5 Reasons to Visit Katahdin’s New Contact Station

In northern Maine, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument preserves more than 87,500 acres along the East Branch of the Penobscot River, a traditional transportation corridor of the native Wabanaki people and a critical part of the region’s logging heritage. Established in 2016, the park site features vast forests, deep river valleys and rock formations dating back millions of years. The monument is located within the present and traditional homeland of the Penobscot Nation. 

Katahdin’s new, state-of-the-art ranger contact station, Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, opens to the public this summer.

As members of NPCA’s Next Generation Advisory Council — a group of 21- to 32-year-olds selected to represent the values and priorities of younger voices in national park advocacy and protection — we got a sneak peek at the facility to learn more about its path to becoming a national monument and lessons to be shared for future national park sites.

Throughout our visit, Susan Adams, recreation manager at Elliotsville Foundation and a member of NPCA’s Northeast Regional Council, amazed our council with the depth of her knowledge. NPCA was proud to work closely with Elliotsville Foundation and local leaders on the campaign to establish the monument. Our tour with Susan included stopping at the best spot in the park for moose gazing, glimpsing the postcard-ready views of Mount Katahdin, and hearing stories of the local community members, national advocates and agency officials that Elliotsville Foundation engaged throughout the process to shape Katahdin’s future.

Below, you’ll find a few takeaways from our trip that might inspire you to visit this neck of the Maine woods, too.

1. From industry to outdoor recreation

In the mid-2000s, northern Maine experienced a period of economic and cultural upheaval. The nearby gateway community of Millinocket was still reeling from the closure of the Great Northern Paper Mill over a decade earlier, which had been a cornerstone of the region’s economy and its biggest employer. Like many rural communities across the United States, Millinocket began exploring a shift from reliance on extractive industries to embracing outdoor recreation as a new economic driver.

What would such a transition entail? Efforts by community members, philanthropists, and nonprofit organizations, including NPCA, helped build momentum for this shift, highlighting the economic potential of world-class recreation in Millinocket’s backyard — such as hiking, biking, fishing, birding and more.

The campaign for this shift was so successful that, even as private industry has recently attempted to revive metal mining in the area, the local community has firmly rejected these efforts, demonstrating a commitment to conservation and providing a model for transformative change nationwide.

2. Tekαkαpimək: As far as one can see

The centerpiece of a visit to Katahdin Woods and Waters is the new Tekαkαpimək Contact Station atop Lookout Mountain, designed to immerse visitors in the Indigenous history and natural beauty of the region before they venture further into the monument. In the Penobscot language, Tekαkαpimək (pronounced de gah-gah bee mook) means “as far as one can see.”

The station’s grounds feature a garden overlook and a circular gathering area with stone benches surrounding a carved emblem of double curves that form a circle. This emblem is adorned with images of native trees, plants, flowers and a whale tail — symbols of the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot nations, collectively known as the Wabanaki Nations, or the people of the dawn. Just a week before our visit, the Tribes held a ceremonial drum circle here to celebrate the contact station’s opening.

The same circular emblem appears on the cobblestone path leading to the contact station and on the front doors, alongside the National Park Service arrowhead — a lasting symbol of the collaboration that brought this project to life.

The building’s striking architecture and the thoughtful details inside were equally captivating.

3. A new look for “park-itecture"

The National Park System’s typical design elements — green roofs, brown wooden signs and rustic visitor centers — often do not fully reflect the diverse stories and landscapes they represent. The Tekαkαpimək Contact Station serves as an example for future interpretive designs, including how to engage Indigenous communities throughout the planning process.

Collaboration among Tribes, federal agencies and nonprofits made this new facility possible. The 7,900-square-foot building incorporates Indigenous knowledge and design, features locally sourced materials and was built with local contractors and laborers. Its exhibits showcase Wabanaki stories and history amid towering natural wood designs, seamlessly blending cultural and biological knowledge about the landscape and its ecosystem.

Elliotsville Foundation and Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters convened the National Park Service, Tribes and the local community to create a share vision for this contact station.

Architects’ initial draft for the contact station, a silo and barn, were intended to be a callback to the traditional New England farmhouses scattered throughout the region. Local Wabanaki community members’ disappointment in the draft and subsequent feedback sent designers back to the drawing board — an experience you can read more about in the National Parks magazine article, “A Building of Trust.”

Tekαkαpimək Contact Station’s departure from traditional architecture reflects a deeper connection to the land and broader historical context, while its Indigenous artistry and storytelling define its exhibits. Such site-specific elements are more engaging and authentic, inviting visitors to connect with the landscape and its history in new and meaningful ways.

4. Sustainable power for a cleaner future

Upon nearing the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, one thing immediately stands out: There are no power lines. The facility’s state-of-the-art, off-the-grid technology features solar panels, energy storage systems and other sustainable technologies, allowing the contact station to operate without traditional power sources.

Because of this thoughtful design, visitors can experience the quiet solitude of nature, while still enjoying modern amenities and essential comforts. The absence of traditional infrastructure preserves the visual integrity of the landscape, so uninterrupted views of the forests and mountains remain. Visitors are invited to reflect on how we can coexist with the environment, blending the convenience of modern technology with respect for the land.

5. Community engagement worth celebrating

Listening to the feedback of Indigenous communities was the first step toward crafting a building that celebrates the living ancestry of land and people. Tekαkαpimək Contact Station reflects an ongoing collaboration among indigenous leaders, local communities, federal agencies and nonprofit organizations, such as the Elliotsville Foundation and Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters.

“Community engagement and Tribal consultation, especially with the Penobscot Nation and Wabanaki People, was critical in getting this contact station right,” Adams said.

Such collaborative community engagement continues. Local leaders and nonprofit partners are working together to create a southern entrance to the monument directly from Millinocket via a network of existing roads, which will improve visitor access and bolster the local economy. Maine Sen. Angus King recently re-introduced a bill, S.282, to grant the Park Service a right of way over the roads. The effort has the support of the Millinocket Town Council, 50 local businesses and more than 50 local residents who signed letters of support.

Want to visit?

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is located about a three-hour drive west of Acadia National Park and an hour-and-a-half drive north of Bangor, Maine. The park is free to enter and open year-round but is only accessible on foot, ski, snowshoe or bike November through April as roads close for winter and the spring thaw. Always check the latest details on weather and road conditions before traveling to the monument.