State park in North Carolina, United States
Crowders Mountain State Park is a 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 is named for Crowders Creek which originates near its base. 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, Crowders Mountain and The Pinnacle are Class 6 mountains, defined as rising at least above the lowest point within a radius. Crowders Mountain sharply rises some above the surrounding countryside, and presents sheer rock cliffs that are 100 - in height. The mountain rises to above sea level, which is barely more than the above the surrounding terrain needed to qualify it as a true mountain, given that the lowest point within a radius is slightly less than above sea level and located along Crowders Creek between Dickey Mill Road and Superior Stainless Road. 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 long range of low peaks which include the site of the Battle of Kings Mountain of the American Revolution. The Pinnacle qualifies somewhat more solidly as a true mountain than Crowders Mountain does despite the lowest point within being more than (but still well under ) above sea level, owing to its higher overall elevation producing a more than elevation difference with the lowest nearby point along South Crowders Creek. 
The park contains two named peaks:
The park features a Visitors Center.
History.
Buffalo herds grazed much of the land, which was prairie, before European settlers arrived. The Cherokee Indians had a trading route that crossed Crowders Mountain, and the peaks marked boundaries between the hunting lands of the Catawba and Cherokee Indians.
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 was added to the park in 1987. Another 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.
Two hiking trails lead to The Pinnacle.
Other park hiking trails.
Nearby state parks.
The following state parks and state forests are within of Crowders Mountain State Park:
Kings Mountain State Park, South Carolina
Mountain Island Educational State Forest
South Mountains State Park
References.
"State Parks of North Carolina", Walter C. Biggs and James F. Parnell, Authors. John F. Blair, Publisher. 1989 
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;