Meeker, Colorado
16 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1910 and the latest in 1979. It stands in the Meeker census division. It lies in ZIP code area 81641. It stands on Sulphur Creek. The Survey maps it on the Meeker quadrangle. 2,374 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 6,240 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Meeker
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 6 records
Hay's Ranch Bridgelisted 1985
Hotel Meekerlisted 1980
Meeker Historic Districtlisted 2019
Meeker I.O.O.F. Lodge-Valentine Lodge No. 47listed 2014
St. James Episcopal Churchlisted 1978- Coal Creek Schoollisted 2014
Population over time
3 figuresMeeker grew from 260 to 2,374 between 1890 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 260 | |
| 2010 | 2,475 | |
| 2020 | 2,374 | -101 (-4%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
12 surveys from 16 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1910 USGS Danforth Hills quadrangle1:125000
- 1912 USGS Meeker quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1914 USGS Meeker quadrangle1:62500
- 1954 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1957 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000
- 1965 USGS Craig quadrangle1:250000
- 1966 USGS Meeker quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1979 USGS Meeker quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
95 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 95 fires within 5 miles of Meeker between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,271 acres in total. 49 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 49 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 28 |
| Smoking | 9 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 6 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 3 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2005 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Colorado State Forest Service-State Headquarters | not named |
| 6 September 2014 | Natural | under an acre | Rio Blanco County | UNKNOWN |
| 5 September 2020 | Natural | 2.0 acres | Rio Blanco County | COUNTY ROAD 8 |
| 30 September 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | 4.0 acres | Northwest District, Craig | THIRTEEN |
| 3 September 2009 | Natural | 1.0 acres | Northwest District, Craig | SAGE HILLS |
| 19 September 2010 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Northwest District, Craig | HIGHLAND |
| 9 August 2016 | Natural | under an acre | Northwest District, Craig | JUMP |
| 31 August 2018 | Natural | 5.0 acres | Rio Blanco County | UNKNOWN |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 11 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 11 workings within 5 miles of Meeker: 7 unknowns, 4 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Coal. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction, Coal | Occurrence | Sedimentary | |
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Occurrence | Gravel | |
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Occurrence | Gravel | |
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Occurrence | Gravel | |
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Unknown Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
60 of 61 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Meeker in 61 storm reports between 1996 and 2025: 18 wildfire, 14 debris flow, 7 thunderstorm wind, 7 flash flood. The reports record 1 death and 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1998 | Lightning | Meeker | 1 killed, 1 hurt | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Tornado (F1) | Meeker | $35,000 | no account filed |
| September 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | $30,000 | Law Enforcement reported water and debris clogging a culvert at Mile Marker 1.3 on Rio Blanco County Route 33. The road was considered impassable and required clearing. Clean up crews responded to the area at 9AM the following day (September 23rd, 2025), with the road cleared by the end of the day. This area is adjacent to the Lee Burn Scar. |
| June 2002 | Hail | Meeker | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Flash Flood | Meeker | $8,000 | no account filed |
| September 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | $5,000 | Law Enforcement reported mud over State Highway 64 near Mile Marker 65. This area is near the Lee Burn Scar, which received several rounds of heavy rain during this event. CDOT was contacted to clear the roadway. |
| September 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | $5,000 | Law Enforcement reported a debris flow that closed County Road 5 due to heavy rain on the recent Lee Burn Scar. |
| September 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | $5,000 | Law Enforcement reported debris and mud closing both lanes of State Highway 13 at Mile Marker 36. Road had to be cleared before being able to be reopened. |
| September 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | $5,000 | Public reported mudslides near the intersection of Rio Blanco County Route 5 and Rio Blanco County Route 76. LSR reads Debris flow and flooding of Piceance Creek at County Road 76 and County Road 5. This area is within the Lee Burn Scar. Road had to be cleared. |
| July 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | $5,000 | A thunderstorm wind gust tore some siding from houses in Meeker. |
| July 1996 | Flash Flood | Meeker | $2,000 | no account filed |
| August 2016 | Debris Flow | Meeker | $100 | Heavy rainfall resulted in a mudslide across County Road 76. |
| August 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | At approximately 5:30 PM MDT, the Boulder Service Hydrologist reported a debris flow south of the Lee Burn Scar flowing over Highway 64 between mile-marker 65 and mile-marker 66. This is in the lower Powell Park area. This region is known for debris flows, but this particular event was enhanced by flow off the adjacent burn scar. However, no damages, injuries, or fatalities were reported. |
| August 2025 | Flash Flood | Meeker | - | A video of flash flooding within a local area known as Josephine Basin, west of Meeker, was sent to NWS Grand Junction via Facebook. This flash flooding began within the Lee Burn Scar, and washed down over Rio Blanco County Road 33. This flooding was not reported to have caused significant damage, but did prevent residents living along County Road 33 from getting to or from their homes until the water retreated. |
| August 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | The NWS Incident Meteorologist deployed to the Lee Fire reported this event to NWS Grand Junction. Thunderstorms produced heavy rain over the Lee Burn Scar on the afternoon of August 28th. This in turn resulted in water, mud, and debris flowing over Rio Blanco County Road 5 near mile marker 30, roughly 20 miles west of meeker and on the west side of the Lee Burn Scar. A Flash Flood Warning had been issued for this region with 30 minutes of lead time. No reports of damages, injuries, or fatalities were received. County Road 5 did have to be closed for a short duration to clear the debris. |
| August 2025 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | Heavy rain on the Lee Burn Scar led to debris flows that filled culverts along Highway 13, particularly at the intersection of Rio Blanco County Road 33. This led to flooding of fields and ranches in the Josephine Basin region, just south and west of Meeker. Some debris was also noted along the side of both County Road 33 and Highway 13. |
| August 2024 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | Heavy rain from a thunderstorm caused a mudslide on Highway 64 at mile marker 57, approximately 17 miles west of Meeker. |
| August 2024 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | Colorado Department of Transportation reported Colorado State Highway 64 closed at mile marker 56, between Wray Gulch Road and Indian Valley, due to a mudslide. This was just north of White River City, or 18 miles west of the town of Meeker along Highway 64. The road remained closed for several hours while cleanup was undertaken. This stretch of Highway 64 runs along the base of a steep cliff, leaving it prone to debris and mudflows during intense, heavy rainfall events. |
| June 2024 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | Heavy rain caused a mudslide across Highway 64 at mile marker 65 over Rio Blanco County, 11 miles west-southwest of Meeker. |
| June 2024 | Hail | Meeker | - | Report received of penny size hail 8 miles south-southwest of Meeker. Video of Highway 13 shows the road covered in hail after the storm moved through. |
| October 2018 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | Mud and rocks were deposited onto Colorado Highway 64 between Meeker and Rangely as a result of heavy rainfall on already saturated soils. |
| July 2014 | Flash Flood | Meeker | - | Up to six inches of fast moving water ran across Highway 64 west of Meeker. |
| July 2013 | Debris Flow | Meeker | - | Four separate mud slides were reported near mile marker 60 on Highway 64. |
| July 2011 | Flash Flood | Meeker | - | Flash flood waters up to a foot deep deposited mud and rocks onto Highway 64 which was closed until crews cleared the road of debris. |
| January 2010 | Flood | Meeker | - | An ice jam along the White River caused water to backup in the Meeker area, resulting in areas of minor flooding. Cold overnight temperatures also contributed to the continuation of ice build-up. Areas in the park below the 10th Street bridge were affected, and rising water also threatened several homes in neighborhoods along 8th and 9th Streets. |
| January 2007 | Flood | Meeker | - | Lowland flooding occurred in the Meeker area along the White River. Minor flooding was reported in the Stagecoach Trailer Park near the intersection of Highways 13 and 64. Residents from 18 of the 20 trailer homes had to be evacuated. Some agricultural land, including a corral, were also flooded. |
| September 2007 | Hail | Meeker | - | Hail from penny-size to quarter-size in diameter occurred in Meeker. |
| September 2007 | Flash Flood | Meeker | - | Runoff from heavy rain producing thunderstorms caused mud and debris to flow across Highway 64 in 4 different locations 10 to 12 miles west of Meeker. Mud, rocks, trees, and other vegetation were deposited on the roadway, up to 4 feet deep in places. Some of the rocks were 3 to 4 feet in diameter. Many culverts along the highway became plugged with debris. Two semi trucks became stuck in the debris. |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| May 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| September 2002 | Flood | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2002 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Flood | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Flash Flood | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Flood | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| August 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| June 2000 | Hail | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| August 1999 | Funnel Cloud | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| August 1998 | Wildfire | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Heavy Rain | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Hail | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| September 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Meeker | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buford | 16.1 miles | 17 | |
| Thornburgh | 16.4 miles | 17 | |
| White River City | 16.9 miles | 11 | |
| Rio Blanco | 20.8 miles | 18 | |
| Angora | 36.4 miles | 12 | |
| Rangely | 47.4 miles | 14 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Meeker | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2002953 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 173407. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.











