Meade State Park is a green oasis on the high plains – the only state park in southwest Kansas, built around a spring-fed 80-acre lake. About 13 miles southwest of the town of Meade, this 440-acre park pairs an excellent year-round fishery (including winter trout) with cabins, a swim beach, shortgrass-prairie nature trails and a fish hatchery. For anglers and families in this corner of the state, it’s the go-to lake destination.
This guide covers Meade State Park and its lake – the fishing, the camping and cabins, and what’s nearby. It’s part of our growing Kansas Lakes Database.
- Meade State Park at a glance
- A spring-fed oasis on the high plains
- Fishing Meade State Park Lake
- Camping, cabins and the beach
- Getting there and what’s nearby
- Frequently asked questions
- How big is the lake at Meade State Park?
- What fish can you catch at Meade State Park?
- Does Meade State Park have cabins and camping?
- Where is Meade State Park?
Meade State Park at a glance
- Size: an 80-acre lake within a 440-acre park, about 13 miles southwest of Meade in Meade County, southwest Kansas
- Distinction: the only state park in southwest Kansas
- Top fish: largemouth bass, channel and flathead catfish, saugeye, crappie, bluegill – plus stocked trout in the cooler months
- Camping: 42 water/electric sites and 150 primitive sites, plus reservable cabins
- Day use: a swim beach, boating and fishing access, and shortgrass-prairie nature trails
- Rules: fishing allowed year-round; boating is no-wake, fishing-only
A spring-fed oasis on the high plains
Surrounded by the dry shortgrass prairie of southwest Kansas, Meade State Park feels like a hidden retreat. The lake has long been fed by springs, giving the park its green, wooded character in a region where open water is scarce. Nature trails wind through the prairie ecosystem, an on-site fish hatchery and wildlife area add interest, and the whole park is compact and easy to explore. It’s a popular stop for travelers crossing the southwest part of the state.
Fishing Meade State Park Lake
The fishery here is excellent for its size. Anglers find largemouth bass, channel and flathead catfish, saugeye, crappie and bluegill year-round, and KDWP stocks trout in the cooler months for a rare southwest-Kansas trout fishery. Boating is restricted to no-wake, fishing-only, keeping the lake calm. Work the points and structure for bass and saugeye, and the dam area for trout in winter. Anglers 16 to 74 need a Kansas fishing license (with a trout permit to keep trout); check the current KDWP report before you go.
Camping, cabins and the beach
Meade is built for an easy stay: 42 water/electric campsites, 150 primitive sites and reservable cabins, plus a swim beach for hot summer days. A Kansas state park vehicle permit is required, with camping and cabins reservable through the state park system. As with any warm Kansas lake, watch for summer blue-green algae advisories and check beach status before you swim.
Getting there and what’s nearby
The park is about 13 miles southwest of Meade, whose Dalton Gang Hideout museum is a quirky Old West stop in town. For another scenic southwest-Kansas lake, the canyon-set Clark State Fishing Lake is within day-trip range to the northeast, while Cheney is the nearest big reservoir far to the east.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the lake at Meade State Park?
About 80 acres, set within a 440-acre park 13 miles southwest of Meade – the only state park in southwest Kansas.
What fish can you catch at Meade State Park?
Largemouth bass, channel and flathead catfish, saugeye, crappie and bluegill year-round, plus stocked trout in the cooler months.
Does Meade State Park have cabins and camping?
Yes – 42 water/electric sites, 150 primitive sites and reservable cabins, plus a swim beach and nature trails.
Where is Meade State Park?
In Meade County in southwest Kansas, about 13 miles southwest of the town of Meade.
Related: explore more small lakes of Kansas, or the canyon-set Clark State Fishing Lake – or head back to the Kansas Lakes Database.
