Julian Price Memorial Park
Located at Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 297, just over 4 miles from downtown Blowing Rock, Julian Price Memorial Park is our favorite park in the North Carolina High Country.
Situated at the foot of Grandfather Mountain, the 4,200-acre parcel was formally owned by NC insurance giant Julian Price, who used it as a recreational retreat for his employees.
After his death in 1946, his heirs donated the land to the National Park Service as a memorial.
The centerpiece of the park is the picturesque Price Lake, which spans 47 acres and is open to kayaking and canoeing, fishing, and hiking the 2.7-mile Price Lake Trail.
Price Park offers easy access to other excellent hiking trails, including the 2.3-mile Green Knob Trail, the 5.5-mile Boone Fork Trail, and the epic Mountains-to-Sea Trail (which intersects the Boone Fork Trail).
The park also features more than 100 sites in its picnic area, and seasonal overnight camping at one of the best campgrounds in North Carolina (which has 197 campsites).
