Help Create The New
Saluda Grade Trail

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Vision Vision

Explore the Trail

A new rail trail that travels all the way from the rolling countryside of Upstate South Carolina, through historic and vibrant small towns, and into the spectacular mountain scenery of Western North Carolina. 

That’s the vision for a planned new rail trail along the route of the historic Saluda Grade Railroad. 

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Status

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The planned Saluda Grade Trail would run for 31.5 miles, from Inman, SC to Zirconia, NC. The trail would welcome folks out for a stroll, as well as bikers, hikers, joggers, wheelchairs, strollers, and other forms of exercise and play. 

In June 2025, we bought the land for the trail from Norfolk Southern and we are excited about bringing the Saluda Grade Trail to our communities!  

Will you help create the Saluda Grade Trail? We need to demonstrate overwhelming public support for the trail, in order to ensure support from our local decision-makers and to make a strong case for state, federal, and private funding. As we move toward the fundraising stage of this project, we anticipate that we will need to raise significant funds from local donors to match potential state and federal grants. 

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Recent News

A Trail Legacy Spanning Over 100 Miles

Glenn Hilliard, champion of the Foothills Trail, led efforts to buy the Saluda Grade.

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Next Steps in Planning the Saluda Grade Trail

Last summer, the Saluda Grade Trail coalition presented findings from the first in-depth study of the trail—and now we are moving into the next major phase of planning the trail.

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Recent News
Celebrate the Saluda Grade Trail on July 31

Wherever you live along the rail line or the larger Saluda Grade region, you are invited to come celebrate with us!  

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Our Partners

Two nonprofits are partnering to create the Saluda Grade Trail—Conserving Carolina in North Carolina and PAL: Play, Advocate Live Well in South Carolina.  

 

 


 

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