Palmetto Conservation and the City of Walhalla are celebrating a new partnership to extend the cross-state Palmetto Trail into downtown Walhalla, SC.
At a celebratory event on July 14 in Walhalla, Palmetto Conservation presented Mayor Danny Edwards with a Palmetto Trail kiosk poster illustrating the new downtown terminus.
“We are extremely excited to partner with Palmetto Conservation Foundation. The Palmetto Trail will allow us to share the beauty and history of our city and the surrounding county with visitors from all over the country and beyond. The Trail will be a destination of choice as one of only 16 Trails nationwide to traverse a state, taking trail users from the mountains of the Blue Ridge to the shores of the sea, near Charleston,” said Mayor Edwards.
The scenic Palmetto Trail is South Carolina’s premier hiking and mountain biking pathway that extends from the mountains to the sea. Until this agreement with Walhalla, the Trail terminated at Oconee Station Historic Site in the State Parks System. The extension into Walhalla will add about 16 miles to the mountain end of the Trail providing both biking and hiking opportunities. Prominent on the new passage is Stumphouse Tunnel Park, home to the historic pre-Civil War railroad tunnel to nowhere and the beautiful Issaqueena Falls.
“We were delighted to receive the invitation from the City of Walhalla to extend the Trail,” Palmetto Conservation Executive Director Natalie Britt said. “Our Board of Directors agrees that ending the Trail in a beautiful, thriving community provides countless benefits to the region and to Trail users.”
State Senator Thomas C. Alexander, who represents Oconee and Pickens counties in the Legislature, spoke at the celebration. Senator Alexander is a Walhalla businessman and champion of economic development.
“The economic impact of the Palmetto Trail on Walhalla and Oconee County will be significant. Through the public/private partnerships created with this project, the area will experience increased business development and tourism. In addition, this is an opportunity for increased awareness of healthy lifestyle choices and improved quality of life initiatives for our county residents. The Palmetto Trail, when completed, will span the state with over 500 miles of trail for hiking and biking enthusiasts of all ages,” said Senator Alexander.
Walhalla city leaders requested the extension to promote healthy living and to stimulate the local economy. A downtown terminus will provide residents with easy access to active outdoor recreation. Trail visitors will appreciate Walhalla’s restaurants, shops, and overnight lodging. Business leaders are delighted with the economic prospects of having Trail visitors in their city.
“We see this project as a win-win for everyone—local residents and visitors to the area. The City of Walhalla was already focused on making the downtown area more pedestrian friendly as part of the streetscape renovation project currently underway. Those plans will now be extended to ensure that Walhalla and the surrounding area is bike friendly as well,” stated Mayor Edwards.
Palmetto Conservation is working with a group of local stakeholders from the city and county to develop the final Trail route. The new passage will feature premier mountain biking access, which is almost nonexistent in the Upstate.
With the new extension, the Palmetto Trail will stretch across South Carolina from Walhalla in Oconee County to Awendaw in Charleston County. The Trail is a free, public resource available to residents and visitors of all ages and abilities for active outdoor recreation. Trail users enjoy South Carolina’s natural beauty, diverse culture, and fascinating history. Recognized regionally and nationally as a safe, scenic, and visitor-friendly attraction, the Trail accommodates human-powered outdoor recreation—hiking, backpacking, camping, mountain biking, and on some passages, street cycling and horseback riding. At present, more than 350 Trail miles, built as 26 passages across 14 counties, are open. When completed, the Trail will offer access to over 500 miles of continuous, maintained Trail from mountains to sea.
Palmetto Conservation Foundation is a statewide nonprofit organization, founded in 1989, whose mission is to conserve South Carolina’s natural and cultural resources, preserve historic landmarks, and promote active outdoor recreation. Palmetto Conservation’s largest and best-known project is building and maintaining the Palmetto Trail.
