River Road

The North Saluda River courses through forests and farmland within Greenville County, between the Poinsett Reservoir and Saluda Lake. In its upper reaches, it is a cold water trout stream with a sandy and rocky bottom, shaded by trees and stabilized by adequate riparian buffers. As it flows south, however, land use and poor management have degraded the river, creating a problem for water quality and the drinking water supply that the community of Easley relies upon. Naturaland Trust has partnered with the Bank, Save Our Saluda, Trees Upstate, and Easley Combined Utilities (ECU) to restore many sections of the North Saluda River to provide fishing access, improve water quality, and augment protected blue-way corridors. River Road is just south of Dividing Water and Cedar Mountain and adjoins the property Naturaland Trust previously protected. River Road will protect nearly a mile of frontage on the North Saluda River. Naturaland Trust has sought to protect this property for over 7-years, as it is a key tract to restoring and protecting over half a mile of frontage on the North Saluda River and 1,000 linear feet of a tributary stream. In addition to its hydrological facets, it has many developable lots that overlook the river and the Blue Ridge Escarpment.

Across the river is a 20-acre agricultural field that supplies Hotel Domestique with fresh produce. River Road will help secure this section of the North Saluda River between Highway 25 and Scenic Highway 11. We have made the North Saluda River one of our main focus areas to improve water quality downstream. Two years ago, with the Bank’s help, we purchased and restored 40-acres upstream of this tract. This year, we closed on Cedar Mountain, which protects important tributaries to the river. If we are successful in raising the funds for River Road, we will immediately work with our partners to begin planting and restoring the riparian buffer. 

Aside from its restorative values that we will experience over time, the intrinsic beauty and diversity of this tract are stunning. There are thousands of trilliums and mayapples in bloom along the slopes of the hills and flood plain of the river. There are stands of mature hardwoods and sections of the river where trees create a beautiful wooded tunnel over rocky riffles. Where Highway 25 crosses the river, there is a large tunnel that serves as a hydrological relief and is also large enough to allow bears, deer, and myriad other wildlife to cross safely on this property; it’s the only wildlife underpass we have seen of its kind in this region. The property is easily accessible by foot, and if the paddling community desires a put-in on this tract, we could open it up for use since there is a gravel road leading down to the river.

River Road adjoins a 5-acre parcel that Naturaland Trust owns on the North Saluda River, an important fishing area for SCDNR. River Road will be managed as our other properties on the North Saluda River. We will allow public access and work with Save Our Saluda and Trees Upstate to restore the riparian area of the River. We will allow SCDNR to continue to stock the River with fish.