Price Lake

Managed by MountainTrue Watauga Riverkeeper

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Price Lake is a memorable walk in spring, summer, or fall and also a wonderful place to paddle-just rent a canoe, rowboat, or a kayak, at the on-site rental facility that also sells bait and rents fishing tackle for anglers! While Price Lake is a great place to recreate, the Park Service encourages you not to swim (you won't get in trouble if you fall off your paddleboard though!).

Price Lake is the headwaters of Boone Fork Creek which is a major tributary of the Watauga River. Excellent fly fishing in Boone Fork Creek-catch and release only.

In winter under deep snow, Price Lake makes a wonderful cross country ski tour (for beginners too). The ski tour winds through the lakeshore. The Price Lake Campground is easily one of the premier places on the Parkway to set up a tent (closed in winter) making this the perfect place to fish, hike, and camp!

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COVID-19

Keep your distance from other people.

Practicing social distancing is still essential. Only go to the beach if you are able to keep 6 feet or 2 meters away from others. Follow the instructions provided by your local health authorities. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter our efforts to curb the virus’s spread.

Water Quality

Passed water quality tests 60-95% of the time
Historical Status
This status is based on the latest sample, taken on September 9th, 2021. MountainTrue Watauga Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 9th, 2021 at 4:11 PM.

For water quality icon legend, click:

Report Pollution

Monitoring Frequency

Source Information

The Watauga Riverkeeper, housed at the MountainTrue, monitors the Watauga River Watershed for E. coli, a bacteria found in the waste (feces) of most warm-blooded animals, including humans. High levels of E. coli can pose a health risk for people swimming in the water.

Participating volunteers take weekly water samples, and sites are listed as failing to meet water quality standards if they exceed the EPA's recommended safe level for E. coli of 235 E. coli colonies per 100 ml of water. Volunteers take samples early each week, and results are posted on Thursday or Friday. This sample data provides a general guide to the health of the waterway and should only be used for informational purposes. This data does not guarantee the sampled area is safe for swimming at all times. Overall, E. coli levels in the Watauga River are low, and the river is typically safe for swimming. However, E. coli levels can change at any time and frequently increase after rain events. As a general rule, if the water is clear, then E. coli levels are likely to be low. Please contact the Watauga Riverkeeper at andy@mountaintrue.org if you have questions. Please also contact us if you would like to volunteer to take water samples.

Water Quality Graph