The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22-mile multi-use (walking and biking) greenway that connects Travelers Rest and Greenville, South Carolina, along the Reedy River, a historic railroad route, and city parks. The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail system stretches from the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the communities of Fountain Inn, Greenville, and Travelers Rest. Since its inception in 2009, this 22-mile network has provided fun, exercise, and communal transportation to Greenville County residents. Walking, running, cycling, or skating along the Swamp Rabbit Trail is a fantastic opportunity to discover Greenville and its surroundings. The paved road twists its way through downtown, passing through stores, landmarks, and natural areas as it runs alongside the Reedy River It presently finishes at Travelers Rest, a tiny town north of Greenville, after mostly following the bed of a former railroad. The multi-purpose route not only connects several parks and picnic areas, but it also passes by some fantastic cafés and restaurants. At different spots along the path, there are additional trails and attractions. The Greenville County Economic Development Corporation was established in 1999 by Greenville County Council to buy the abandoned Greenville & Northern Railway’s roadbed for dual use as a greenway and light rail passenger service. The proposed commuter rail was quickly abandoned, but the Greenville News editorial suggested a bike and hiking trail, despite admitting that the plan was an “unrealistic dream.” As recently as 2005, the head of a Greenville conservation group hiked the proposed trail “armed with a machete” because it was “heavily overgrown…almost impassible in parts.” Despite the fact that plans for a multi-use path had begun that summer, the Surface Transportation Board in Washington had to authorize the line’s closure, and a private Greenville corporation proposed purchasing it and restoring train service. The private enterprise eventually withdrew, and the STB accepted the abandonment in April 2006. The route was formally called the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail when the Greenville Health System donated $1 million to the $2.7 million renovations in 2007. Even before it officially opened in 2010, the Swamp Rabbit Trail was already attracting visitors in January 2008, despite “legal entanglements, regulatory obstacles, financial challenges, and community opposition.” The Swamp Rabbit Trail was described as “one of the most popular assets in Greenville County…proving that when it comes to such trails, if you build them, they will come” in a 2012 Greenville News editorial. In 2016, Greenville County Recreation estimated the trail’s annual economic impact on the county to be $7 million. The Swamp Rabbit will continue to expand across the county, providing options for exciting, non-motorized enjoyment and transportation wherever it goes.

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