Kings Pinnacle Trail

Kings Pinnacle Trail reaches the twin summit of Crowders Mountain State Park, ascending the ridge that parallels Crowders Mountain to the north. At 1,705 feet Kings Pinnacle matches Crowders Mountain in elevation but receives fewer visitors, rewarding those who make the effort with more solitary summit experiences and equally spectacular views across the piedmont. The quartzite ridge supports rare rock outcrop plant communities including several species of lichens and mosses found only on exposed acidic outcrops in the Carolina piedmont. The trail approaches from the Crowders Creek area, following a creek drainage uphill before switchbacking onto the ridge. The summit area features multiple overlook points oriented toward different compass directions, allowing hikers to take in views ranging from the Kings Mountain National Military Park to the south to the Charlotte skyline to the northeast. Hang gliders occasionally launch from the summit on suitable wind days. The descent follows the ridge north before looping back through second-growth forest recovering from agricultural use. The park is free with no entrance fees. Early spring and late fall offer the clearest summit views before and after leaf-out obscures distant landmarks.