Nonprofits Seek to Turn NS Saluda Grade Railroad Line Into Rail Trail

The potential Saluda Grade rail trail would run from Inman, S.C., to Zirconia, N.C.

Nonprofits Conserving Carolina, PAL: Play, Advocate Live Well (PAL) and Upstate Forever are working together to purchase Norfolk Southern’s (NS) inactive Saluda Grade railroad corridor, part of the Class I’s W Line located in Polk County, N.C., for a new approximately 31-mile rail trail. According to Upstate Forever, the nonprofits have made an offer to NS and negotiations are ongoing.

“NS regularly receives inquiries regarding the status of many of our strategic assets, including corridors like the Saluda Grade. Out of respect for the inquiring parties, we do not provide any detailed information regarding these inquiries,” a NS spokesperson said in response to a request for comment on the potential transaction.

The potential Saluda Grade rail trail, which would be similar to the Prisma health Swamp Rabbit Trail or Virginia Creeper Trail, would run from Inman, S.C. to Zirconia, N.C., and would “spur economic growth while providing new opportunities for outdoor recreation,” according to Upstate Forever. Approximately 16 miles of the line are in South Carolina while about 15 miles are in North Carolina. The route includes dramatic scenery along the Blue Ridge Escarpment and passes through historic downtowns in Saluda, Tryon, Landrum and Inman. When active from 1878 to 2001, the line was renowned as the steepest standard gauge mainline railroad ever built in the U.S.

“As we’ve seen with the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville County, trails like this are transformational economic engines,” said Andrea Cooper, Executive Director of Upstate Forever. “They bring money and jobs to the local economy, boost quality of life for residents, and offer a safe and accessible way to spend time outdoors. The Saluda Grade Rail Trail will yield a return far beyond any initial investment.”

Saluda Grade Trail will be an extraordinary recreational amenity for the residents of our region and could become a hub for a burgeoning network of connecting parks, trails and greenways across several counties,” said Kieran Roe, Executive Director of Conserving Carolina. “The trail will also help preserve and promote awareness of the remarkable history of the Saluda Grade railroad, a 19th-century engineering marvel that was key to the growth and development of this part of the Carolinas.”

Trails provide significant health benefits, and the Saluda Grade will do just that,” said Laura Ringo, Executive Director of PAL. “Physical inactivity is a major cause of most chronic diseases and access to recreation areas and trails increases physical activity for people of all ages, abilities and income levels. The creation of trails is an investment in preventative health and studies show that every $1 investment leads to almost $3 in direct medical benefit.”