Crowders Mountain State Park, North Carolina

Wow, you North Carolinans keep a good secret. Crowders Mountain State Park is the perfect example of this. It’s not particularly famous across America, like the Rocky Mountains are, yet a trip here in the fall might be just as awe-inspiring. Seriously, there are more mountains to climb, scenic views to behold, and rivers to roam in this state than anyone is letting on. But we’ll tell you this—many of them can be found in Crowders.

Birds of prey soar high in the sky, riding the updrafts of wind and staring intently at the ground in search for their next meal. Gently rolling hills fall away from Crowders Mountain for as far as the eye can see, which happens to be about 25 miles on a good day. Miles upon miles of trails built by the awesome secret-keepers of North Carolina allow you to enjoy this beautiful place, so get out there and take advantage of it!