Saluda Grade Trail

What Saluda Grade Trail does

Saluda Grade Trail is a nonprofit community development project stewarded by the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy, a coalition formed in 2022 by Conserving Carolina (NC), PAL: Play, Advocate, Live Well (SC), and Upstate Forever (SC). The organization is converting the historic Saluda Grade Railroad corridor—the steepest standard-gauge mainline ever built in the United States—into a planned 31.5-mile multi-use rail trail running from Inman, South Carolina to Zirconia, North Carolina, through 31 communities including Campobello, Landrum, Tryon, and Saluda. In June 2025, the conservancy acquired the full 31.5-mile corridor from Norfolk Southern for $28.5 million, primarily funded by $22 million in state appropriations (NC $12M, SC $10M) with additional support from the South Carolina Conservation Bank, the federal ARISE program, the Polk County Community Foundation, and private donors.

The project is currently in the design and pre-construction phase, with SeamonWhiteside engaged as engineering partner for the South Carolina section and design underway on 15.5 miles between Inman and the state line. A 2024 Clemson University economic impact study projects $240 million in total economic impact over the first 12 years of the trail (construction plus initial 10 years of operation), including $20 million annually and $43.5 million in incremental goods and services during construction. The "product" is a free, publicly accessible linear park supporting walking, biking, hiking, jogging, and wheelchair use, with planned connectivity to the Ecusta Trail, Daniel Morgan Trail System, and Swamp Rabbit Trail to form a regional network.

The organization has no commercial revenue. It is funded entirely through state and federal grants, foundation grants, and individual donations routed through Conserving Carolina (NC) and the Spartanburg County Foundation (SC). The go-to-market approach is community-led: extensive public engagement through meetings, surveys, and forums (e.g., a Spring 2025 forum at Polk County High School drew 300+ attendees) combined with earned media, an email newsletter, and social media. No headcount, revenue, or operating expense figures are publicly disclosed; staffing appears limited to a Trail Manager (Summer Flynn) and a recently posted Project Coordinator position.

Name

Saluda Grade Trail

Legal name

Saluda Grade Trail Conservancy

Website

https://saludagradetrail.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Saluda Grade Trail is a nonprofit coalition converting the historic Saluda Grade Railroad corridor into a planned 31.5-mile multi-use rail trail from Inman, SC to Zirconia, NC, serving 31 communities with walking, biking, and recreation access. It is funded by state and federal grants plus donations, with land acquired in June 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and organizational donations are sought from supporters who want to help create the Saluda Grade Trail. Donations can be made through Conserving Carolina for the NC section or through Spartanburg County Foundation for the SC section.
2. Government Grants: Funding from federal programs such as the Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE), as well as state allocations from North Carolina and South Carolina budgets.
3. State Funding: Primary funding for land acquisition came from allocations by the states of North and South Carolina, with additional support from the South Carolina Conservation Bank and Polk County Community Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Saluda Grade Trail is a nonprofit initiative developing a planned 31.5-mile multi-use rail trail along the historic Saluda Grade Railroad corridor, running from Inman, South Carolina to Zirconia, North Carolina. The trail will accommodate walking, biking, hiking, jogging, wheelchair access, strollers, and other forms of outdoor recreation. The organization focuses on land acquisition, design, engineering, community engagement, and fundraising to convert the inactive rail corridor into a free, publicly accessible linear park connecting historic small towns across the two states.

Product overview

The Saluda Grade Trail is a single, unified product — a planned 31.5-mile multi-use rail trail under development by the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy (a coalition of Conserving Carolina and PAL: Play, Advocate, Live Well). The trail will transform the historic Saluda Grade Railroad corridor into a linear park for walking, biking, hiking, and other outdoor recreation, connecting communities from Inman, SC to Zirconia, NC. The project is currently in the planning and land acquisition phase, with construction pending funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Saluda Grade Trail A planned 31.5-mile multi-use rail trail running from Inman, SC to Zirconia, NC along the historic Saluda Grade Railroad corridor. The trail will welcome walkers, bikers, hikers, joggers, wheelchairs, strollers, and other forms of outdoor recreation, passing through historic small towns including Inman, Campobello, Landrum, Tryon, Saluda, and Zirconia. It will be free and publicly accessible upon completion.

Quantifiable outcome

• $240 million in total economic impact projected over first 12 years
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SeamonWhitesidecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 28 January 2026Engineering firm hired as the project's engineering partner in South Carolina. Responsible for engineering, designing, and permitting the former W-Line railroad between Inman, SC and the NC/SC state border for conversion to an ADA accessible Shared Use Path.
• Conserving CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand trust based in Hendersonville, NC that has protected over 50,000 acres in western NC and SC. Conserving Carolina is spearheading the North Carolina sections of the Saluda Grade Trail and leads trail development efforts in NC, including managing the Project Coordinator position and pursuing NC funding.
• PAL: Play, Advocate, Live WellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit improving health and wellness throughout Spartanburg County, SC. PAL is spearheading the South Carolina sections of the trail and the Daniel Morgan Trail System. Executive Director Laura Ringo leads PAL's involvement in the project.
• Upstate ForeversupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSC-based organization that played a vital role in launching the project during the first phase of engaging elected officials, raising acquisition funds, and securing land for the trail. Continue to support the project.
• Norfolk SoutherncoreOthersFormer owner of the Saluda Grade rail line. Sold the 31.5-mile rail corridor to the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy in June 2025 for $28.5 million. Norfolk Southern expressed commitment to supporting community-building initiatives.
• TPD, Inc.supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMultimodal transportation planning firm that conducted the year-long feasibility study including engineering and economic impact analysis for the proposed trail.
• Blue IonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm working with Conserving Carolina and PAL to develop community engagement strategies and plans for the trail.
• Tourism Impact ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm partnering with Conserving Carolina and PAL to launch community input opportunities and develop economic development strategies.
• Saluda Historic Depot MuseumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum preserving the history of the Saluda Grade railroad, currently drawing approximately 10,000 visitors annually. Connected to the trail's heritage tourism value.
• Ecusta TrailsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated rail trail project (19 miles from Hendersonville to Brevard, NC) being built by Conserving Carolina. The Ecusta Trail to Saluda Grade Trail Connector Study identifies potential alignments to connect the two trails.
• Daniel Morgan Trail SystemsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner55-mile trail system in Spartanburg, SC led by PAL. A connector study identifies potential alignments to link the Saluda Grade Trail from Inman, SC to this regional trail system.
• Foothills Regional CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed the NCDOT Complete Streets planning study for Saluda, examining how to make West Main Street safer, more accessible, and better connected in preparation for the trail.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swamp Rabbit Trail: 22-mile rail trail in Greenville, SC that the Saluda Grade team explicitly benchmarks against (530,000 visitors in 2014). Same rail-to-trail conversion model in the same state, making it the most directly comparable operational reference point.
• Virginia Creeper Trail: 34-mile rail trail in Virginia that the Saluda Grade team cites as a model success story, drawing 112,000+ annual visitors. Closest analogue in terms of rural scenic character, heritage appeal, and length.
• Ecusta Trail: 19-mile planned rail trail from Hendersonville to Brevard, NC being built by Conserving Carolina - the same lead nonprofit on the NC side of Saluda Grade. Active connector study links the two trails, making Ecusta a sister project and direct operational peer.
• Conserving Carolina: The lead nonprofit for the NC sections of Saluda Grade Trail and the developer of the Ecusta Trail. Embedded as a core partner on the project, but also operates as a peer land trust managing multiple regional trail and conservation initiatives.
• Upstate Forever: SC-based conservation organization that helped launch Saluda Grade and continues to support it. Operates comparable land conservation and trail-development advocacy in the same Upstate SC geography.

Regional players

• Palmetto Trail: South Carolina's long-distance cross-state hiking trail network. Comparable as a multi-region trail-building nonprofit operation in the same geography with overlapping stakeholder and funder relationships.
• Foothills Trail Conservancy: South Carolina-based trail conservancy also founded by Glenn Hilliard, founder of the Saluda Grade Trails Conservancy. Same leadership DNA and similar Appalachian-region trail development model.
• Mountains-to-Sea Trail (NC): 1,175-mile cross-North Carolina trail under development by Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Comparable as a long-distance multi-segment trail built through phased fundraising and state partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Silver Comet Trail: 61.5-mile rail trail in Georgia that has become one of the Southeast's most-used multi-use paths. Comparable as a mature rail-trail operating in a similar regional context, useful as a benchmark for post-opening usage.
• Katy Trail (Missouri): 240-mile rail-trail across Missouri, the longest in the US. Comparable as a large-scale, state-supported rail trail demonstrating the upper-boundary economic and tourism outcomes a project like Saluda Grade could target.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/saludagradetrail
• Facebookfacebook.com/palspartanburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/palspartanburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saluda Grade Trail