Meeks Creek is a western tributary of

Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe (; Washo language, Washo: ''dáʔaw'') is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the Western United States, straddling the border between California and Nevada. Lying at above sea level, Lake Tahoe is the largest a ...

which has its source on Rubicon Lake, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) northeast of Phipps Peak in

Desolation Wilderness The Desolation Wilderness is a federally protected wilderness area in the Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in El Dorado County, California. The crest of the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada runs through it, just ...

, trends northwest through Stony Ridge Lake, Shadow Lake, Crag Lake, and Lake Genevieve 3.5 miles (5.6 km), continues northeast 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to Meeks Bay on

. At its mouth is the tiny town of

Meeks Bay, California Meeks Bay (formerly, Meigs Bay, Micks Bay, and Murphys) is an unincorporated community in El Dorado County, California. It lies on Lake Tahoe at the mouth of Meeks Creek, at an elevation of 6240 feet (1902 m). The place is named for John Meeks ...

, in

El Dorado County, California El Dorado County (; ''El Dorado'', Spanish for "The Golden ne), officially the County of El Dorado, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 191,185. The county seat is Placerville. Th ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

History

The stream and bay are named for John Meeks, who owned the land. The Meeks brothers bailed 25 tons of wild hay in the meadows at the mouth of Meeks Creek in 1862.

Ecology

North American beaver The North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') is one of two Extant taxon, extant beaver species, along with the Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber''). It is native to North America and has been introduced in South America (Patagonia) and Europe ...

(''Castor canadensis'') are gradually restoring Meeks Meadow which had been overgrown with coniferous trees. This meadow is an important wildflower viewing area and is easy to access as the trail starts across from Meeks Bay Resort. Mallow, iris, meadow aster, buckwheat, wandering daisy, yarrow, yampah, phlox, scarlet gilia, monkshood, flax and lupine are just some of the flowers that one can see in bloom during the peak flowering time in late June–July. Stonyridgelake

Recreation

The Meeks Bay trail follows Meeks Creek, beginning just north of the

California State Route 89 State Route 89 (SR 89) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels in the north–south direction, serving as a major thoroughfare for many mountain communities in the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range. It starts from ...

bridge over the stream. The first 1.4 miles is along a gentle gated road and parallels Meeks meadow, which after an additional mile meets a trail that courses southwest eventually meeting the Pacific Crest Trail between Phipps Peak and Middle Velma Lake. The total trail length to Rubicon Lake is 8 miles (13.33 km); to Stony Ridge Lake 6.3 miles; to Shadow Lake 5.9 miles; to Hidden Lake 5.7 miles; to Crag Lake 5 miles; to Genevieve Lake 4.5 miles. Crag Lake is a popular day trip goal and swimming lake. The lower 1.8 miles of trail are also excellent for snowshoeing (3.6 miles round trip and 1,000 feet elevation gain).

References

External links

* {{gnis, 1659750, Meeks Creek - Geographic Names Information System
Truckee River Watershed CouncilTahoe Institute for Natural Science
Rivers of El Dorado County, California Rivers of Northern California Rivers of the Great Basin