Price Lake

Overview

About Price Lake

Why stop

Easy 2.5–2.7 mile loop with constant lakeshore views
Seasonal canoe and kayak rentals with quiet coves to explore
Classic roadside vista toward Grandfather Mountain

Heads up

Crowded on weekends and during peak fall color
Parking fills quickly at popular times
Trail can be muddy after rain

Price Lake is the still-water showstopper at Milepost 297, anchoring Julian Price Memorial Park. The Parkway even crosses the dam, so you get a postcard view the moment you roll up—broad water, forested shoreline, and a long look toward Grandfather Mountain’s Galloway Peak.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy go

Map

Where it is

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SightPrice Lake36.13585, -81.73460

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Price Lake

Arrive early on weekends and in fall to snag parking.
Bring shoes you don’t mind muddy—sections stay wet after rain.
Best photo angle to Grandfather Mountain is from the dam/overlook area.
Rentals are seasonal; plan paddling in the warmer months.
Anglers: carry a rod on the loop—there are frequent shoreline spots to cast.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Early morning or weekdays for calmer water, softer light, and easier parking.
Peak fall color (often early October) is gorgeous but busy—arrive early.
After rain, expect muddy stretches on the loop. In winter, Parkway sections can close for snow/ice, limiting access.

Amenities and logistics

You’ll find parking at the Price Lake area/overlook and near the boat launch. Restrooms are available seasonally, with more facilities in the adjacent campground when it’s open. There are abundant picnic tables in the nearby picnic area, and the Julian Price Campground sits right next door.

2 active Blue Ridge Parkway alerts

ClosureNorth Carolina Helene-related closuresAvoid the closed Parkway section from MP 344.2–355.3; recreation of any kind is prohibited there.Official details
ClosureVirginia Parkway closures and detourFollow the signed detour around the closed James River Bridge and avoid the closed Roanoke Mountain Loop. - James River Bridge (MP 63.5–63.Official details

Blue Ridge Parkway alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide

Your drive to Price Lake, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Blue Ridge Parkway. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Blue Ridge Parkway audio tour

Recorded for this place

Julian Price Park and Lake Activities

Listen

“You're entering the Julian Price Memorial Park area, centered around the beautiful Price Lake. This is one of the Parkway's best all-in-one stops, with a big picnic area and a campground located right here.”

Plays as you drive up to Price Lake in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.

More about Price Lake

What you’ll seeGlassy reflections and small coves that paddlers love to poke into.

Glassy reflections and small coves that paddlers love to poke into.
Big, open views from the dam/overlook area and quieter scenes as you circle the shore.
Fall is a standout here—surrounding hardwoods throw color all around the lake.

Things to doHike the lakeside loop (about 2.5–2.7 miles).

Hike the lakeside loop (about 2.5–2.7 miles). It’s easy, mostly flat, and hugs the shoreline with bridges and benches along the way.
Paddle: Canoes and kayaks are a signature activity here, with rentals available in the warmer months.
Fish along the shore or from a boat; the loop offers many casting spots.
Picnic in the large picnic area nearby; the adjacent campground makes this an easy base for a full day.

WildlifeKeep an eye out for beavers (you’ll notice chewed stumps and boggy sections they’ve created)…

Keep an eye out for beavers (you’ll notice chewed stumps and boggy sections they’ve created) and a variety of songbirds and waterfowl. Quiet mornings are best for wildlife watching.

Is it worth it?Yes—this is one of the Parkway’s most photogenic, easygoing stops.

Yes—this is one of the Parkway’s most photogenic, easygoing stops. If you only have time for a short walk and a few photos, the dam overlook delivers. If you’ve got half a day, add a lap around the lake and a paddle to see the quiet coves.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway

All Blue Ridge Parkway wildlife maps

1,208 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

1,020 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

2,257 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

200 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

1,126 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

255 sightingsRed-tailed HawkMost seen around 11 AMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.