In our last post on Kings Mountain trails we shared how Bill hiked the 16-mile Kings Mountain Recreation Trail
(purple) and Barbara hiked the Living History Farm Trail (yellow). Now we
mention some trails in Crowders
Mountain State
Park.
THE RIDGELINE TRAIL &
KINGS PINNACLE
The site of the Battle of
Kings Mountain (orange) is on a modest hill along a ridge extending from Crowders Mountain
in North Carolina to Browns
Mountain in South Carolina. It is part of the Carolinas’ piedmont.
 |
| a picture of the ridgeline shown on a sign in Kings Mountain NC |
The Ridgeline Connector
Trail (blue & grey on the map above) goes along much of this ridge
connecting the trails in the three parks: Kings Mountain
National Military Park SC, Kings Mountain State Park SC,
and Crowders Mountain State Park
NC.
One day Bill hiked part of
the Ridgeline trail (the part in blue), hiking about 10.5 miles. Barbara dropped Bill off
at a road crossing and he headed north toward the Crowders Mountain
Visitor Center.
The focal point of this trail is Kings Pinnacle (1,706ft). This cliff offers a
good view of the surrounding area including a quarry and the town of Kings Mountain
NC.
He continued north to the Visitor Center and then retraced his steps and
continued south to the Boulders parking area, where Barbara picked him up. The
trail continues on to Kings
Mountain (grey) and he
may hike that portion at some future date.
CROWDERS MOUNTAIN
On another day we hiked Crowders Mountain
(red) from the Crowders
Mountain Visitor
Center. The trail is
shaped like a lollypop. We started up the more gentle Crowders Trail.
When Barbara got to the
2-mile mark she headed back completing a 4 mile hike. Bill continued on, going
up lots of steps to the Rocktop trail, getting to the overlook by the towers,
having lunch at another overlook, and completing the 6+ mile lollypop. The
overlooks offered a nice view.
We may hike the mountain
from the northern side at some point which offers the shortest way up the
mountain, either on Backside trail or the gravel road that leads to the cell
towers. Then Barbara can get to the overlooks, too.
Since Bill has now hiked most
of the area trails he can offer good advice when Kings Mountain
visitors inquire about area hiking.
