TX State ParksAn independent field guide

Meridian State Park

State park in Bosque County, in the Prairies and Lakes region. Established 1935. 505 acres.

A grotto in Meridian State Park in Bosque County, Texas, United States.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Meridian State Park is a small park among limestone bluffs 50 miles northwest of Waco, built in 1933–34 by a Civilian Conservation Corps company of World War I veterans. You can swim, fish and paddle the 72-acre no-wake lake (you don't need a fishing license anywhere in the park, even from a boat) and hike the 2.2-mile Bosque Hiking Trail around it. Endangered golden-cheeked warblers nest here from March to July.

Things to do

Hike around the lake

The 2.2-mile Bosque Hiking Trail passes limestone outcrops and overlooks; TPWD rates it challenging. Part of the Shinnery Ridge Trail is wheelchair accessible.

Paddle and fish

Rent a single kayak from the lakeside vending machine. Fish from the shore, the accessible pier or a boat; the park loans gear.

Golden-cheeked warblers

The endangered birds nest in the park from March to July.

The view of Lake Meridian from Bee Ledge, a natural overlook in Meridian State Park in Bosque County, Texas.
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Title: Master Plan Early Date: 10/2/1939 Late Date: 10/2/1939 Architect: Roesle, Paul R, draftsman Remarks: Pencil, black ink, and blue colored pencil on paper
Photo: Texas State Archives, No restrictions
Title: Bath House Specific Date: 5/14/1936 Remarks: Pencil on paper showing bathhouse, including section on D-D, end and side elevation of bench for men's dress
Photo: Texas State Archives, No restrictions

Trails

TPWD counts about 5 miles of trails in the park. These are the named trails it lists, with its own distances and ratings.

TrailDistanceDifficulty
Bosque Hiking Trail2.2 miChallenging
Shinnery Ridge Trail1.5 miModerate
Little Forest Junior Trail0.8 miEasy
Little Springs Trail0.7 miModerate
Wildflower Trail0.1 miEasy

Source: TPWD trail list. TPWD doesn’t list trail surfaces. Printable trail map (PDF).

Camping

Campsites range from primitive to full hookup. There are also 15 screened shelters, six of them lakeside, three cabins and two group camps.

Site typeSitesSleepsPer night
Full Hookup CampsitesFull hookup88$25
Campsites with ElectricityWater and electric68$20
Primitive CampsitesPrimitive88$15
Group CampGroup124$56
Group Camp (Youth)Group172$54
Screened Shelters (Lakeside)Screened shelters68$35
Screened SheltersScreened shelters98$30
CabinsCabins36$50

Nightly rates are on top of the daily entrance fee. Book a site with Texas State Parks reservations, or call (512) 389-8900.

Visiting with dogs

Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Like every Texas state park, they can't go into park buildings or designated swimming areas.

Swimming

Swimming is allowed in designated areas. There are no lifeguards at Texas state parks.

Best time to go

Busy season
Spring, summer and fall
January low
40°F
July high
98°F
Night sky
Bortle 4

TPWD lists spring, summer and fall as the busy season. Spring brings wildflowers and is the wettest season; July averages 98°F.

Averages and busy season from TPWD. The Bortle scale runs from 1 (darkest sky) to 9 (inner city).

Getting there

173 Park Road #7
Meridian, TX 76665
(254) 435-2536

Open in OpenStreetMap (31.8908, -97.6976)

From the nearest cities in this guide
FromApprox. driveStraight line
Waco1 hr 2 min38 mi
Fort Worth1 hr 40 min65 mi
Dallas2 hr 1 min83 mi
Austin2 hr 35 min110 mi
Tyler3 hr 28 min143 mi
The Woodlands4 hr 1 min176 mi
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Nearby parks

  1. Lake Whitney State Park20 miles away. $5 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  2. Dinosaur Valley State Park25 miles away. $8 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  3. Cleburne State Park26 miles away. $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.
  4. Mother Neff State Park41 miles away. $2 per adult, kids 12 and under free.
  5. Cedar Hill State Park66 miles away. $7 per adult, kids 12 and under free. Swimming allowed.

Straight-line distance. See every park in the Prairies and Lakes.

Questions people ask

Do you need a fishing license at Meridian State Park?

No, not from shore, the pier or a boat.

Can you swim at Meridian State Park?

Yes, in the 72-acre lake. There are no lifeguards.

Photo credits

Sources

Last checked October 14, 2026. Fees, hours and rules change; the official TPWD page for Meridian has current alerts and closures.

  1. TPWD: Meridian State Park, retrieved October 14, 2026
  2. TPWD state parks map (amenities, contact), retrieved October 14, 2026
  3. TPWD GIS: Texas State Parks Public Areas, retrieved October 14, 2026
  4. TPWD: Bortle ratings by region, retrieved October 14, 2026
  5. TPWD: Meridian State Park campsites, retrieved October 14, 2026
  6. TPWD: Meridian State Park screened shelters, retrieved October 14, 2026
  7. TPWD: Meridian State Park cabins and lodging, retrieved October 14, 2026
  8. TPWD: Meridian State Park trails, retrieved October 14, 2026
  9. TPWD: Meridian State Park history, retrieved October 14, 2026
  10. TPWD: state park rules (pets, swimming), retrieved October 14, 2026
  11. Wikipedia: List of Texas state parks, retrieved October 14, 2026
  12. OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data (approximate drive times), retrieved October 14, 2026
  13. Wikimedia Commons (photos), retrieved October 14, 2026