We camped in two different campgrounds on the Blueridge Parkway this weekend and had two different experiences. The first one was Julian Price Campground. Beautiful area. Campground needs updating. Roads are terrible and all sites are pretty much unlevel. Some more so than others. Someone defecated in one of the toilets and did not flush it in the bath house. Smelled real bad. Not sure how long it had been sitting. Wasn't using the bath house, but checked it out. There are no showers at this campground also.What our firepit looked like. Why are people such pigs? And I wonder why it wasn't cleaned before our arrival at 7:30pm? Checkout was at noon, so there was plenty of time to clean it up.:Our campsite: ------------------------The 2nd campground was Linville Falls Campground and what a world of difference. But it may be because it was flooded in 2004 and rebuilt according to one of the rangers there. Didn't check out the bath house, but the outside appearance was much better. Sites were also better and the majority were more way level than the other campground, which is only about 20 miles up the road.

I don't know why people are such pigs. Make you wonder what their house looks like...yuk!Campgrounds should start charging if anything is left in the fire pit other than firewood!Then to use the bathhouse...not flush or wipe down the sink after themselves...no manners.

My DW goes into a frenzy when ever she sees cigarette butts on the ground. I smoked for years and always knocked off the ember and ground it out and put the butt in my pocket. (This didn't make her real happy either, but at least it wasn't littering.)On a recent trip to Niagara Falls we stopped over in Willow Bay Campground, PA. At their bulletin board near the shower house was this sign. I want to pass it on to our Missouri State Park Department in hopes that they'll enact such a policy.

Field stripping good ole Army way.garmp1 wrote:My DW goes into a frenzy when ever she sees cigarette butts on the ground. I smoked for years and always knocked off the ember and ground it out and put the butt in my pocket. (This didn't make her real happy either, but at least it wasn't littering.)On a recent trip to Niagara Falls we stopped over in Willow Bay Campground, PA. At their bulletin board near the shower house was this sign. I want to pass it on to our Missouri State Park Department in hopes that they'll enact such a policy.

This is a real shame to see. Julian Price is one of our favorite campgrounds on the Parkway, though it has been a few years since our last visit. I totally agree that the roads need some work and that some of the campsites are not very level, but the rest of it comes down to disrespectful campers and that really bugs me. Julian Price is operated by the National Park Service and due to federal budget cutbacks, they probably don't have the staffing to clean up each campsite after someone leaves. Daily cleanings for the bathrooms are probably the most we can expect. I think anyone who visits a National Park should do so with the utmost respect and leave everything as clean or cleaner then they found it. What you encountered is simply awful! I sure wish people like that would stay away from the National Parks.

Blueridge Parkway Campgrounds | Good Sam Community

RDMueller
Explorer
Sep 07, 2015
One other thought... Because it is a holiday weekend, many or most campgrounds in the area were probably full. People who would normally never camp at a National Park end up there because all the other CG's are full. We have camped at Julian Price many times and normally you only encounter people who love nature and would never trash up a National Park. But I do remember being there one year at a major holiday and encountering some really disrespectful people. Ended up discussing it with a Park Ranger and he said it happens around major holidays when all the other places are booked up.

Personally I still love Julian Price and want to go back again, but I don't think I'll ever go again over a holiday.
RDMueller
Explorer
Sep 07, 2015
This is a real shame to see. Julian Price is one of our favorite campgrounds on the Parkway, though it has been a few years since our last visit. I totally agree that the roads need some work and that some of the campsites are not very level, but the rest of it comes down to disrespectful campers and that really bugs me. Julian Price is operated by the National Park Service and due to federal budget cutbacks, they probably don't have the staffing to clean up each campsite after someone leaves. Daily cleanings for the bathrooms are probably the most we can expect. I think anyone who visits a National Park should do so with the utmost respect and leave everything as clean or cleaner then they found it. What you encountered is simply awful! I sure wish people like that would stay away from the National Parks.
bigred1cav
Explorer
Sep 07, 2015
Field stripping good ole Army way.

garmp1 wrote:
My DW goes into a frenzy when ever she sees cigarette butts on the ground. I smoked for years and always knocked off the ember and ground it out and put the butt in my pocket. (This didn't make her real happy either, but at least it wasn't littering.)
On a recent trip to Niagara Falls we stopped over in Willow Bay Campground, PA. At their bulletin board near the shower house was this sign. I want to pass it on to our Missouri State Park Department in hopes that they'll enact such a policy.
garmp
Explorer II
Sep 07, 2015
My DW goes into a frenzy when ever she sees cigarette butts on the ground. I smoked for years and always knocked off the ember and ground it out and put the butt in my pocket. (This didn't make her real happy either, but at least it wasn't littering.)
On a recent trip to Niagara Falls we stopped over in Willow Bay Campground, PA. At their bulletin board near the shower house was this sign. I want to pass it on to our Missouri State Park Department in hopes that they'll enact such a policy.
lots2seeinmyrv
Explorer
Sep 07, 2015
I don't know why people are such pigs. Make you wonder what their house looks like...yuk!

Campgrounds should start charging if anything is left in the fire pit other than firewood!

Then to use the bathhouse...not flush or wipe down the sink after themselves...no manners.
TNGW1500SE
Explorer
Sep 07, 2015
Thanks for the heads up.

Forum Discussion

Blueridge Parkway Campgrounds

About RV Tips & Tricks

Related Content

Fundy Trail Parkway

Kentucky's Bluegrass Parkway.

BlueRidge vs Silverback

Icefields Parkway first week in June

Parkways?