, 215 miles of trails, and a 30,000-acre Scientific Forest Management Area, dedicated to exemplary forestry. Baxter State Park also has over 160,000 acres of protected wildland. The park is also open to hunting and trapping on over 40,000 acres of the Park.
Governor Percival Baxter made it his life’s obsession to purchase these lands and donate them to the people of the State of Maine. With this gift, he left a governance structure different from all other Maine state parks, several directives describing how to manage the Park, and a large endowment not connected to the state’s general fund. His directives include a focus on preserving the wildness of the Park above all else and providing opportunities “for those who love nature and who are willing to walk and make an effort to get close to nature”. The Park seeks a professional manager to join our administrative team and lead our dedicated field staff to preserve and protect this premier wilderness park.