Parking
Use Price Lake Overlook at Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 296.7, by the boat-rental/day-use area; the loop is also reachable from Boone Fork Overlook at about Milepost 297.1. Parking is limited, with seasonal restrooms near the campground.
Overview
About Price Lake Loop Trail
Why go
- First mile doubles as a TRACK Trail with interpretive fun for kids
- Lakeside piers and overlooks are well suited to photography and birding
- Beginner-friendly cross-country ski option when snow is deep and the Parkway is open
Heads up
- Boggy, muddy sections and uneven roots or rocks after rain
- Bridges and boardwalks can be slippery and may limit accessibility
- Parking near the lake fills quickly on fair-weather weekends
Price Lake Trail is an easy 2.7-mile total loop around the shoreline of 47-acre Price Lake in Julian Price Memorial Park. The circuit delivers frequent water views, mountain scenery, and a relaxed walk through the lakeside campground.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy hike this trailMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Blue Ridge Parkway map
Full mapElevation3,389–3,497 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide
Your drive to Price Lake Loop Trail, 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 tourRecorded for this trailhead
Julian Price's Creekside Picnic SpotListen
“You're coming up on the Julian Price Park Picnic Area, one of the classic spots on the Parkway. What makes it special is that many of the picnic tables are set right along the shady banks of Boone Fork and Sims Creek.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Price Lake Boat Rentals: Get on the Water
- Julian Price Park and Lake Activities
- Julian Price Park Campground: Lakeside Basecamp
- Price Lake and its Famous Mountain View
- 277 audio storiesacross Blue Ridge Parkway’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 112 trails, 232 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…We knew we wanted to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. The narration was impeccably timed. The facts and info provided were meaningful. Without it, the trip would not have been near as awesome.”
Trail guide
Hiking Price Lake Loop Trail
Trail snapshotStart at the Price Lake Overlook access by the boat-rental/day-use area, or join the loop from…
Start at the Price Lake Overlook access by the boat-rental/day-use area, or join the loop from Boone Fork Overlook. The route includes paved and natural-surface tread, roots, rocks, bridges, and boggy boardwalk sections. The first mile is a TRACK Trail with interpretive features for children. Dogs are welcome on leash.
What you’ll seeExpect lakeside overlooks, piers, low-growing evergreens, ducks, loons, beaver activity, and…
Expect lakeside overlooks, piers, low-growing evergreens, ducks, loons, beaver activity, and views toward Grandfather Mountain. Fall color is especially scenic along the water.
Access and logisticsUse Price Lake Overlook at Milepost 296.
Use Price Lake Overlook at Milepost 296.7, where seasonal boat rentals operate, or the Boone Fork Overlook access at about Milepost 297.1. Parking is limited near the lake, and campground restrooms are seasonal. The marked route is a loop; the stored line includes the short campground connector and trail-access approach so it closes at the Price Lake access.
CautionsNatural sections can be muddy and uneven, and bridges or boardwalks may be slippery.
Natural sections can be muddy and uneven, and bridges or boardwalks may be slippery. The Parkway and lake access can be affected by winter weather closures; verify access before driving after storms.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Blue Ridge Parkway
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 mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Blue Ridge Parkway. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
