Julian Price Memorial Park is a park of at the foot of

Grandfather Mountain Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state park near Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet (1,812 m), it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major ch ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

, named in honor of Julian Price. It is at milepost 297 on the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenand ...

and directly adjacent to the

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park The Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is a country estate in honor of Moses H. Cone in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It is on the Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 292 and 295 with access at milepost 294. Most locals call it Cone Park. The park i ...

. Together these parks comprise the largest developed area set aside for public recreation on the Parkway. The park is managed by the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

which received the lands from the Jefferson Pilot Standard Life Insurance Company shortly after Price's death when they received it through his

will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...

. The grounds are also known for the fact that the nation's largest National Lumberjack Association rally is held here annually.

Overview

Price was an insurance executive who purchased the acreage in the late 1930s and 1940s to create a retreat for the employees of his insurance company. His premature death in 1946 postponed these plans and the lands were deeded over to his company. They in turn donated the lands to the National Park Service / Blue Ridge Parkway for public recreational use with the cooperation and approval of Price's son and daughter. The donor of the lands requested that Boone Fork be dammed to create a lake in Julian Prices' honor, which is now called Price Lake. The Blue Ridge Parkway goes over the top of the dam. The lake is visible from the road and is stocked with various fish. Among wildlife around the

man-made lake A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including control ...

are beavers, ducks, and frogs. The park provides over 100 picnic sites, various campgrounds, rest rooms, nature walks, hiking trails, and a 300-seat amphitheater. Visitors can also rent canoes and boats for use on Price Lake. Many residents of the towns of Boone and

Blowing Rock Blowing Rock may refer to: * The town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina ** The rocky outcropping Blowing Rock (land feature), near the town of the same name * Blowing Rock, Virginia, an unincorporated community * Caribbean island belonging to Anguil ...

, which are nearby, do

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, and

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...

in the park. The park has the largest campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as a popular picnic facility. This land was obtained in Price's will first by the

Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, also known as Moses Cone Hospital, is a 517-bed tertiary care facility located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The hospital opened in 1953 on North Elm Street as a 310-bed community hospital. Moses Cone Hospit ...

and a few years later donated to the National Park Service on the condition that it be developed out as a public recreational area. It is directly adjacent to

and together they are the largest developed recreational areas for public use on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Trails

*The park has a total of seven trails. *There is a loop trail around Price Lake rated easy. *The Boone Fork Loop Trail is five miles (8 km) and considered challenging. *The

Tanawha Trail The Tanawha Trail, stretching from Julian Price Park to Beacon Heights parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina, in the United States. Tanawha, the Cherokee word for fabulous hawk or eagle is an appropriate na ...

is . It passes under the

Linn Cove Viaduct The Linn Cove Viaduct is a long, concrete segmental bridge which snakes around Grandfather Mountain in western North Carolina. Completed in 1983 at a cost of $10 million, it was one of the last major construction projects on the Blue Ridge Parkw ...

and wraps around Grandfather Mountain.Longstreet Highroad Guide to the North Carolina Mountains By Lynda McDaniel
/ref> It constitutes a section of the North Carolina

Mountains-to-Sea Trail The Mountains-to-Sea State Trail (MST) is a long-distance trail for hiking and backpacking, that traverses North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail's western endpoint is at Clingman's Dome, where it connects ...

. *The sign at the

trailhead A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles. Modern trailheads often contain rest rooms, maps, sign posts and distribution centers for information ...

of Price Lake reads:

Virtual tours

Google maps

Price Lake

Price Lake Trail # 1

Price Lake Trail # 2

Price Lake & Park - Fishing

Price Lake & Park Canoe Rentals

Price Lake & Park Tent Campground

Price Lake & Park RV Campgrounds

References

External links

* {{authority control Blue Ridge Parkway Parks in North Carolina Protected areas of Watauga County, North Carolina National Park Service areas

Overview

Trails

Virtual tours

See also

References

External links