Beautiful Baxter State Park: Backpacking Roaring Brook-Russell Pond (Part 3)

Grand Falls-Russell Pond

Our first full day backpacking and hiking at Baxter State Park in north-central Maine continues after arriving from Boston yesterday.

Grand Falls Trail: Spur to Bell Pond & Pitcher Plant Bog

Departing from Grand Falls, I turn west toward Russell Pond. At the outset, some of the driest trail miles of the day, thankfully. The trail rolls through the pine woods, and passes a spot marked on the map as “Inscription Rock,” according to my topo map, but can’t distinguish the supposed names site from any of the other large granite boulders scattered around.

I do spot a female spruce grouse sitting on top of one of the outcropping rocks, though. I seem to attract grouse…I saw a spruce grouse in Alaska in 2021 and another grouse in the Sierra Nevada several months ago.

Shortly afterwards, I pass a rare pitcher plant bog – the only one in the park, I later learn from the ranger at Russell on arrival. This is now the third place that I’ve seen such plants – joining West Quoddy Head State Park in Maine in 2017/18 and Big Thicket National Preserve earlier this summer in Texas.

But remember those words just above about some of the driest trail miles? Yeah, that didn’t last long. The word “bog” might have given you a clue to that effect. As I traverse the area, I step off a bog bridge by mistake that has been submerged by the higher water levels, presumably from all the rain this summer, and wind up about shin deep in the water of the bog.

Baxter State Park: Pitcher Plant Bog-Russell Pond

The bog doesn’t last long, though. Soon there are some nice views of the mountains rising in the distance from the shore of Bell Pond, then the trail dries out as it starts to roll across some minor ridges in the ground.

After a couple rolling miles, and a junction passed to Cavalry Lookout that I am so focused on my destination that I don’t notice, down I drop to the spring flowing into Russell Pond, crossed by a couple log bridges.

The south view from the open space in front of the ranger station on the north shore of the pond is pretty spectacular, and I pause a moment to soak it in before heading south around the west shore of the pond to our campsite for the next two nights and the full reunion with the rest of our group.

Baxter State Park Route Logistics

	Baxter State Park: Roaring Brook to Wassataquoik Stream Lean-tos (depicted above)	Roaring Brook to Russell Pond via Sandy Stream Pond, Wassataquoik Stream Trail & Grand Falls Trail (overall route of day)	Roaring Brook to Russell Pond direct	Roaring Brook to Russell Pond via Sandy Stream Pond alone	Roaring Brook to Russell Pond via Sandy Stream Pond, Wassataquoik Stream Trails
Trails Involved	* Sandy Stream Pond Trail * Russell Pond Trail * Wassataquoik Stream Trail	* Sandy Stream Pond Trail * Russell Pond Trail * Wassataquoik Stream Trail * Grand Falls Trail	Russell Pond Trail	* Sandy Stream Pond Trail * Russell Pond Trail	* Sandy Stream Pond Trail * Russell Pond Trail * Wassataquoik Stream Trail
Trail Surface	Singletrack	Singletrack	Singletrack	Singletrack	Singletrack
Length	16.6 miles
Ideal Season	Late spring, summer, fall (winter doable but cold and snowy)	Late spring, summer, fall (winter doable but cold and snowy)	Late spring, summer, fall (winter doable but cold and snowy)	Late spring, summer, fall (winter doable but cold and snowy)	Late spring, summer, fall (winter doable but cold and snowy)
Water Sources	Various tributary streams as well as Wassataquoik Stream. No water sources between second crossing of Wassataquoik Stream and Russell Pond.	Various tributary streams as well as Wassataquoik Stream. No flowing water sources between second crossing of Wassataquoik Stream and spring near Russell Pond.	Various tributary streams as well as Wassataquoik Stream. No flowing water sources until after Sandy Stream Pond Trail junction.	Various tributary streams as well as Wassataquoik Stream. First flowing source after Roaring Brook is on Russell Pond Trail after completing Sandy Stream Pond trail.	Various tributary streams as well as Wassataquoik Stream. First flowing source after Roaring Brook is on Russell Pond Trail after completing Sandy Stream Pond trail.
Trailheads	Roaring Brook as described, though Russell Pond can be accessed via Wassataquoik Lake Trail and Pogue Notch Trail from the northwest and north (respectively) as well.	Roaring Brook as described, though Russell Pond can be accessed via Wassataquoik Lake Trail and Pogue Notch Trail from the northwest and north (respectively) as well.	Roaring Brook as described, though Russell Pond can be accessed via Wassataquoik Lake Trail and Pogue Notch Trail from the northwest and north (respectively) as well.	Roaring Brook as described, though Russell Pond can be accessed via Wassataquoik Lake Trail and Pogue Notch Trail from the northwest and north (respectively) as well.	Roaring Brook as described, though Russell Pond can be accessed via Wassataquoik Lake Trail and Pogue Notch Trail from the northwest and north (respectively) as well.
Trailhead Access	2WD vehicular access. Reservations required to enter Baxter State Park.	2WD vehicular access. Reservations required to enter Baxter State Park.	2WD vehicular access. Reservations required to enter Baxter State Park.	2WD vehicular access. Reservations required to enter Baxter State Park.	2WD vehicular access. Reservations required to enter Baxter State Park.
Wilderness	Yes, Baxter operates under a “forever wilderness” principle similar to the federal Wilderness Act.	Yes, Baxter operates under a “forever wilderness” principle similar to the federal Wilderness Act.	Yes, Baxter operates under a “forever wilderness” principle similar to the federal Wilderness Act.	Yes, Baxter operates under a “forever wilderness” principle similar to the federal Wilderness Act.	Yes, Baxter operates under a “forever wilderness” principle similar to the federal Wilderness Act.
Campsites	Wassataquoik Stream Lean-tos	* Wassataquoik Stream Lean-tos * Russell Pond	Russell Pond	* Wassataquoik Stream Lean-tos * Russell Pond	* Wassataquoik Stream Lean-tos * Russell Pond
Hazards	* Storms * High water crossings	* Storms * High water crossings	* Storms * High water crossings	* Storms * High water crossings	* Storms * High water crossings
Highlights	* Greenery * Water * Views of Katahdin * Wildlife	* Greenery * Water * Views of Katahdin * Wildlife * Grand Falls of Wassataquoik Stream	* Greenery * Water * Views of Katahdin * Wildlife	* Greenery * Water * Views of Katahdin * Wildlife	* Greenery * Water * Views of Katahdin * Wildlife