Meadow Lake
Maps/GPS:
USGS 7.5' Map:	Meadow Creek Lake
Statistics:	Difficulty: Number: Miles: Altitude: Obstacles: Time: Easy 1 FR823 3.02 10,000 ft. NA 1/2 hour
County:	Rio Blanco, Garfield
Adopted by:
Managed by:	White River National Forest, Rifle District	0094 County Road 244, Rifle, CO 81650	(970)625-2371
Summary:	The Meadow Lake 4WD road takes you to Meadow Lake and two small campgrounds at the head of Meadow Creek.
Attractions:	Scenery, Fishing, Camping
Seasonal Closure:	Agency - November 23 to May 22
Best Time:	June - Possible snow drifts July - Best August - Best September - Best October - Early snows possible
Trail Heads Accessed:	Meadow Lake Picnic Area, east shore - $9 fee, picnic, fishing Meadow Lake Picnic Area, west shore - $9 fee, picnic, fishing, non-motorized boat ramp
Camping:	There are two small campgrounds near the lake. Meadow Lake Campground has 10 sites for tents or small trailers, Meadow Ridge Campground has 20 sites for tents and small trailers. Both campgrounds have a $25 fee, have a pit toilet and are open 6/4 to 10/2.
Base Camp:	This would be a good area to base camp and explore all of the 4WD road networks in this area of the White River National Forest.
Fall Colors:	Very Good - There is an aspen grove north of the Meadow Lake Campground and aspens south and east of Meadow Lake.
Navigation:	From New Castle, CO head toward Wheeler Lane and go 0.3 miles. North 7th Street turns slightly left and becomes Midland Ave go 0.4 miles. Continue onto County Road 245/Buford Road. Continue to follow County Road 245 for 4.2 miles. Turn right onto New Castle Buford Road and go 21.4 miles. Turn right onto FR 601 and go 3.5 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road 823. From Buford, CO on County Road 8 head toward New Castle Buford Road for 2.3 miles. Turn left onto County Road 10 and go 1.5 miles. Turn right onto New Castle Buford Road and go 14.3 miles. Turn left onto FR 601 and go 3.5 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road 823.
History:	Meadow Creek Reservoir, often locally called Meadow Lake, was completed in 1958. It is a natural lake that was enhanced with an earthfill dam for recreational use and water storage. The dam is 61 feet tall with the lake holding 1,389 acre-feet of water.
Description:
The Meadow Lake 4WD road is a graded and maintained road that leaves the Blair Mountain, FR601, 4WD road and drops down to Meadow Lake and its two campgrounds. You will head along a small open area along a pine forest as you go south passing a spur road on your right that goes to a dispersed campsite. Start of FR823 photo by: Adam M The road will make a long sweeping turn to the right curving around a low hill where you will come into an area of aspen trees. After dropping down into a small drainage and making a switchback you will head back into the pines again. When the road come out into the open again you will see Meadow Lake below you. When I drove this road in July of 2025 the Forest Service was doing maintenance on the dam and the lake was drained. Therefore I don't have any pictures of the lake. It may be a few years before the lake is filled again and restocked with fish. The road will make a sharp haripin turn to the right and cross the open area above the lake before coming to the Meadow Lake Campground. At the campground entrance the Meadow Creek Cow Camp, FR821, 4WD road will run along the west shore of the lake passing the Meadow Lake Picnic Area on the west shore. Back at the sharp hairpin turn, FR823.2A heads around the east shore of the lake. Almost immediately you will pass FR650 on the left, stay to the right and the road will cross an open meadow above Meadow Creek Lake. After crossing a low area the road will enter a group of trees on a low hill and come to the Meadow Ridge Campground. The road will continue down to the Meadow Lake Picnic Area on the east shore.
Data updated - April 5, 2026     4WD Road driven - July 28, 2025     Copyright 4X4Explore.com - 2000-2026