Crowders Mountain State Park

About Crowders Mountain State Park

To get closer to the wonders of nature, you can explore the park's miles of hiking trails and enjoy the spectacle from a front row seat. The view stretches for more than 20 miles, the vegetation reaches into the sky, steep cliffs drop 150 feet into the depths and the view from the top of one of the highest peaks in the state, Crows Mountain State Park.

The rolling hills of Piedmont, North Carolina, offer a variety of terrain, and if concerned citizens had not worked to protect the environment from continued human threats, they would not exist. Cross the foothills, plunge into the valleys, cross rivers and enjoy the rippling streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Crowders Mountain and Kings Pinnacle, which are located at 800 feet above the surrounding countryside and have long resisted erosion, are the remains of an ancient mountain range.
Although these mighty mountains rise thousands of feet below sea level, the surviving peaks were part of the Appalachian chain that formed the basis of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other national parks. Geologically classified as Kyanite - Quartzite Monadcams, only the strength of quartzite allows the crenellations to withstand the less resistant peaks eroded by wind, water or other forces.

Kings Pinnacle, on the other hand, has a round, smooth profile and reaches a height of 1,705 feet.

Crowders Mountain State Park, part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is a registered natural heritage site that includes two of North Carolina's most famous mountain ranges, Crowders Mountain and KingsPinnacle. The mountains hang from east to west and the saddle that connects them Orients itself to the north - east, south and west.

Climbing the mighty battlements offers spectacular views, and the summit marks the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A major trade route for the Cherokees passed through Crowders Mountain, and before the arrival of European settlers much of this land was a natural prairie grazed by herds of buffalo.

By 1775, about 80,000 settlers had moved to the area from the northern colonies, and the conflict between settlers and Cherokee continued during the Revolutionary War. During the American Revolution, the Superbergers won an important victory over the colonists at nearby Königsberg. The 1777 Treaty allowed the white settlers to retreat, but only when a small volunteer army of about 1,500 soldiers from Crowders Mountain and a few hundred from surrounding towns was formed.

The capture of British loyalists in Königsberg marked the beginning of a series of defeats that led to Crowders Mountain's capitulation in 1777 and subsequent defeat by the Cherokees. Learn more about the Superbergers and their role in the Revolutionary War from the mountain.

The discovery of valuable minerals had a significant impact on the area: in 1799 a 17 pound lump of gold was discovered, in 1803 a 28 pound lump and in the late 19th century a 29 foot rock with a gold content of 1,000 ounces (3,500 grams).

After the discovery of gold in California in 1849, North Carolina was the largest gold producing state in the United States, and soon after a significant amount of valuable minerals were discovered on Crowders Mountain. During the gold rush, hundreds of mines contaminated at least 10 counties in North Carolina.

Kyanite was also mined and the open-cast mining took place on Crowders Mountain, with devastating environmental effects. When exploration and excavation began in the 1970s, fears that Crowder's mountain might be mined prompted local residents to seek to preserve it. The Gaston County Conservation Society was founded to raise awareness of the risk of losing this landmark and encourage the state to buy the mountain for a park.

Under the group's 1971 proposal, Crowders Mountain was recognized by the state as a potential national park, and funds were allocated for the land acquisition a year later. The new national parks were opened to the public in 1974, but it was not until 1977 that the summit of Crowder's Mountain was tied to the park's boundaries.

Kings Pinnacle and other acreage were acquired in 1987, and in 2000, another 2,000 acres of land was added to Crowders Mountain State Park. The land, funded by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is linked to Crowders Mountain National Wildlife Refuge, a national park within the national park.

Once you've finished exploring the day, prepare for a long night at Crowders Mountain State Park with a night hike or hike - in.

Campers must register at the park office and pack provisions for camping from $1 to $5 and camp on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. All campsites are accessible via hiking trails and must be stocked with supplies and accessible at least 2 hours a day, 7 days a week, on foot, by bike, on horseback or by bicycle. This leads to a wooded campsite where there is a barbecue and campsite, as well as a picnic area, picnic table and picnic tables.

Drinking water, pits and toilets are available on the picnic area, picnic table and picnic tables, as well as on the campsite.

Each of the six group sites will accommodate up to 15 people, and larger groups will enjoy community at the group campsites. Each campsite is based on the "first come," the "first served," and includes a fire circle for cooking, stories and campfires. A modest fee is charged, but large groups, such as groups of 10 or more people or large families with children, pay a fee of $5 per person per day for the first two days.

Pits, toilets and water are nearby and a small fee is charged, but no prior notice is required. A small campsite with a fire circle, fireplace, toilet, water and showers is also charged, as is a pit toilet with water.

On the picnic area there are 28 tables and eight barbecues in a 28-table, eight of which are barbecues. The shade of large trees provides a great opportunity to dine al fresco in the beautiful forest landscape.

Two large shelters and barbecues are available for picnics, drinking water and toilets are nearby. All use of these accommodations is free of charge and is done according to the principle "first come, first served" without reservation. Reservations are recommended to make sure they were available, but on an emerging - and - coming basis.

Wildflowers, mountain gorillas and trails lead up the crest to the top of Crowders Mountain, Kings Pinnacle. The other hiking trails are easy walks through the surroundings and are best enjoyed after a mile of hiking along the trails.

Bring binoculars and hold your camera in your hand to capture the beauty of the blooming wildflowers. On the gravel path around the lake and in the narrow stream observe aquatic plants and animals. Watch birds and water birds, ducks and other birds of prey, as well as other wildlife.

Crowders Mountain State Park regularly hosts rangers' education and interpreting programs.

Contact the park office to arrange a group lesson, and information can be found on the map and the legend.

Crowder's Mountain programs introduce students to basic geological concepts, including geology, geophysics, paleontology, and geochemistry, as developed for grades 5-7. The programme is accompanied by a teacher's booklet and a workshop, which is free of charge for teachers. This correlates with the educational programs of the park for students in grades 3-5 and 6-8.

Experienced climbers will enjoy the challenges of Crowders Mountain, but climbing is only allowed in designated areas. Pitons, bolts and similar devices that can damage rock walls are not allowed.
Climbers must register with an activity permit, which is available at the park office. No fee is charged for the permit, but more information is available at the park office, and climbers can also register online at Crowders Mountain State Park.

During the activity, a copy of the permit must be left in the registration box and handed over to the parking attendant. Further copies will be made available to the participants and must have been in their possession before climbing or abseiling. The basic safety equipment and techniques for climbing must be used at all times and participants are responsible for their personal safety, including ensuring their own safety and the safety of their surroundings and those of others.

At the end of the ramp from Edgewood Road, turn left into the parking lot at the entrance to Crow's Mountain State Park and then right onto the exit.

Turn left onto Sparrow Springs Road and continue for approximately two miles, then turn left into the parking lot at the entrance to Crow's Mountain State Park and then right onto the exit. Turn right again on Sparrow Springs Road, continue for about two miles to the end of the park and turn right on Edgewood Road.

Less than a mile away is the main entrance to the park on the right and the exit from Edgewood Road into Crow's Mountain State Park.

From 85 northbound on NC 161 take Exit 8 and turn left at the stop sign on Sparrow Springs Road. Follow Lake Montonia Road (Pinnacle Road) to the Lake Edgewood Road exit on the left. At the top of the ramp, turn right onto NC-161 and continue for approximately 1 mile, then head south on Northside Road and turn right off the ramp south into Crow's Mountain State Park.

The main entrance to the park is approximately one mile on the left and is on the left, then right at the stop sign on Sparrow Springs Road and turn right.