Crowders Mountain, one of the two main peaks in Crowders Mountain State Park, rises prominently in North Carolina’s western Piedmont as a monadnock nearly 800 feet above the surrounding land and 1,625 feet above sea level. Along with nearby The Pinnacle, it long served as a landmark for the hunting grounds of the Catawba and Cherokee peoples. Its sheer cliffs, popular with rock climbers, and broad views make it a notable natural destination. In the 1970s, a proposed mining operation spurred a conservation movement that led to creation and expansion of the state park, while the mountain also became an important site for regional radio and communications towers.