This study was undertaken to account quantitatively for the metabolic disposal of lactate in skeletal muscle exposed to an elevated lactate concentration during rest and mild intensity contractions. The gastrocnemius plantaris muscle group (GP) was isolated in situ in 7 anesthetized dogs. In two experiments, the muscles were perfused with an artificial perfusate with a blood lactate concentration of ~9 mM while maintaining normal blood gas/pH status with [U-¹⁴C]lactate included to follow lactate metabolism. Lactate uptake and metabolic disposal were measured during two consecutive 40-min periods during which the muscles 1) rested, or 2) contracted at 1.25 Hz. VO₂ averaged 10.1 ± 2.0 umol^.100g^-1.min^-1 (2.26 ± 0.45 ml^.kg^-1.min^-1) at rest and 143.3 ± 16.2 (32.1 ± 3.63) during contractions. Lactate uptake was positive during both conditions, increasing from 10.5 umol^.100g^-1.min^-1 at rest to 25.0 during contractions. Oxidation and glycogen synthesis represented minor pathways for lactate disposal during rest at only 6% and 15% respectively of the [¹⁴C]lactate removed by the muscle. The majority of the [¹⁴C]lactate removed by the muscle at rest was recovered in the muscle extracts, suggesting that quiescent muscle serves as a site of passage storage for lactate carbon during high lactate conditions. During contractions, oxidation was the dominant means for lactate disposal at over 80% of the [¹⁴C]lactate removed by the muscle. These results suggest that oxidation is a limited means for lactate disposal in the resting canine GP exposed to elevated lactate concentrations due to the preparation's low resting metabolic rate.