Hiking Challenge – Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

Crowders Mountain State Park is a 5,217-acre North Carolina state park located in Gaston County, North Carolina in the United States. Gaston County is located 32 miles west of Charlotte. It is on the outskirts of Gastonia, North Carolina.

***Which Way should we go?***
***To Boulders Overlook***
***or into South Carolina?***

Crowders Mountain State Park includes two mountain peaks with fabulous views of the surrounding Piedmont area. The peaks include Crowders Mountain and The Pinnacle. There are three different Access Points to the state park.

Sparrow Springs Access and Visitor Center – 20 miles of hiking trails
Linwood Road Access – 4 miles of hiking trails
Boulder Access – 6 miles of hiking trails.

My grandson and I entered the Crowders Mountain State Park via the Boulders Access Point. This was the first time I took him to this location. We didn’t go far on this trip, only 2.8 miles round trip. We hiked a small portion of the Ridgeline Trail. The entire Ridgeline Trail runs along both North and South Carolina.

The Ridgeline Trail is only one of many trails in the state park. The Boulders Access has a visitor center, restrooms, and picnic areas along with the hiking trails. At this location are quite a number of various sizes of boulders. Some of the boulders were close to the trail and too much of a temptation for my grandson to resist climbing. The Boulders Access area is less crowded then the main access at the Sparrow Springs Access point. The trail is rocky and traverses up and down and around the mountain.

Park Information:

Crowders Mountain State Park 522 Park Office Lane Kings Mountain, NC 28086

Posting for Alive & Trekking’s Which Way Photo Challenge.

Photo Credit: Deb L. Waters

Photos shot on a iPhone 14 Pro Max

God Bless. Thank you for sharing in our adventures. I appreciate y’all.

The Anne Springs Close Greenway has a Trail Passport program that members and visitors may choose to participate if they so desire. The Trail Passport booklet is a guide for your benefit to assist you in exploring the over 40 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trials. The Greenway has 26 unique trails and points of interest. The Passport provides an easy way for you to keep track of which trails you have accomplished, and which trails you have yet to complete.

**Trail Passport**
***Anne Springs Close Greenway***

To earn the Passport Certificate, you need to participate in the Hiking Challenge. The following are the requirements for the Hiking Challenge.

Hike, bike or horseback ride a trail
Initial and date each hike that you complete
After you have completed all the trails bring your Passport to the Greenway to receive you completion certificate (subject to availability).

The Greenway has a Trail Map that is a guide to let you know where the trails are located and from which Greenway Entrance is best to take for your desired trail. My grandson loves to carry a Trail Map with him whenever we go for a hike. When he looks at it you would think he knows exactly what he is looking at and can figure out which way he wants to go next.

While some members choose to participate in the Hiking Challenge, there are many that do not. Completing the challenge is not something that everyone accomplishes, however, it is well worth it. It takes dedication and determination to complete all twenty-six (26) trails consisting of thirty-six (36) miles of hiking, biking or horse riding in the Greenway.

My grandson, Coleman, picked up a Trail Passport on one of our visits to the Greenway. He indicated that he wanted to participate in the Hiking Challenge. He did not let his young age deter him from taking up the challenge or completing the challenge. He loves the outdoors and loves to hike and spend time out in nature with me. Coleman just recently turned three. He completed all 26 trails of 36 miles in the Hiking Challenge before his third birthday. He is amazing, but then again you might say I am biased.

Some trails in the Greenway are as short as 0.4 miles while others are over 3 miles in length. On some days we combined several trails and we hiked 5-6 miles. Was he tired by the end of the hike? Definitely, but that never stopped him from keeping going and finishing each day’s hike. After completing each day’s hike, he would lift his hands up and yell “I did it.” He really loves hiking and would do it every day if he could.