Crowders Mountain State Park Visitor Center — Attraction in Gastonia

Crowders Mountain State Park is a fantastic outdoor getaway just 30 miles west of Charlotte, offering something for every nature lover. Whether you’re an experienced hiker or just looking for a peaceful walk in the woods, the park has a variety of trails that cater to all skill levels. The Pinnacle Trail and Rocktop Trail are must-dos for those seeking stunning panoramic views—on clear days, you can even spot the Charlotte skyline in the distance. The climbs are steep but absolutely worth the effort.

The visitor center is helpful, and the park staff are friendly and informative. For climbers, there are areas designated for rock climbing and bouldering with permits, which adds a unique adventure element to the park. Families will also enjoy the easier Lake Trail, along with picnic areas and primitive campsites.

The park is well-maintained, clean, and dog-friendly, making it ideal for a weekend day trip or even a short camping getaway. It does get busy on weekends, so arriving early is a good idea. Don’t forget your water and good hiking shoes! Overall, Crowders Mountain offers a refreshing experience filled with natural beauty and...

Awesome backpackers camp ground this is not a play park or a flat stroller walking park this is a mountain with climbs for more experienced hikers backpackers. Don’t show up in flip flops or chunky wedge shoes as this is not the place. That said the campsites a few miles hike are really nice with a good flat level tent set up spot. Bathrooms are about a 2 or 2 city blocks away from campsite spots depending which spot you have. They also have a couple of sites that have hammock hang posts for you hammock people. The tent pads have gravel on them which is nice as you shouldn’t need a footprint for your tent. Also we have crowded mountain hike which is a hikers challenge not something I recommend for small kids or the tourist weekend walker. Bring water can’t say that enough bring your own water on this hike to crowder mountain top. It’s tough but the views are well worth it. Good ample parking at the main gate. Also people keep your dog on the leash if you do...

3 stars is solely for my experience at the visitor center, not the natural surroundings. walked up at 12:40pm to find out they close from 12-1pm for lunch (google maps did not reflect this). i waited around until 1pm and when they did open up the women working inside was pretty unpleasant and came off rude. i just asked for the NC State Park Passport book and stamp, but decided to not ask her further questions. i grabbed a junior ranger book, park map, along with some other brochures. they had a small children’s section with coloring pages and a little museum area. bathrooms were open, but no hand soap in the...