MAINE PUBLIC • June 15, 2021
A new National Park Service report shows that Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument attracted 41,000 visitors last year who spent $2.7 million in nearby communities. The report says that spending supported 38 jobs and had a cumulative benefit of more than $3 million. Visitation continues to grow each year. Superintendent Tim Hudson says the numbers increased about 10% last summer and have prompted the National Park Service to propose adding the monument's facilities to a national park reservation system. Currently, all campsites and lean-tos are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.