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 Reporter |
Summary: This is only one variation of numerous hikes that can be found at Crowders Mountain State Park. We started out on the Tower Trail which is the maintenance road for the towers at the summit. It's a wide, gravel trail and winds it's way for 2 miles to the Overlook. The rock formations at the summit are awesome and on nice days you'll probably encounter some climbers and rappellers since this is permissible on Crowders. We spent almost an hour at the summit, having our lunch and chatting with other hikers we encountered and met some very nice folks. We trekked back via the Backside Trail which is about .9 miles in length and is very steep. Most folks use the reverse order for the trails that we did and we will the next trip, hopefully soon !! Be sure and fill your water bottles at the Ranger Station !!! Trailhead: Take I-85 to exit 13, turn left on Edgewood Rd, go .8 mi, turn right on Hwy 29/74, go 1.9 mi and turn left on Sparrow Springs Rd, turn left on Linwood Rd, go 1.6 mi to a junction and turn right, the trailhead parking area is .2 mi ahead. (Lat:35.14443 Lon:-81.16164) Trail Guides for Tower-Backside Trails: Hiking North Carolina by Randy Johnson (Falcon) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: (704)853-5375 Crowders Mountain Rangers Office Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by John Ghent, who has posted 12 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by C on 1/28/2012 Definitely a good work out! Trail kinda bumpy, very steep at times,only about 4 miles rt to the top of the mountain and back to the visitor center. Speaking of the top, if you take the pinnacle trail and continue to the peak of the mountain you get to see an awesome view of the city. It was well worth the sweat and the bath with epsom salt when I got back home! 
Reviewed by A2Hikers on 10/13/2011 This is an all time favorite for myself and my girlfriend as we're from Charlotte, and Crowders isn't too far away. We've been hiking this trail for a great exercise nearly every Sunday this Summer. As said several times, the people are friendly and do bring their dogs often be careful if you take them. If you're not much of a hiker and have poor balance, we highly recommend not doing the .9 mile length steep Backside Trail..especially going down it. However, if you do, definitely do it first..as coming down can be difficult...very steep, loose splint rocks, skipping from one rock to another, but it's very rewarding and fun once you reach the top!
Reviewed by SundayHikers on 10/13/2011 Error: Reserved Word Found: --
Reviewed by A2 on 10/13/2011 Error: Reserved Word Found: --
Reviewed by bw on 3/23/2009 Really enjoyed this hike. Good exercise and a great view from the top. Coords were about 20 miles away from parking area. New coords that I tracked were Lat: 35o 14.450' Lon:081o 16.166' Thanks for a good hike.
Reviewed by Sara on 4/27/2007 This was a great hike....and a wonderful view!!! It was worth the sweat that it took to get up the giant neverending hill and of course the stairs....Alot of people bring there dogs so that was a plus for me....but if you plan and going all the way to the top to see the view be aware that there are alot of spots were your doggie could go over......
Reviewed by Carlos Vargas on 11/13/2006 Went hiking with my girlfriend on this trail and we LOVED it. We're from Floria and just enjoy hiking. We took the long way first and saw most people going in the reverse order of the trail. Going the long way first is a great challenge. Bring water and you should be fine. Very quiet and everyone we saw said hello. The view at the top past the tower near the rocks is worth the trip. We sat about twenty minutes looking at Charlotte. We highly recomend this trail for couples. There are even a few places you can be alone.
Reviewed by Mich-State on 8/22/2004 From couch potato to outdoor hiker, I found this to be a fantastic hike! I took your advise and took the .9 miles first. What a hike!! A personal challenge climbing and amazing views at the top. I ran into a great State Park Ranger at the top who gave me great insight to the history of Crowder Park and the surrounding hills. This was an enjoyable experience and I recommend the hike! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: North Carolina Hiking, North Carolina Trails, North Carolina Hikes, Cleveland County Hiking, Cleveland County Trails, Cleveland County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
