Julian Price Memorial Park

"Julian Price Memorial Park" is a park of convert|4200|acre|km2 at the foot of Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina, named in honor of Julian Price. It is at milepost 297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway and directly adjacent to the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Together these parks comprise the largest developed area set aside for public recreation on the Parkway. [ [http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/NaturalHeritage/NationalParks/BlueRidgeParkway/julianpricememorialpark.html Blue Ridge National Heritage] ] The park is managed by the National Park Service which received the lands from the Jefferson Pilot Standard Life Insurance Company shortly after Price's death when they received it through his will. [ [http://www.sherpaguides.com/north_carolina/mountains/black_mountains/julian_price_memorial_park.html Julian Price Memorial Park profile] ] The grounds are also known for the fact that the nation's largest National Lumberjack Association rally is held here annually. [http://www.cnn.com/m/art/?regff/003902_mmre.htm] [ [http://www.polyphonix.com/gatherings/nla/jpmp.php www.polyphonix.com ] ]

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. [ [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/ Blue Ridge Julian Price Memorial Park] ]

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 47 acre lake [ [http://www.carolinaliving.com/mountains/boone.asp Julian Price Memorial Park of 47 acre lake] ] is visible from the road and is stocked with various fish. Among wildlife around the man-made lake are beavers, ducks, and frogs. [ [http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/PriceLakeLoop_0000.asp Price Lake Loop Trail - Blue Ridge Parkway] ]

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. [ [http://www.highcountryhiking.com/cone.htm Moses H. Cone and Julian Price Memorial Parks] ] Many residents of the towns of Boone and Blowing Rock, which are nearby, do fishing, hiking, and canoeing in the park. [ [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/pricepark_map.asp Blue Ridge Guide - Julian Price Memorial Park map] ] The park has the largest campground on the Blue Ridge Parkway, [ [http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/camping-on-the-blue-ridge-parkway.htm National Park Service - U. S. Department of the Interior] ] as well as a popular picnic facility. [ [http://www.nps.gov/archive/blri/ncmap.htm Parkway in North Carolina - Parkway's highest mountains] ] This land was obtained in Price's will first by the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital 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 Moses H. Cone Memorial Park and together they are the largest developed recreational areas for public use on the Blue Ridge Parkway. [ [http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/NaturalHeritage/NationalParks/BlueRidgeParkway/julianpricememorialpark.html Blue Ridge National Historic area - Julian Price Memorial Park] ]

Trails

*The park has a total of seven trails.
*There is a convert|2.5|mi|km|sing=on loop trail around Price Lake rated easy.
*The Boone Fork Loop Trail is five miles (8 km) and considered challenging.
*The Tanawha Trail is convert|13.5|mi|km. It passes under the Linn Cove Viaduct and wraps around Grandfather Mountain. [ [http://www.sherpaguides.com/north_carolina/mountains/black_mountains/julian_price_memorial_park.html Longstreet Highroad Guide to the North Carolina Mountains By Lynda McDaniel] ]

*The sign at the trailhead of Price Lake reads: cquote|
Julian Price Memorial Park
"The Julian Price Memorial Park, comprising convert|4200|acre|km2, is named in honor of its former owner, the late Julian Price, for many years president of the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company of Greensboro, NC." "The company and Mr. Price's son and daughter, Ralph C. Price and Mrs. Joseph McKinley Bryan, cooperated in the acquisition and dedication of this property as a public recreation area for all to enjoy." [ [http://www.brptrails.com/brp2967.htm Price Lake Trail - Blue Ridge Parkway 296.7 - Blue Ridge Parkway Hikes - Price Lake Hiking Trail] ]

Virtual tours

* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=36.138462,-81.731497&z=15&t=h&hl=en Google maps]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/lake.asp Price Lake Park]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/pricelake_trail.asp Price Lake Trail # 1]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/pricelake_trail2.asp Price Lake Trail # 2]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/overlook.asp Price Lake & Park - Fishing]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/rental.asp Price Lake & Park Canoe Rentals]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/campground.asp Price Lake & Park Tent Campground]
* [http://www.virtualblueridge.com/parkway_tour/parks/295_5/campground_rv.asp Price Lake & Park RV Campgrounds]

References