North Carolina Piedmont Area State Parks
Crowders Mountain 

About:
Raptors soar gracefully in the wind; vegetation reaches to the sky; sheer vertical cliffs drop 150 feet. Enjoy the spectacle from a front-row seat. High atop Crowders Mountain, the highest point in Gaston County, views stretch for more than 20 miles.
Things to do:
Camping, education and events, hiking, picnicking, rock climbing, water sports
Editors Comment:
This park offers a variety of diversions. The hiking is good and there is a 3/4 of a mile compass course that is ideal for passing off requirements. Just tag on an extra 1/4 of a mile to the end of the course and you have passed off a first class requirement. This site works well for beginners-experienced backpackers. Beginners can start from the main station and take a short hike into the primitive sites. The experienced backpackers will find it quite a challenge hiking from the Linwood Road access up Crowders Mountain, then down past the main station to the group sites.
Park hours:
November-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. 
Closed Christmas Day
Park Address/Phone Number:
522 Park Office Lane, Kings Mountain, NC 28086 (704) 853-5375
Park fees:
Camping
Backpack campsites: $9 per site, per day. Each campsite has a grill and tent pad. Drinking water and pit toilets are nearby.
Group camping: $1 per person with an $9 minimum per site, per day. Up to 15 people per site. Camping areas include a fire circle for cooking and campfire tales. Pit toilets and water are located nearby. Reservations required. 

Canoe rentals: $5 for the first hour and $3 each additional hour, registration is at visitor's center. Available spring through late fall. Call park office to verify if available.

Picnic shelter reservations: $60 per day, per shelter. Each shelter has nine picnic tables and can accommodate up to 90 people. Shelters are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis when they are not reserved.

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