A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

National Park Service campground

Julian Price Campground

National Park Service campground in Blue Ridge Parkway, Watauga County, North Carolina. 3,365 feet. 3.7 miles from Blowing Rock.

Managed by
National Park Service Blue Ridge Parkway
Elevation
3,365 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
192 91 tent only non-electric, 74 rv non-electric, 27 standard non-electric
Longest rig
79 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

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.

Nearby Attractions

The beautiful town of Blowing Rock , located just 20 minutes away on the Blue Ridge Parkway, offers fine dining, shopping and more.

The description, directions and fees are the National Park Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • canoeing
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • historic & cultural site
  • horseback riding
  • interpretive programs
  • kayaking
  • photography
  • picnicking
  • star gazing
  • visitor center
  • water access
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Julian Price Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated June 18, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.