All-in-one delightful park
Written: Jan 17 '06 (Updated Aug 20 '06)
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Pros: Scenery, wildlife, GREAT hiking, and the fishing is pretty darn good.
Cons: RV sites aren't that great. Steep hill to boat ramp
The Bottom Line: Perfect for a day trip or tent camper
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| jlundquist1's Full Review: Meridian State Park |
Only January and our camping bug starting to itch we trekked to Meridian State Park. Unable to spend the night, but still wanting to try out my new camelback we opted for a day hiking trip. Meridian was the only state park left within an hour drive from us (approx 36mi from Waco) that we hadn't been to, and the trails looked promising. We went on a Monday and the park was not that busy.
Meridian has all the usual amenities of any Texas state park. The restrooms were clean. The park fees are $5 per person/day (waived if you have a State Park Pass) and campsites range from $13 for a tent site/no utilities to $20 for a pull through with full hookups (water/sewer/electric).
Since we usually travel with a camper I had to check out the RV sites. Meridian only has 15 so reservations seem like a necessity on any weekend(www.reserveamerica.com). All sites have a fire ring and concrete picknick table. None have direct acess to the lake, but it's only a short enjoyable hike away. All are surrounded by cedars or cypress trees. These should provide some shade, and allergy sufferers beware! The 7 back in sites were very small and the road is narrow with a very small turnaround. None of the pads appeared very level. I think anyone with a pop-up camper would be happy but nothing more that 10-12 feet if you have a box trailer. For anything bigger I would recommend one of the 8 pull through sites. Even for those a full size truck with a 5th wheel might be too much. The pull through's seemed much more level, although they are closely packed together and not at all private. I'd stay away from site #1 since the dumpstation and bathrooms are your neighbor. All 15 sites share one bathhouse.
Now to the good news. If you are a tent camper and want that "camping in the woods" feel then Meridian is the park for you. There are around 14 primitive camp sites which have a fire ring and table. They are secluded around the lake and although you'll have to hike to the john, these sites will put you at one with nature. Sites 16-23 are close to the perimiter of the park and state highway 22.
Hiking at Meridian is spectacular. The park boasts 5 miles of maintained trails. We hiked the Bosque trail which starts at the damn and takes you completely around the 72 acre lake. We really enjoyed this trail, minus one part. The trail changes from low lying creek beds to 30 limestone cliffs. The elevation changes made the trail exciting and were gentle enough for our 3 year old. The one part we didn't like: One large tree on the trail is apparently home to many, many Egrets. Needless to say the smell below that tree is pungent. Many of the trails cross and I think we visit several times and always do something different. We counted 10 armadillos on our hike and I gather without a noisy 3yo you could see tons of wildlife.
Lake Meridian is small, but not tiny. The park has a free boat ramp. The entire lake is "no wake" and max speed is 5mph so it's unlikely you'd need anything powered by gas. This looks like the perfect sized lake for a good day canoeing or kyaking. When we visited the lake level was very low, however the water was suprisingly clear. I imagine that when the lake is full any spot is a good one for fishing. I noticed on the website and at headquarters there were some impressive photos of monster bass caught in Lake Meridian. Next time we go, I'm bringing my pole no matter what. There is a swimming area and dock with restrooms and picknick areas nearby.
Overall I think Meridian is a jewel. It's not the best park for an RV or motorboat. However if you've got a tent, or a canoe this is the park for you.
****Added 8-06****:
We finally visted Meridian in our pop-up in August and here's what we thought.
If you have anything other than a pop up (even if you have a pop up over 10ft) I'd get a pull through/full hookup site. Sites 9-15 are back in only and we had a rough time getting our 8ft in the back in site. The site was nice however the hookups were about 12ft away so make sure you have plenty of hose/cord. Also, my wife tells me there are 2 other bath houses/restrooms for the shelter areas.
We also brought our canoe this time. Although the lake level was even lower than in January, Lake Meridian was perfect for paddling. The boat ramp was practically un-useable because of the low lake level and I can't imagine putting anything in with a trailer. If you have a boat I'd suggest calling first!!! My prediction was right though as the lake is LOADED with fish. We landed several keeper large mouth bass and lost just as many.
I sure hope they don't close this park because of budget cutbacks. Meridian State Park is really a gem.
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Hiking & Trails
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Epinions.com ID:
jlundquist1
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Member: J Lundquist
Location: Central Texas
Reviews written: 23
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
We camp ALOT!, we're frugal and we love bargains.
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