Friends of Baxter State Park

Friends of Baxter State Park nurtures the future of environmental leadership and conservation in Maine with two distinct programs for youths.

The Maine Youth Wilderness Leadership Program is designed to cultivate and inspire the next generation of Maine’s environmental leaders. Friends of Baxter State Park has offered this program annually since 2009. The program includes a nine-day wilderness experience in Baxter State Park. Participants backpack from one end of the Park to the other, working with a variety of specialists and Park staff to understand the wilderness through science, art, storytelling, photography, writing, history, and recreation.

The Baxter Youth Conservation Corps is a job training and service-learning opportunity for youth from the Katahdin region of Maine. Since 2017, this program has been hiring local youth for full-time summer employment doing trail work in Baxter State Park. Participants gain valuable training, job skills, and work experience in a spectacular wilderness setting. Participants will earn an hourly wage, and may also receive community service hours for potential school credit.