Lake Meredith National Recreation Area: Harbor Bay Loop (Blog Hike #823)

Trail: Harbor Bay Loop
Hike Location: Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
Geographic Location: northeast of Amarillo, TX (35.65058, -101.62954)
Length: 2.2 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: July 2020
Overview: A lollipop loop with great views of Lake Meredith.
Area Information: https://www.nps.gov/lamr/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=825524
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the northeast corner of SR 335 Loop around Amarillo, take SR 136 north 29 miles to Lakeview Drive in the town of Fritch and turn left on Lakeview Dr.  Lakeview Dr. deadends at the Harbor Bay Trailhead on the shore of Lake Meredith, where this hike begins.

The hike: In most areas building large reservoirs to hold water during times of plenty and supply it during times of drought is an effective water management strategy, but the Texas panhandle is not most areas.  Notorious as the center of the 1930's Dust Bowl, the Texas panhandle's climate is characterized by years of scarce but sufficient rainfall followed by years of devastating drought.  With a volume of nearly 1 billion cubic meters, massive Lake Meredith supplied the nearby cities of Amarillo and Lubbock with drinking water for many years, but when the droughts of the early 2000's reduced the lake to roughly one-quarter of its capacity, water withdrawals were ceased in order to "conserve what is left."  While lake levels have recovered somewhat today, the Texas panhandle's semi-arid climate poses as many challenges for us as it did for our Dust Bowl ancestors.

            Created in 1965 with the construction of the Sanford Dam on the Canadian River, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area protects nearly 45,000 acres on and along its namesake lake.  Unfortunately, like its eponymous lake, the recreation area has seen its better days: visitor count has declined nearly 75% from its peak in 1984.  The recreation area offers the expected aquatic activities including fishing, swimming, and boating at 5 boat ramps and 1 marina, but it also offers many miles of hiking trails at 4 main areas.  This hike explores the Harbor Bay area, which features a pair of lollipop loop trails along the lake's east shore.  The shorter of the two trails is described here, and it offers nice views of Lake Meredith and its surrounding hills.

Harbor Bay Trailhead

            The hike starts at the signed Harbor Bay Trailhead at the northeast corner of the boat ramp's main parking area.  The narrow single-track dirt trail climbs the steep hillside via a single switchback.  The entire hike passes through a treeless semi-arid desert landscape with sagebrush, cacti, and yuccas being the dominant plants.  Thus, you should prepare for a hot and sunny hike in the summer.  Large numbers of grasshoppers leaped across and beside the trail on my visit on a cloudy late July afternoon.

Bench overlooking Lake Meredith

            The rolling trail goes more up than down as it treads around a rocky finger ridge with the lake to your left.  Just shy of 0.5 miles, you pass a bench that offers a nice view north over Lake Meredith.  This bench sat about 20 vertical feet above the lake on my visit, but as I mentioned in the introduction lake levels vary greatly by year and by season.

Tiny picnic shelter

            Next the trail curves right to head up a side ravine and pass a tiny metal picnic shelter that may possess a lakeside location when water levels are high enough.  A gradual to moderate climb brings you to a signed trail intersection at 0.6 miles.  The short and long lollipop loops at Harbor Bay part ways here.  The longer trail angles left, but I turned right to head out the stem of the shorter trail's lollipop loop.

Climbing the hillside

            The trail uses several switchbacks to climb the steep hillside.  The narrow trail and crumbly rock make for difficult footing, but slow and careful steps will get you up the hill safely.  As you approach the top of the hill, the trail splits to form its loop at an unsigned intersection.  I continued straight and used the trail going left as my return route, thus hiking the loop counterclockwise.

Lake Meredith, looking north

Lake Meredith, looking west

            The loop traces around the top of the finger ridge.  Thus, this area gives the best Lake Meredith views, which include the Harbor Bay boat ramp and campground.  The lake sits about 240 vertical feet below, and at one point you might be able to see your car in the Harbor Bay Trailhead parking area.  The loop is the narrowest trail on this hike, and I sustained several minor scratches on my legs from this desert area's inhospitable flora.  Wear pants rather than shorts to avoid this experience.  At 1.4 miles, you close the loop.  Backtrack 0.8 miles to return to the trailhead and complete the hike.