Camping at Julian Price Campground in Blue Ridge Parkway
Camping at Julian Price Campground in Blue Ridge Parkway offers a serene and picturesque experience for outdoor enthusiasts. Situated at Milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, this campground is a haven for nature lovers seeking a tranquil retreat. With 119 tent sites, 78 RV sites, and 5 wheelchair-accessible sites, Julian Price Campground provides a variety of accommodation options amidst the stunning natural beauty of the area.
Adventure Guide To Camping at Julian Price Campground:
Lakeside Camping: The campground's unique feature is its lakeside camping experience, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the peaceful ambiance of Price Lake. Snagging a lakeshore site offers a "golden pond" camping experience, perfect for those seeking a serene setting.
Recreational Activities: Julian Price Campground provides easy access to a range of outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The nearby Price Lake Trail offers a memorable hiking experience with picturesque views of the lake and surrounding mountains.
Amenities: Campsites at Julian Price Campground are equipped with essential amenities such as picnic tables, grills, lantern poles, and fire rings. The campground also offers potable water, comfort stations with flush toilets and sinks, and a dump station for RVs, ensuring a comfortable stay for visitors.
Local Insights:
The campground's proximity to Boone and Blowing Rock makes it a convenient base for exploring the attractions of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Julian Price Campground is known for its peaceful ambiance and the opportunity to connect with nature in a tranquil setting.
Visitor Tips:
The best times to visit Julian Price Campground are during the camping season from May to October, with May offering pleasant weather and beautiful spring blooms.
Visitors should bring camping essentials such as tents, sleeping bags, cooking supplies, and appropriate clothing for varying weather conditions.
From Boone, NC, take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Milepost 297 to reach Julian Price Campground, with an estimated travel time of approximately 30 minutes.
Adventure Map
Reviews
Nina Mcarn6 months ago
They offer tent set ups and rv and they have them separated. We absolutely loved our tent stay here. Just please zip up your tent as raccoons do come searching at night. Keep all your food up and your cooler.
Janet Shirey7 months ago
Stayed here earlier in the month on a whirlwind trip. This was the 5th & final campground at which we stayed. Hands down, best views from our site were here (we stayed at loop A). Conversely, this campground had the filthiest bathrooms. I was going to take photos, but no one wants to see that... First few days, sopping wet toilet tissue on the floor in the handicapped stall (one of only two stalls in the bathroom); that got picked up eventually. Next, "regular" stall had literal diarrhea on the back of the toilet seat; that was there for days. After that got cleaned up, the "regular" stall had urine on the floor between the toilet seat & the wall, like some drunk fool missed the seat completely & relieved herself entirely on the floor. Disgusting, disrespectful women using this bathroom, & so much gross the rest of us had to put up with. Full of dead bugs, I mean easily a seasons worth, like it hadn't been fully swept out all season. When they picked up the toilet tissue, it's not like they cleaned the floor, they just picked up the wet toilet tissue & didn't clean anything else. Old is fine, run down is fine, lousy lighting is fine, no soap or hand driers is fine; NASTY filth that's left for DAYS & not even a cursory wiping away of dead bugs or a splashing of soapy water on the floor is just so gross. So few campsites occupied, too, I am horrified to think about just how filthy these bathrooms get when it's full... 🤢 🤢 🤮
Also our site & many, many other sites have to SHARE a parking area with the campsite next door...? First for us ever at any campground. Keep that in mind if you have a RTT (we do not). Fortunately the gentleman by himself who we camped next to for 2 nights was quiet, & the couple the next 2 nights were also quiet, but still... Weird. Just know that might be a possibility. There's a range of sites available, an RV loop, tent-only sites, most wooded in varying degrees of levelness, some field sites: pro.
No service: pro or con, depending on what you need to get done. I'm not gonna "chastise" people for complaining about a lack of cell coverage bc not everyone has the luxury of unplugging for an entire trip. Not everyone can be out of service for as long as someone else. My husband worked the first two full days we stayed here, which meant he had to sit outside in a camp chair next to the ranger station & use their guest wireless (thankfully it didn't rain), which means I had to drive him there every morning, pick him up for lunch, drive back to our site, make lunch, eat, drive him back for work in the afternoon, & be around to pick him up again at 5:30. Meant I couldn't really go all that far or do too much & oh yeah, no way to communicate if we'd needed to switch up plans, & he couldn't enjoy the gorgeous views from our site while he worked, so that was annoying. But if you want to unplug & you can unplug, it's perfect. We knew going in that this place had no cell coverage, but so did Rocky Knob, & we did actually get a signal there, so...
Ranger (?) at the ranger station could not tell us, or anyone, anything. All he said to questions all the time was "I don't know." It wasn't just with us, it was with everyone; my husband heard him, he sat there for 2 full days while he worked, overhearing. 🤦♀️ So completely unprofessional & frustrating & annoying. So what DO you know, kid; why are you there...?? "I don't know," is fine, but then say, "let me find out for you." Good grief.
Nice hikes; did the Price Lake loop trail with both kids & saw lots of snakes & gorgeous views. Did the Boone Fork Loop trail by myself one day; so gorgeous, I insisted we all do it the next day, & we took our time & enjoyed it a bit more than I had the prior day.
Overall a nice time. Think I'd try to get a spot that didn't have to share a parking area with a neighbor, next time, though, now that we know that that's a thing, since we're not guaranteed a quiet neighbor. And I don't know thinking on how flipping nasty the bathrooms were, I don't know, they were gross... Maybe we wouldn't stay here again. IDK.
Claire Matas3 months ago
I really enjoyed staying here. My family and I were lucky to have visited only a week before hurricane Helene hit. I’m hopeful that Julian price campground didn’t get hit too hard or undergo too much damage.
Selene Cochran5 months ago
We have stayed (tent camped) at this campground a few times over the years and it use to be alright. Sadly this weekend we stayed and left a day early due to the over whelming screaming, hooting, Hollering and children screaming. And the SMOKE om gods the smoke. It was like trying to stay in a frat house that's burning down. The first night it sounded like there was a big rager party going on that didn't quiet down before 10. (10pm-6am quiet time), I had to sleep with a blanket over my face from all the smoke. Finally was able to sleep then 6am sharp the party plus some kicked back up. We spoke with the desk and I'll admit the front desk workers deserve 5 ⭐ they were very kind. Sadly they didn't boot the trouble makers even after admitting they had a idea who we were complaining about because others had also and that group doesn't listen to them (front desk) about quieting down. So why did they not get booting. No idea.
Showers, there are 6 showers and toilets, but if you want more then a barely Luke warm shower you are in the wrong place. They have signs up saying maybe closed between 12pm-3pm for cleaning. But by the look of the bathrooms/showers they aren't cleaned that regularly.
If you just need to use the toilet there is no soap to even wash your hands with.
And if you aren't from around the area there is ZERO cell service.
For tent camping they have also upped the price to $30.00 a night and took just about all the first come first serve sites so you need to make reservations.
All in all Major disappointment specially with the no money back.
Kristi Hall6 months ago
Recently camped 2 nights here with our camper van. First of all if you can get campsite A25 — do it! Beautiful water views.
The second night we stayed on loop F — which was super noisy with generators since there is no electricity. Which takes away from the camping experience!
Also, the bathrooms are pretty dated and just run down. Was bummed to find out they also have no showers at the campground.
Location was great - off the beaten path but close enough to get to town if needed. Overall I would go back (if I can get a site on loop A) but honestly felt like $30 a night was a bit pricey given what you get.