Millinocket, Maine
About Millinocket
Millinocket used to be a thriving mill town with an industrial feel. Now the town is mostly centered around tourism and is heavily dependent on visitors each year. Most visitors come up to visit Baxter State Park but don’t spend much time in the surrounding areas. There are so many adventurous things to do in Millinocket. We’ll share our favorites below.
Things To Do
Visit Ripogenous Dam
The Dam is 30 miles from downtown Millinocket, and roughly a 50-minute drive. The Dam was built for powering a paper mill in 1915. Today it creates rapids for whitewater rafting.
Take a Plane Ride
Katahdin Air Services
1888 Golden Road, Millinocket, ME 04462
Katahdin Air Services offers a few different scenic tours to pick from. The pricing is very fair for the services they offer, ranging from $135 per person for shorter flights. They also offer fly-in canoe trips and other adventure trips. Each trip does have weather limitations based on visibility. Check out their website for more details.
Drive the Golden Road
The Golden Road is a 96 mile road that follows the West Branch of the Penobscot River. It was originally built by the Great Northern Paper Company in the early 70’s to truck logs to the mill. It is still a privately owned and maintained road. Driving the Golden Road isn’t necessarily a recreational activity, most of the time you are headed somewhere. The road is bumpy, mostly unpaved and slightly dangerous. I put this in here because if you are used to only driving on pavement, have limited dirt road experience, or have an expensive car, this one might not be for you. We have seen people off the road many times.
Check out the New England Outdoor Center (NEOC)
The one-stop shop for playing outside. NEOC organizes whitewater rafting, moose watching, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and cross-country skiing. Their campus is equally as beautiful if you want to stop in and see it.
Local Shopping
There are a few niche shops in Millinocket worth a stop in if you have the time.
Northwoods Trading Post
Millinocket Lake Road
I am partial to the trading post, I love it there. It is near the entrance to BSP and the perfect stop. They have snacks, breakfast sandwiches or lunch, gifts, basic needs, fishing and camping gear, you name it.
Katahdin General Store
160 Bates Street
The general store is nothing fancy but it does have your general necessities. I have seen it on a few other bloggers’ “must stop” lists, and it’s really just a local spot.
Moose Drop In
242 Penobscot Ave
A little t-shirt and local goods shop for your gift-shopping needs.
Moose Prints Gallery and Gifts
102 Penobscot Ave
An awesome gallery with local photos, a must stop on your trip and perfect for a rainy day.
Knife’s Edge Trading Post
10 Balsam Drive
The stop for the outdoorsman, with hunting, fishing and camping gear.
Restaurants
Sawmill Bar and Grill
9 Millinocket Rd, Millinocket, ME 04462
Open Thursday-Sunday
Sawmill has traditional american bar food, and is open year round. It is convenient on your way into or out of Baxter State Park.
Scootic In Restaurant
70 Penobscot Ave, Millinocket, ME 04462
Open Tuesday-Saturday
Scootic In Restaurant has a little bit more variety than some of the other restaurants in the area, but serves a similar traditional american bar menu. The restaurant is in town and convenient to those staying in town.
River Drivers Restaurant
30 Twin Pines Rd, Millinocket, ME 04462
Open Thursday-Monday
River Drivers is operated by the New England Outdoor Center, and is in the same building. The views are 10/10 from inside as well as out on the patio. They have an american style menu with some more complicated dishes if you’re looking for boujee. The atmosphere is great to just get drinks and be outside as well.
Fredericka’s
Frederickas Way, Millinocket, ME 04462
Open Wednesday-Sunday
Fredericka’s is casual dining inside the Big Moose Inn, a beautiful inn on the way to Baxter State Park. The vibe inside the inn is fun and with good ambiance.
AT Cafe
210 Penobscot Ave, Millinocket, ME 04462
Open Thursday-Monday
The AT Cafe is a fun breakfast spot in town to grab a bite. The ceiling tiles lining the restaurant are signed by AT hikers which gives you something cool to look at while you wait for your food. The donuts are amazing here, and they sell out fast so I would recommend going on the earlier side if you want one.
Knife Edge Brewery
Black Cat Road, Millinocket, ME 04462
A beautiful new brewery with woodfired pizza that just opened in 2022. Awesome atmosphere to hang out for a little while. The location is a little out of the way, but with plenty of parking.
Golden Road Yacht Club
102a Baxter Park Rd, Millinocket, ME 04462
Check online for current open dates and hours
The Golden Road Yacht Club is an extension of the Northwoods Trading Co, on route to BSP. They also recently opened and are in a great location to stop and get a drink.
Where to Stay
Big Moose Inn
5 Fredericka’s Way
Big Moose Inn is one of the closest stays to Baxter State Park outside of camping. The inn has 15 rooms and they also have 16 cabins to choose from. The inn is quite charming and has their own dining room and bar.
New England Outdoor Center (NEOC)
Twin Pines Road
NEOC has its own campus with cabins and lodges to choose from. These cabins are more on the bougie side of rustic if you know what I mean. They’re also convenient if you plan on doing activities with NEOC.
5 Lakes Lodge
46 Marina Drive
5 Lakes Lodge sits right on a peninsula on South Twin Lake. All of the rooms are log cabin themed and on the high-end side of the scale.
Camp:
Abol Bridge Campground
3969 Golden Road
Right on the West Branch of the Penobscot River, Abol Bridge has the most fantastic views of Mt. Katahdin. They have a few rustic cabins for rent as well as their dry campsites. They have sites directly on the river for the best 24/7 views. Check ahead with the campground if you plan on bringing a big RV and keep in mind you’ll have to drive on the Golden Road.
Wilderness Edge Campground
71 Millinocket Lake Road
This is your standard campground with water and electric hookups, a pool, bathrooms, and your standard amenities. A quiet place to stay and within a good distance of Baxter.
Big Moose Inn Campground
5 Fredericka’s Way
Directly next to the Big Moose Inn is their campground. It is a small campground geared better towards tents and smaller campers. We brought our 30-foot toy hauler and that was pushing the limit on the sharp turns. They have two beautiful sites very close to the lake.