Price Lake, NC

Watauga County, NC

About Price Lake, NC

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    Price Lake is located in the state of , in the Watauga County, NC. 

    This lake has a surface area of about 39 acres.

     

    Price Lake is located in Watauga County, North Carolina.

    A Guide to Price Lake, NC

    If you’re planning a trip to Western North Carolina, you may want to consider visiting Price Lake. This beautiful lake offers a lot of things for visitors to do, from free wine tastings to spectacular sunsets. If you’re interested in hiking in the mountains, check out the Boone Fork or Tanawha Trails.

    Julian Price Memorial Park

    Julian Price Memorial Park is a 4,200-acre park in North Carolina. It is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near milepost 297. The park is adjacent to Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, also in the vicinity. The park is open to the public year-round.

    Visitors to the park are invited to partake in a number of outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking, canoeing, and camping. The park also offers guided tours and evening campfire programs. There are over 100 campsites and shelters, as well as seven hiking trails. The Price Lake Loop Trail circles the lake’s well-stocked waters. You can also hike the Boone Fork Loop Trail, a five-mile route that takes in the beautiful scenery. The Tanawha Trail, another popular hiking route, wraps around Grandfather Mountain. Camping is permitted, but fees apply.

    Julian Price Memorial Park and Price Lake are great places to take a picnic or enjoy the outdoors. The park has over four hundred acres of rolling mountain land. Julian Price, an insurance executive, purchased the land in 1946 to create a recreational retreat for his employees. After he passed away, his heirs donated the land to the National Park Service. Julian Price loved the natural beauty of the area and wanted to share it with other people.

    There are hiking trails at Julian Price Memorial Park. You can take an easy family hike or try a challenging creekside hike. There are also 100 picnic tables in the park’s picnic area. You can picnic year-round, but the restrooms are closed during the winter.

    Price Lake Trail

    You can’t beat the views from Price Lake, one of the largest lakes along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The lake is surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, and you can even see Grandfather Mountain. You can hike or cross-country ski to the lake’s shores, or try a snowshoe tour around the lake.

    The park is also home to the Julian Price Memorial Park. Julian Price was an insurance executive who purchased the land in the early twentieth century to build a resort for his company’s employees. After his death, the heirs of the late insurance executive donated the land to the National Park Service. Price Lake, a natural body of water in the park, is named in his honor.

    The Price Lake Trail is an easy loop that starts at Milepost 297. This 2.7-mile trail circles the shoreline of the 47-acre Price Lake. The lake is surrounded by low-growing evergreens that thrive throughout the year. In spring and summer, the lake is also a stopover point for ducks and loons on their migration.

    The Price Lake Loop is a great trail for beginners. It follows the shore of the lake, and features several boardwalks. It is accessible from Milepost 297 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and there is a boat rental lot nearby. It is close to the city of Blowing Rock and Banner Elk.

    Almost three miles of this trail is paved, making it easy to navigate. The Price Lake Recreation Area offers canoe rentals and hiking, as well as camping and fishing. It also passes the Boone Fork Overlook, which is near the campground’s amphitheater.

    Boone Fork Trail

    The Boone Fork Trail is a moderate five-mile loop that’s easily accessible from Milestone Post 296.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s just a few miles from Blowing Rock, NC and is close to the Moses Cone Manor. The trail is well-marked and surrounded by beautiful wildflowers in the warmer months.

    Price Lake is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of Grandfather Mountain. It offers two lakeshore overlooks – Boone Fork Overlook and Price Lake Overlook. The latter is accessible by spur road. There are canoe rentals at the Price Lake Overlook. Be prepared for crowds on weekends and private property.

    If you’re an experienced runner, the Boone Fork Trail is a must-do loop in the area. Start at the Price Lake Picnic Area parking lot (not the campground or pullout). Most people head out on the trail counter-clockwise. The first three miles of the Boone Fork Trail are over water, but soon enough, the trail transitions to a wide, rocky terrain.

    Once you’re ready to go, zoom in on the map to see the trail from above. Double-click on any of the map symbols for more information, such as directions. Alternatively, you can dive down on the map and see the route from a different angle. In this way, you can avoid missing the scenic views.

    From the parking area, head east on the trail for three miles. The trail is easy to follow and has plenty of photo-worthy spots. The trail also has paved sections that are accessible for wheelchair users.

    Tanawha Trail

    If you’re looking for a point-to-point hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains, consider taking the Tanawha Trail from Price Lake, NC. You may even see some wildflowers along the way. This trail is part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1,175-mile hiking route that connects Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey’s Ridge on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It’s a short, 13.5-mile stretch of the Trail, but it’s worth the trip for the spectacular scenery.

    The Tanawha Trail starts near Price Park Campground and meanders through Price Park. From here, it parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway and ends at Beacon Heights, which is located at milepost 305.5. The route is also ideal for sunset viewing.

    The Tanawha Trail is a 13-mile hike that roughly follows the contours of the mountain. Accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway, this trail takes you through some of the most beautiful places in western North Carolina. The trail connects with multiple access points, and there are multiple hiking opportunities along the way.

    For a shorter hike, you can start at the Price Lake Overlook. You can also reach the Price Lake Loop Trail from the picnic area. This 2.5-mile loop hike offers incredible views of the lake and Grandfather Mountain, and the trail passes through the Price Lake Campground. You can also rent a boat from the park during the summer months.

    The Tanawha Trail is an easy-to-moderate hike. It is well-accessible from the Parkway, and has multiple access points. It starts by climbing up stone steps before entering a shady glen. Then, you’ll cross Wilson Creek and pass huge rock formations surrounded by flat rocks.

    Julian Price Campground

    If you’re looking for the perfect place to camp on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Julian Price Campground is a great choice. This campground is maintained by the National Park Service and features a campground and picnic area with modern conveniences. The campground is comprised of 197 campsites, including 3 premier campsites that offer unobstructed lake views. The campground is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There is a small fee to camp at the campground, and there are numerous amenities to enjoy while you’re staying there.

    Price Lake is a 47-acre lake that’s easily accessible from Boone Fork Overlook and Price Lake Overlook. The lake’s pristine waters are surrounded by low-growing trees, including ground pine and galax. Loons and ducks pause here on their yearly migrations. The campground is also located near the Moses Cone Estate. It is one of the largest campgrounds on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and most sections can be reserved online.

    Julian Price Campground and Price Lake are located near Linville and Blowing Rock, NC. This campground is part of the Julian Price Memorial Park, which is 4,200 acres of land that was donated to the National Park Service shortly after Julian Price’s death in 1946. These two parks together comprise the largest undeveloped area for public exploration along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

    Price Lake is a favorite spot for outdoor recreation enthusiasts in the region. Guests of the park can go boating or fishing, and enjoy the stunning scenery. The 47-acre lake is stocked with various species of fish. You can also see ducks, frogs, and beavers.

    Can you swim in Price Lake?

    Price Lake offers

    View some other lakes in the state

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    Map of Price Lake, NC

    Lake Acreage:

    39 Acres