Crowders Mountain State Park

Crowders Mountain State Park
North Carolina State Park

Named for: Crowder's Mountain

Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Gaston

Elevation	1,385 ft (422.1 m)
Coordinates	35°13′58″N 81°16′37″W / 35.23278°N 81.27694°W / 35.23278; -81.27694Coordinates: 35°13′58″N 81°16′37″W / 35.23278°N 81.27694°W / 35.23278; -81.27694

Area	5,126 acres (2,074.4 ha) ^[1]

Founded	1974
Management	North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation

IUCN category	III - Natural Monument

Location of Crowders Mountain State Park in North Carolina
Website: Crowders Mountain State Park

Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5,126-acre (20.74 km²)^[1] North Carolina state park in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Kings Mountain, North Carolina and on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina, it includes the peaks of Crowder's Mountain and The Pinnacle. Crowders Mountain was named for Crowders Creek which originated near its base. Contrary to some historical information, Crowders Mountain was not named for Ulrick Crowder (Ulrich Krauter). There is no historical evidence that he was ever in the immediate area. The cliffs are a popular destination for rock climbers.

Features

The mountain itself is a monadnock, an isolated erosional remnant that rises abruptly from the surrounding plain. Geologically neither Crowders Mountain nor The Pinnacle are true mountains. Crowders Mountain sharply rises some 800 feet (240 m) above the surrounding countryside, and presents sheer rock cliffs that are 100 - 150 feet (46 m) in height. The mountain rises to 1,625 feet (495 m) above sea level. The peak is believed to be the remnant of a much higher mountain which formed some 400 - 500 million years ago and was gradually worn down by the elements. The park sets at the northeast end of the Kings Mountain Range, a 16-mile (26 km) long range of low peaks which include the site of the Battle of Kings Mountain of the American Revolution.

The Pinnacle

The Park contains two peaks:

Crowders Mountain, 1,625 feet (495 m), is in the northeastern section of the park. 35°13′56″N 81°16′35″W / 35.232350°N 81.276439°W / 35.232350; -81.276439
The Pinnacle, 1,705 feet (520 m), is in the western section of the park. 35°12′28″N 81°18′45″W / 35.207817°N 81.312626°W / 35.207817; -81.312626
The Visitors Center located at 522 Park Office Ln, Gastonia NC (704) 853-5375
View Visitors Center Interior Panoramic Map

History

In the early 1970s a mining company conducted exploratory sampling on the mountain as preparation to purchase the mineral rights. Thanks to grassroots efforts by local citizens, educational institutions, and organizations the state government was convinced that the area should be set aside and protected due to significant natural communities, plants and animals, intrinsic beauty, and unique recreational opportunities. In 1973 the State of North Carolina officially designated the area as Crowders Mountain State Park and it opened to the public in 1974. The Pinnacle added to the park in 1987. Another 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) was added in the year 2000 and officially connected the park with Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park, both in South Carolina.

Trails

Three hiking trails and one vehicle access trail lead to the summit of Crowders Mountain, and from the summit it is possible on a clear day to see the skyscrapers of Charlotte, North Carolina to the east.

Crowders Trail - Strenuous, 2.5 miles (4.0 km). This trail winds along the base of Crowders Mountain from the Visitor Center in the southwest and ultimately leads to the Backside Trail and the top of the mountain in the northeast of the park.
Backside Trail - Strenuous, 0.8 miles (1.3 km). From the Linwood Road Access Area this trail leads around the north side of the mountain where it first connects to the Crowders Trail and eventually to the top where it connects to the Rocktop Trail.
Rocktop Trail - Strenuous, 1.4 miles (2.3 km). Admittedly the most difficult and technical trail in the park. It travels along the ridge of Crowders Mountain from the southwest where it splits from the Crowders Trail at Sparrow Springs Road. Each side has steep drop offs and unseen cliffs.
Tower Trail - Strenuous, 1.8 miles (2.9 km). This trail begins at the Linwood Road Access Area and ends at the radio towers on Crowders Mountain. The trail is an old roadbed that begins with a gentle climb that becomes quite steep towards the end. Only official park vehicles can drive on this trail.

Two hiking trails lead to King's Pinnacle.

Pinnacle Trail - Strenuous, 2.0 miles (3.2 km). This trail begins at the Visitor Center and moves southwest to end at the summit of The Pinnacle, the highest point in Gaston County at 1,705 feet.
Ridgeline Trail - Strenuous, 6.2 miles (10.0 km). Hikers must register before hiking this trail. The longest trail in the park, it starts below The Pinnacle off of Pinnacle Trail, following the ridgeline south all the way to the South Carolina State line. The Ridgeline trail then continues for 2.5 miles into South Carolina through Kings Mountain State Park, and terminates at the 16 mile Kings Mountain National Recreation Trail that goes through Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park.

Other park hiking trails.

Family Camping Trail - Easy, 1.0 mile (1.6 km). This trail is accessed from the Pinnacle Trail and gives campers access to the family backpack camping area.
Group Camping Trail - Easy, 1.1 miles (1.8 km). This trail is accessed from the Pinnacle Trail and gives campers access to the group backpack camping area.
Fern Trail - Easy, 0.8 miles (1.3 km). This loop trail begins at picnic shelter number 1, connects with a portion of the Turnback Trail and follows a creek for some portions of the trail.
Lake Trail - Easy, 0.8 miles (1.3 km). This loop trail circles the park lake and connects to Fern Trail.

^[2]

References

State Parks of North Carolina, Walter C. Biggs and James F. Parnell, Authors. John F. Blair, Publisher. 1989 ISBN 0-89587-071-1

1 2 "Size of the North Carolina State Parks System" (XLS). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. January 1, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
↑ "Crowders Mountain State Park » Activities". North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. p. 1. Retrieved May 17, 2015.

External links

Protected areas of North Carolina

Federal

National Parks	Great Smoky Mountains

National Historic Sites	Carl Sandburg Home Fort Raleigh

National Memorials	Wright Brothers

National Military Parks	Guilford Courthouse

National Battlefields	Moores Creek

National Parkways	Blue Ridge Parkway (Crabtree Falls Craggy Gardens Cumberland Knob Doughton Park E.B. Jeffress Park Julian Price Memorial Park Linville Falls Moses H. Cone Memorial Park Mount Pisgah Waterrock Knob)

National Trails	Appalachian Trail Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

National Seashores	Cape Hatteras Cape Lookout

National Marine Sanctuary	Monitor

National Estuarine Research Reserve	Currituck Banks Rachel Carson Masonboro Island Zeke’s Island

National Forests	Cherokee Croatan Nantahala Pisgah Uwharrie

National Wildlife Refuges	Alligator River Cedar Island Currituck Mackay Island Mattamuskeet Pea Island Pee Dee Pocosin Lakes Roanoke River Swanquarter

Wilderness Areas	Birkhead Mountains Catfish Lake South Ellicott Rock Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Linville Gorge Middle Prong Pocosin Pond Pine Sheep Ridge Shining Rock Southern Nantahala Swanquarter

Wilderness Study Areas	Craggy Mountain Harper Creek Lost Cove Overflow Snowbird

Wild and Scenic Rivers	Chattooga River Horsepasture River Lumber River New River Wilson Creek

State

State Parks	Carolina Beach Carvers Creek Chimney Rock Cliffs of the Neuse Crowders Mountain Dismal Swamp Elk Knob Eno River Fort Macon Goose Creek Gorges Grandfather Mountain Hammocks Beach Hanging Rock Haw River Jockey's Ridge Jones Lake Lake James Lake Norman Lake Waccamaw Lumber River Mayo River Medoc Mountain Merchants Millpond Morrow Mountain Mount Mitchell New River Pettigrew Pilot Mountain Raven Rock Singletary Lake South Mountains Stone Mountain William B. Umstead

State Recreation Areas	Falls Lake Fort Fisher Jordan Lake Kerr Lake

State Natural Areas	Hemlock Bluffs Masonboro Island Mount Jefferson Occoneechee Mountain Theodore Roosevelt Weymouth Woods See also List of North Carolina State Natural Areas

State Lakes	Bay Tree Lake Jones Lake Lake Phelps Salters Lake Singletary Lake Lake Waccamaw White Lake

State Trails	Deep River French Broad River Mountains-to-Sea Yadkin River

State Rivers	Horsepasture River Linville River Lumber River New River

State Forests	Bladen Lakes DuPont Clemmons Holmes Jordan Lake Mountain Island Rendezvous Mountain Turnbull Creek Tuttle

State Historic Sites	Alamance Battleground Charles B. Aycock Birthplace Historic Bath Bennett Place Bentonville Battleground Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson C.S.S. Neuse and Governor Caswell Memorial Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial Duke Homestead Historic Edenton Fort Dobbs Fort Fisher Historic Halifax Horne Creek Living Historical Farm House in the Horseshoe North Carolina Transportation Museum President James K. Polk Historic Site Reed Gold Mine Somerset Place Stagville State Capitol Town Creek Indian Mound Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace Thomas Wolfe Memorial

NC Coastal Reserve	Kitty Hawk Woods Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge Buxton Woods Permuda Island Bald Head Woods Bird Island

Other

Nature centers	List of nature centers in North Carolina

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