The trail enhances the quality of life of the community, enjoys significant use by locals, has become a major tourist attraction, and is a catalyst for economic development.
Planning for the trail began in 1999, with the creation of the Greenville County Economic Development Corporation. That organization’s first act was to purchase the abandoned Greenville and Northern Railway line. Construction on the main segment of the trail began in 2007, at a cost of $ 2.7 million. A gift of $ 1 million from the Greenville Health System (which subsequently became Prisma Health) was a huge boost to the project. As additional segments of the trail have been added over time, the total development cost is approaching $ 9 million, with additional extensions in the works. Four ARC investments have contributed a total of $ 1.2 million toward construction.
