MILLINOCKET – Even though the first wave of summer campsite registrations will not be accepted until a week from today, Baxter State Park officials are expecting campers to begin arriving Saturday.

“It has become somewhat of a tradition,” said Irwin “Buzz” Caverly, the park’s director. “They want to get first choice of the best sites.”

Baxter has 10 campgrounds, augmented by two campgrounds with cabin facilities and two that cater to hikers in the back country. Baxter can accommodate 1,200 campers a day.

Caverly said the early registrants want the cabin sites and the campsites on Chimney Pond and South Basin, the park’s two most popular areas.

He expects 150 to 200 people to come to Millinocket this year for early registration. The preregistration will take place at a new locale, the Katahdin Inn, just down the road from the park’s entrance, on the same side. Previously, preregistration was held at Heritage Motor Inn across from the park headquarters.

Preregistration will begin at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2, at the Katahdin Inn, with final registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. at park headquarters.

Years ago, explained Caverly, the crowd waiting to register became too large for park headquarters, so park officials began renting space at nearby motels and hotels. In past years, the crowd has stood in line all night in blinding snowstorms, but last year the 275 registrants enjoyed fairly mild temperatures.

Popular places such as the cabins at Daicey Pond, Kidney Pond, Roaring Brook, the bunkhouse and lean-tos at Chimney Pond and South Branch Pond are usually among the first spots to be reserved. Traditional opening day limits apply, which is two four-person cabins or three two- or three-person cabins per ticket or turn, said Caverly.

For the first time this year, however, groups can rent the entire campground at Katahdin Stream on three weekends dedicated for the purpose.

The longest lines for reservations occurred in 1993, when about 350 people lined up at park headquarters. The crowd overwhelmed the facility and violated state fire codes so park officials began renting space after that.

Last year, more than 20 people pitched tents or waited bundled in protective clothing throughout the night before registrations were accepted.

In addition to handling the people in line, Caverly and the park staff will likely field a couple of hundred telephone calls from people asking about rates or requesting information packets. Caverly said the staff will also be kept quite busy for the rest of January with people who choose not to wait in long lines and make their reservations later in the week.

People who come in person are given first choice on reservations, said Caverly, and those who mail reservations will be assigned campsites based on the postmark date.

Non-resident reservation requests are made and confirmed as they are received, said Caverly. Maine resident mail requests are given priority over out-of-state mail requests.

Caverly said an average of 30 percent of the campground, lean-to and tent site facilities are set aside for advanced reservations for Maine residents. That figure has never been exceeded, he said.