Palmetto Trail Statewide Master Plan

The Palmetto Trail Statewide Master Plan establishes a ten-year vision for completing and expanding the Palmetto Trail from South Carolina's mountains to its coast.

by Palmetto Conservation Foundation, Alta Planning + Design

More than two decades ago, the Palmetto Trail was conceived as a cross-state trail that would serve as a spine for a network of bikeways and trails in South Carolina. Since its inception in 1994, the Palmetto Trail has been spearheaded by the Palmetto Conservation Foundation (PCF), a statewide nonprofit organization. Through the work of PCF and its volunteers and partners, 25 passages of the trail are complete and are enjoyed by South Carolina residents and visitors. This represents approximately 350 miles of the 425-mile route originally envisioned. In the Upstate of South Carolina, the Oconee Passage at Oconee Station State Historic Site serves as the trail’s northern terminus. In the Low Country, the trail terminates at the Awendaw Passage in the Buck Hall National Recreation Area at Francis Marion National Forest.

PCF's work is defined by three major program areas: conversation of natural areas, preservation of Revolutionary War battlefields, and development of the Palmetto Trail and other greenways in South Carolina. PCF complements these programs with organized activities for outdoor education and recreation and with a small publishing arm. In the last twenty five years, as the Palmetto Trail has developed and PCF has evolved, the organizational needs and focus have changed.

This Master Plan is a guide book to be used by PCF and its partners to guide the completion of the Palmetto Trail within the next ten years. The Plan additionally serves as a resource for marketing, managing, and maintaining the trail at the statewide level and also at the local level.

Attached document published April 2014

About the Authors


To conserve South Carolina’s natural and cultural resources, preserve historic landmarks, and promote active outdoor recreation on the Palmetto Trail and other greenways.


Alta is more than a planning and design firm – our 200 expert planners, engineers, designers and encouragement specialists are on hand for each and every aspect of the work needed to help you create your active community.

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