I’m on a quest to visit as many National Park Service properties as possible. Since we live in Augusta, Mac and I have been knocking out sites in both Georgia and South Carolina. We stopped by Kings Mountain National Military Park and Cowpens National Battlefield in South Carolina while driving back from our latest trip to Blacksburg.
Kings Mountain became an important battle in the Southern theater of the American Revolution. A group of rough and tough Patriot backwoodsmen took on a small British camp near Charlotte. After some fierce fighting over incredibly tough terrain, the Patriot militia won the day for an important morale boost. Interestingly enough, only one combatant was known to be British. Everyone else who fought was American.
Address and Location
You’ll find Kings Mountain National Military Park at 2625 Park Road in Blacksburg, South Carolina. It’s a short drive off of I-85.
Cost
Visiting the park is free.
What to do
The park is pretty small. After you check out the Visitors’ Center, you can hike the main trail which winds up and down around a mile (or so) long loop on the actual Kings Mountain. While the path is paved, it is very hilly and, at times, steep. Like some other sites, Kings Mountain offers a call-in audio tour with markers along the path. Signs also note key positions, battle movements, and other key pieces of information. Be sure to visit the obelisk monument on the battlefield and to stop by the grave of British Major Patrick Ferguson.
South Carolina National Park Service properties: Your guide to the South Carolina National Parks | Congaree National Park | Ninety Six National Historic Site | Kings Mountain National Military Park | Cowpens National Battlefield | Fort Sumter National Historic Site | Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
