Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

Weather in this part of Texas is known for its changeability. A common Panhandle saying is, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

No Fees.
Boat lauches, fishing, etc. may have extra fees.

Blue Creek Bridge
Open All Year - No designated sites, however there are chemical toilets and picnic tables. This area is one of two designated off-road vehcile use areas. Off-road vehicles however, are restricted to the creek bed. No water or RV hookups available. No camping fees. NOTE: All riders of 3 & 4 wheelers MUST wear a DOT approved safety helmet and eye protection.

Blue West
Open All Year - Blue West campground is on the north side of the lake off Highway 1913. Individual campsites have picnic tables, shade shelters and some grills. Vault toilets, no drinking water or RV hookups. Access to the lake shoreline is difficult from this site: however, a public boat ramp is located nearby. Blue West campground is seldom full. There is an excellent view of the lake from this campground. No camping fee.

Bugbee
Open All Year - A popular location with shoreline fishermen, Bugbee is a semi-developed camping area with no individual campsites. Some picnic tables and an "outback" chemical toilet are provided. Camping availability changes with fluctuating lake levels. No water, RV hookups or camping fee.

Cedar Canyon
Open All Year - Cedar Canyon a shoreline campground is fairly small, located off Sanford-Yake road. There are no designated camping sites, availability varies as lake level fluctuates. A comfort station with running water and flush toilets is located in the boat ramp parking lot. Restrooms open seasonally, no RV hookups or camping fee. RV dump station located at the head of the Cedar Canyon entrance road. The possession and consumption of alcohol is prohibited at Cedar Canyon.

Fritch Fortress
Open All Year - Beautiful views from this bluff location make this an attractive campground. Individual campsites have picnic tables, shade shelters and grills. Comfort station with running water and flush toilets opened seasonally. No RV hookups, RV waste dump station nearby. No camping fees. Public boat ramp nearby.

Harbor Bay
Open All Year - This shoreline campground is located just outside the community of Fritch, Texas. Harbor Bay has no indivudual camp sites. Camping availability varies greatly with rising and falling lake levels. Harbor Bay becomes extremely crowded on summer holiday weekends. The access road is blacktop, but the camping area can become soft during rainy conditions. Chemical toilets located near the public boat ramp. Some picnic tables are provided. No RV hookups, RV waste dump station nearby. No camping fees.

McBride Canyon
Open All Year - No designated camping sites. No access to the lake from this campground. Beautiful area, with huge cottonwood trees shading the picnic tables. Chemical toilet, no water available. No RV hookups or camping fee. Dirt road can become impassable during and after rain.

Mullinaw
Open All Year - Located southwest of the McBride campground, Mullinaw campgound has undeveloped sites with picnic tables and chemical toilets. No water availale, no RV hookups. Horseback riding allowed, corrals available for horse camping groups. No camping fee.

Plum Creek
Open All Year - This area contains some large shade trees and is quite popular with hunters and horseback users. No designated camping spots. This undeveloped area has chemical toilets and picnic tables, no water, RV hookups or camping fee. Hitch rails and horse pens are provided. Devil's Canyon Trail is for the beginner to experienced horseback rider. The trail is also used by hikers and mountain bikers.

Rosita
Open All Year - Located along the Canadian River, Rosita is one of two off-road vehicle use areas and a horseback riding area. There are a few chemical toilets, and picnic tables, -no drinking water. No designated camping sites, camping fee or RV hookups. NOTE: All riders of 3 & 4 wheelers and morotcycles MUST wear a DOT approved safety helmet and eye protection.

Sanford-Yake
Open All Year - This campsite is located on a spectacular bluff overlooking Lake Meredith near the marina, on the Sanford-Yake Road. The campground is simular to the more traditional National Park Service campgrounds. Individual campsites have picnic areas, shade shelters and grills. There is one central comfort station with running water and flush tiolets, which is open seasonally. No camping fees or RV hookpus. A RV waste dump station nearby. A public boat ramp is located at the Marina.

Fishing

• Bass: Largemouth 14" minimum length; 10 in possession, 5 daily bag
• Bass: Smallmouth under 12" and over 15"; 6 in possession, 3 daily bag
• Bass: White/sand minimum 10"; 50 in possession, 25 daily limit
• Catfish: Channel, Blue, their hybrids and subspecies minimum 12"; 50 (Any combination) in possession, 25 (Any combination) daily bag
• Catfish: Flathead 18"minimum; 10 possession, 5 daily bag
• Crappie: White and Black, their hybrids and subspecies 10"Minimum; 10 (any combination), 25 daily bag (any combination)
• Trout: Rainbow, Brown and their hybrids and subspecies - No minimum, 10 in possession (any combination), 5 daily bag (any combination)
• Walleye: No Minimum; 10 in possession (Only 2 can be less than 16" in length), 5 daily bag (Only 2 can be less than 16" in length)

Other fishing limits

Daily bag limit for both Smallmouth and Largemouth bass is 5 bass, any combination not exceeding 3 Smallmouth. Possession limit of 10 bass with no more than 6 Smallmouth.

Limit of 5 catfish at Spring Canyon - a day use only area.

Boating

The primary activity at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area is boating. Take note that weather changes in the Texas Panhandle very quickly. The park attempts to notify boaters of inclement weather by sending patrol boats around the lake with a siren. Also, wind warning systems have been installed at Sandy Point and Fritch Fortress. These systems have a wind-driven propeller, which will activate stroble lights when the winds reach 20 mph.

There are several areas ideal for riding. Plum Creek and the McBride areas have corrals and lots of dirt roads and trails. Several riding groups host trail rides and endurance rides at Lake Meredith annually.

Hunting in Lake Meredith

White-Tailed Deer

• Archery Season: runs from late September through October.
  Bag Limit: 3 deer, 1 buck and 2 antlerless
• General Season runs from mid November into early December.
  Bag Limit: 1 buck, both seasons combined
• Special Youth Season: runs a couple of days in late October.
  Bag Limit: 1 buck only.
  Restricted to youths 16 and under. A Special Resident Hunting (Type 102) license is required. Applies to White-tailed Deer hunting only.
• During the General Deer Season and Special Youth Season, all hunters must wear blaze orange clothing. Clothing consists of both a hat and vest totaling 500 square inches worn conspicuously above the waist. Blaze orange should be worn during the entire gun season inside Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. Note: Migratory bird hunters on the waters of Lake Meredith are exempt.

Mule Deer

• Archery Season: runs from late September through October
  Bag Limit: 1 buck
• General Season runs from mid November into early December.
  Bag Limit: 1 buck

Dove

• Season: runs from early September into late October.
• Daily Bag Limit: 15 mourning, white-winged, and white-tipped (white-fronted) doves in the aggregate, to include no more than 2 white-tipped doves per day.
• Possession Limit: 30 in aggregate, including no more than 4 white-tipped doves in possession.

Teal

• Season: runs through most of September.

Turkey (Gobblers only)

• Fall Archery Season: runs from late September through October
  Archery only, closed to shotguns.
• Spring Season: runs from late March into mid May
  Shotgun or archery allowed
  Bag Limit: 4 gobblers, all seasons

Quail

• Season: runs from late October into late February
• Daily bag limit: 15 per day
• Possession limit: 45

Pheasant

• Season: runs through most of December
• Daily bag limit: 2 cock pheasants
• Possession: 4 cock pheasants

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area Non-Game Hunting

• Season: (Rabbit, Coyote and Raccoon) runs from late October through late February

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area does not issue permits for Pronghorn. Hunting of game species not listed in this handout is prohibited within Lake Meredith National Recreation Area except migratory birds.

Loaded weapons are prohibited inside motor vehicles, including ATV's, utility (four or six wheel), motor cross (dirt) bikes and sandrails.

It is unlawful to be in possession of a hand gun not being utilized as a primary hunting weapon (including a person licensed to carry a concealed handgun) during the entire hunting season in the boundaries of Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument.

Hunting is prohibited within the boundaries of Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument.

Blue Creek and Rosita Flats was set aside for all-terrain vehicle recreation. Riders must stay within the cutbanks of Blue Creek and Rosita and below 3000 ft. elevation. All riders must wear a DOT approved safety helmet and eye protection. Please practice safety habits at all times while in the recreation areas.

Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument is adjacent to Lake Meredith and is operated by Lake Meredith, which is only a few miles away. It’s also the only monument in the State of Texas

Lake Meredith Ampitheater hosts several events yearly. The ampitheater can be reserved by Special Use Permit.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park is less than 50 miles away and is otherwise known as the little grand canyon of Texas. Great hiking, horseback riding and camping can be done at this park and is a must see if you're in the area

Lake Meredith Aquatic and Wildlife Museum is located in Fritch. This museum has some wonderful wildlife replicas and aquariums to view. The Museum is open Monday through Saturday, noon to 5:00 pm and is located at 101 N. Robey, Fritch, Texas.

Hutchinson County Museum is located at 618 N. Main St. Borger, Texas.

Panhandle Plains Historical Museum is located 15 minutes south of Amarillo on the campus of West Texas A&M University, 2503 4th Avenue, Canyon, Texas. Museum hours are 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. 1-6 p.m. on Sunday. In fall and winter hours, the museum closes at 5:00 pm.