Council Clears Path to New Public Space on Saluda River

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council approved restrictions of 28.02 acres of property along the Saluda River on Tuesday, the final step toward setting in motion improvements on the property for public use.

In October, the county was awarded a $500,000 grant from the United States Department of Interior Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to be used towards the development of a new recreation facility on the Saluda River in Piedmont.

The facility will be developed in the historic village of Piedmont on county-owned property located at 550 River Road at the confluence of the Saluda River and Big Brushy Creek, just north of Piedmont Dam. LWCF funds will assist in development of Phase I of the new park, which will include:

ADA-accessible kayak launch facility is set to include: 

  • 5,000 linear feet of ADA-accessible paved sidewalk

  • Improved parking area and access

  • Initial development of nature paths, shoreline access trails, and habitat enhancements

Piedmont Riverfront Park will be the fifth access facility developed by Anderson County to support the Upper Saluda River Blue Trail. The Blue Trail provides over 70 miles of beginner-friendly and nearly 50 miles of more advanced paddling opportunities. Starting in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Pickens and Greenville Counties, the Saluda River borders six counties as it flows through Upstate South Carolina and all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

“I can’t begin to say enough good things about the people in Piedmont—their strength and resilience are now being rewarded,” said S.C. Sen. Mike Gambrell when the project was announced. “The park will bring long-term, sustainable benefits to the community, and I can’t wait to see it come together.”  

Anderson County estimates that the park will directly contribute more than $3 million to the regional economy each year, with indirect impacts exceeding $10 million annually.


Greg Wilson