Julian Price Park Campground operates seasonally from April through October along the Blue Ridge Parkway, with 197 sites spread across five loops and a $30 nightly fee. Reservations fill quickly, particularly for A loop sites near Price Lake, sometimes booking months in advance. The campground accommodates RVs up to 92 feet, though some sites have low-hanging branches and narrow driveways that may challenge larger rigs.
Traffic noise from the Blue Ridge Parkway affects sites in A loop throughout most of the day, with one camper counting "twenty-five vehicles every five minutes" during peak hours. Construction work on the parkway has made road sounds even more noticeable due to temporary gravel surfaces. Holly H. found sites B29 and B30 "more remote with water, restrooms, and trail access nearby" but notes "sound carries here" and the area can be noisy at night. The newer D loop features a modern bathhouse with private shower stalls, while A loop has older restrooms without showers and sometimes lacks lighting.
Price Lake anchors the campground's recreation opportunities, with canoe and kayak rentals available at the boathouse along with snacks, firewood, and fishing bait. Swimming is prohibited, but fishing is popular in the hatchery-supported lake. The 2.5-mile Price Lake Trail provides easy walking, while the more challenging Boone Fork Trail begins between sites B29 and B30, featuring stream crossings and rocky terrain over five miles. "Plenty of down branches up the trail to use for extra wood," Holly H. observes, noting abundant deadfall for campfire fuel.
Each site includes a concrete picnic table, fire ring with adjustable grill, lantern pole, and designated tent pad, though some pads need maintenance where dirt has washed onto them. Cell service remains spotty throughout the campground, with WiFi available only at the boathouse. The campground sits convenient to campgrounds near Blowing Rock and provides easy access to Grandfather Mountain and other Blue Ridge attractions.
Description
Overview
Located along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in the lush green expanses of North Carolina, Julian Price Campground is a top destination for boating, hiking, fishing and more. Whether it's for a family camping excursion or a peaceful getaway, this campground has something for everyone.
Recreation
Canoe rentals are available at Price Lake, and other types of non-motorized boats are permitted. Fishing is also available at the lake, with a dock provided.Price Lake Trail offers a refreshing hike around the edge of the water, and the Boone Fork, Green Knob and Tanawha Trails are just a few of the trails that are conveniently accessed through the campground. Hebron Falls: A small waterfall accessed from the Boone Fork Trail. The Cascades: A beautiful waterfall accessed by the easy 1-mile loop Cascades Trail. A great hike for children. Moses Cone Flat Top Manor: A historic estate house (currently undergoing restoration) once owned by the Cone family. The grounds offer 25 miles of carriage roads to hike. Tours of the home are available. Currently houses the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Wildlife viewing is also popular as campers have a good chance of spotting bears, grouse, turkeys, owls, hawks and more.
Facilities
Julian Price Campground combines the traditional great outdoors experience with the modern conveniences of flush toilets, dump station, and drinking water. Both RV and tent sites are available, and are equipped with grills, picnic tables, and lantern poles. In addition to the 75 sites available for advance reservations, 115 sites are available on a first come, first served basis. Availability for first come, first served sites cannot be tracked through Recreation.gov. These sites must be booked in person at the campground kiosk.Primitive Backcountry Camping is available at Johns River Road. Permits are required and can be obtained on www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777 only. Permits are not distributed at the park.
Natural Features
Julian Price Campground is adjacent to Price Lake, a pristine body of water that sparkles against the backdrop of rolling Carolina hills. The surrounding forest offers hemlock, white pine, oak, hickory and birch trees, along with a colorful assortment of wildflowers in the spring and an array of vivid orange and red foliage displays in autumn. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic byway that follows the high crests of the central and southern Appalachians for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (828) 963-5911.
Nearby Attractions
The beautiful town of Blowing Rock, located just 20 minutes away on the Blue Ridge Parkway, offers fine dining, shopping and more.
RV Road Trip Guides
Location
Public CampgroundJulian Price Park Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway is located in North Carolina
Directions
From Asheville, North Carolina, head east on I-40 E for approximately 20 miles to exit 72 for US-70E. At the top of the exit ramp, continue straight onto US-70 E and drive for 11 miles to the intersection with US-221 N. Turn left (north) onto US-221 N and continue for 21.6 miles. At the sign for the Blue Ridge Parkway, turn right onto the connector road. At the stop sign marking the intersection with the Parkway, turn left (north) and drive for approximately 22 miles until you see the Campground Registration Kiosk on the left side of the road. From Boone, North Carolina, head south onto US-321 S and drive for 6.3 miles. At the sign for the Blue Ridge Parkway, turn right onto the connector road. At the stop sign marking the intersection with the Parkway, turn left (south) and drive for 4.4 miles until you see the campground on the right. From Blowing Rock, North Carolina, take Main Street until you reach the intersection with US-221 S. Turn south onto US-221 S and drive for 1.6 miles. At the sign for the Blue Ridge Parkway, turn right onto the connector road. At the stop sign marking the intersection with the Parkway, turn left (south) and drive approximately 2 miles until you see the campground on the right.
Address
Milepost 297, Blue Ridge Parkway
NC
Coordinates
36.1388889 N
81.7311111 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
- Tent Cabin
- Equestrian
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- WiFi
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Contact
General Info
Reservations
Drive Time
- 1 hr 21 min from Johnson City, TN
- 1 hr 38 min from Kingsport, TN
- 1 hr 53 min from Asheville, NC
