This realistic Meridian State Park Guide helps you plan your next day trip to this lesser known park.

Meridian State Park is a small Texas park. The park, nearby town, creek, and knob all share the same name. It has to do with astronomy. These landmarks are all quite close to the 98th Meridian.

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Sights & Places of Interest

Meridian has a surprising number of sights for a park in a fairly remote area of Texas. There is a scenic drive, two viewpoints, and a couple of CCC structures.

Five miles (8 km) of hiking trails await visitors to Meridian, too. The trails have different difficulty levels. They could work for both beginner and experienced hikers.

If this is not enough to put Meridian on your map, do not forget about Lake Meridian and wildflower fields. This variety could rival a few easy-to-reach state parks like McKinney Falls or Guadalupe River.

This Meridian State Park Guide covers the main things to do on a day trip to the park. You will be amazed by the sights in this small but mighty state park.

1. Drive Scenic Loop

Nearly all places of interest in Meridian are on or along State Park Road 7. It is a paved road that makes almost a full loop around the lake.

It will take you at least 20 minutes to drive on this 4.5-mi (7.2-km) road without stopping. But you would want to spend more time exploring the sights.

This road runs parallel to Highway TX-22 for a few miles at first. This is not its most scenic section. But things change once you check in the park office and headquarters.

Lake Meridian will be on full display as soon as you pass the campground. Head to the Bee Ledge and Shinnery Ridge viewpoints for even better views.

2. Explore Lake Meridian

Lake Meridian is a highlight of the park. Like most lakes in Texas, it is a human made lake. A dam on Bee Creek is to thank for its existence. The creek empties into Meridian Creek and the North Bosque River.

The 72-acre lake gives you plenty of things to do. Choose between fishing, swimming, and kayaking, or do them all on your visit to Meridian State Park.

You could go fishing in this lake year round. You do not need a license to fish in Texas State Parks. Avid and novice anglers could try their luck fishing bass, catfish, crappie, and sunfish in Lake Meridian.

The lake is a perfect place to flex your muscles while paddling. Bring your own kayaks, canoes, or paddle boards to the park. If you do not have one, you could rent a kayak in the park.

3. Visit Historic Structures

Meridian State Park dates back to 1935. The opening of this park has to do with the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC. This Great Depression initiative helped people earn a wage and develop infrastructure.

There are a handful of CCC structures in the park. The Bee Creek Dam that created the lake is the biggest of them. But it is far from the only one.

You should not miss the CCC Refectory, Stone Grill, and Bridge. The stone refectory building is next to the swimming area and the kayak launch. The Stone Grill and Bridge are within a short drive from it.

Meridian is not the only place in Texas with CCC structures. It joins Longhorn Cavern and Palmetto State Parks. These are some of the only state parks that could rival Meridian in historic buildings.

4. Hike Trails

Meridian State Park is hardly a hiking paradise. But it has four hiking trails for you to choose from. All of them but the Little Springs Trail start from the trailheads next to the lake.

The hiking trails differ in length, elevation gain, and difficulty. Here is a summary of all trails in Meridian State Park. Note that the trail difficulty assessment appears a bit off on the park map.

• Bosque Hiking Trail: a 2.2-mi (3.5-km) trail around the lake with 127 ft (39 m) in elevation gain; moderate.
• Shinnery Ridge Trail: a 1.5-mi (2.4-km) loop with 49 ft (15 m) in elevation gain; easy.
• Little Forest Junior Trail: a 0.8-mi (1.3-km) loop with 36 ft (11 m) in elevation gain; easy.
• Little Springs Trail: a 0.7-mi (1.1-km) loop with 49 ft (15 m) in elevation gain; easy.

The Bosque Hiking Trail is the only out-and-back path in Meridian State Park. But you could also turn into a loop by hiking a section of the Little Forest Junior Trail.

5. Find Wildflowers

Meridian State Park is an amazing destination to see native plants and wildflowers. The northwestern lakeshore is home to a lot of aquatic plants.

You should head to Meridian in the summer to see American lotuses bloom near the CCC Bridge. These flowers are so huge that you would easily believe that everything is indeed bigger in Texas.

Spring is the time when bluebonnets, firewheels, and Indian Paintbrush bloom in the park. Blue, red, and yellow flowers are a sight to see at Wildflower Field near the Juniper Ridge Campground.

Make a stop at the Fern Ledge, too. You could find similar limestone ledges all over the Texas Hill Country. But the ferns that grow there naturally set this ledge apart from other state parks.

Continue with this Meridian State Park Guide. You will learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to Meridian

Meridian State Park is in Bosque County in Central Texas. The park is just southwest of the same name town, the county seat.

Meridian is about halfway between Fort Worth and Waco. But Interstate Highway I-35W is not the best way to reach this park. You might want to take Highways TX-22, TX-174, or TX-6 instead.

A railway line goes east of Meridian. It connects Dallas with Austin, San Antonio, and Los Angeles out west and Chicago up north. But the Texas Eagle train does not stop in Meridian.

McGregor and Cleburne are the nearest stations to the park. Both of these towns are over 40 minutes away from Meridian State Park by car. With one train a day, this is hardly a route to recommend.

A car is the only reliable transport mode to reach Meridian. It also gives you the freedom to explore the park at your own pace. A car rental is the way to stop by this park for any out-of-state visitors.

Dallas area airports are the closest gateways to the park. Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) is about 2 hours from Meridian. Budget about the same time to get to the park from Dallas Love Field (DAL).

The former airport is a major hub for American Airlines. It has connections to nearly every large city in the United States and a lot of destinations abroad.

Dallas Love Field is the main airport for Southwest Airlines. It could work out better for a few travelers. You could also enjoy no change and cancelation fees and two checked bags for free on Southwest.

Where to Stay near Meridian

Finding a place to stay near Meridian State Park could prove challenging. This is especially true if you prefer to stay at a hotel rather than a vacation rental.

Most platforms show no places to stay in Meridian. But there is one notable hotel within a short drive southeast. Take a closer look at Velkommen Inn in Clifton. This hotel is 20 minutes from the park.

Get ready to drive for a lot longer if this hotel does not work out for you. Waco, Texas will be the closest town with a few places to stay. It is an hour away from Meridian State Park.

But this drive might be worth it. You could choose from Element Waco and Staybridge Suites Waco South – Woodway, an IHG Hotel. Both hotels are amazing places to stay.

Check out Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Waco South, an IHG Hotel and La Quinta by Wyndham Waco Baylor Downtown. These places to stay deserve your attention, too.

Outside of Waco you could consider Hillsboro, Cleburne, Glen Rose, Granbury, and Gatesville. Each of these towns has one or two hotels worthy of your consideration.

Take a look at La Quinta by Wyndham Hillsboro and Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Cleburne, an IHG Hotel. Comfort Suites Granbury could also be a good option.

Glen Rose has two hotels for you to consider. Both Holiday Inn Express Glen Rose, an IHG Hotel and Inn On The River are in this town. Check out Comfort Inn & Suites Gatesville near Fort Cavazos, too.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

Meridian State Park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year. Head to the park office for ranger advice between 8:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.

You need to pay a daily admission fee to visit the park. The fee is $5 per adult. Kids under 13 years old visit Meridian for free.

It might be hard to believe but this park often reaches capacity. Proximity to Waco and Dallas Fort Worth metro area is to blame.

If you want to avoid being turned away at the gate, buy a day pass in advance. Reservations open 30 days before the date.

Consider buying a Texas State Parks Pass as well. This annual pass covers admission fees for all adults who travel in the same car as the pass holder.

It also allows you to make Save the Day reservations for free. You will appreciate this flexibility without extra fees. This pass costs $70 with taxes if you buy it at a state park. Online orders cost about $7 more.

You cannot bring bikes or horses on the trails in Meridian State Park. Pets are allowed but you have to keep them on leash.

Takeaways: Meridian State Park

Meridian is a beautiful state park in-between Central Texas and North Texas regions. This park is outside of the major highways and tourist routes.

The park trails, scenic drive, and historic buildings alone are not enough to justify a lengthy detour. You are better off skipping this park during most of the year unless you are in the area.

Meridian is home to a great variety of wildflowers. You could see bluebonnets in other places throughout Texas. But you might not find American Lotuses nearby so easily.

Summer is the time when a detour to Meridian State Park is well worth it. You would not want to miss American Lotus bloom season in July. Take a swim or paddle through Lake Meridian while in the park.

Take a look at this Meridian State Park Video Guide. And visit the YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!