America's Scenic Byways

Crowders Mountain Drive

8 miles - 20 minutes

Take a drive that winds by the monarch of the mountains. Crowders Mountain Drive, named for one of the early settlers passes a scenic three-mile mountain range and through Crowders Mountain State Park.

Among the peaks in the mountain range is one called the Pinnacle. It is known as a monadnock, which is a geological feature made from a mass of rock that has resisted erosion. Because of this phenomenon, the Pinnacle towers high above the rest of the peaks like a king.

Because the byway goes through a mountainous area, visitors may want to experience rock climbing or hiking in the region. This short byway is well worth the twenty minutes drive.