THE WORLD OUTDOORS

A few weekends ago, my grandfather and I embarked on another biking adventure.

This one reminded me of how rich and diverse our county’s natural resources are.

We decided to bike the Cayce Riverwalk, which we had put off far too long.

The Cayce/West Columbia Riverwalk is a paved 8-mile, all-purpose trail spanning from Timmerman Trail in Cayce’s 12,000 Year History Park to Jarvis Klapman Boulevard along the Congaree River Blueway.

The wheelchair accessible trail winds along the lush green west shore of the river with plenty of places to sit down and enjoy the view.

We started our newest adventure with breakfast at Bojangles. A short drive later, we arrived at the starting point, the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center.

Our ride began perfectly. The early morning temperature was warm and we were going just fast enough to get a cooling breeze.

Moments later, we realized we took the wrong trail.

“No problem”, we said and our spirits were still high as we made our way back.

The first glimpse of the Congaree was beautiful. It had to be at least a couple of football fields wide. The dark, fast-flowing water had an indescribable beauty.

Eventually, we had small glimpses of Williams-Brice Stadium towering across the river, a reminder that we were still near the city.

We passed a boat landing with a great view of the river.

At one point, the trail passes through a quaint neighborhood with a cool little park and picnic shelter where we could rest.

Shortly after entering the woods again, we passed the ruins of the Granby Lock and Dam. The lock was built in the early 1900s to help make the Congaree more navigable.

One of the most scenic sections is a boardwalk anchored on a hillside with a panoramic view of the river. Right after the boardwalk, the trail crosses under two historic train trestles.

Finally, we reached West Columbia. The trail drastically changed to a more open forest with apartments on the hillside. We biked under the Blossom, Gervais, and Jarvis Klapman Boulevard Bridges and passed by the amphitheater at the West Columbia Riverwalk Park, where we met some interesting people.

Both of us were hot and tired when we reached the end of the trail but we had a perfect view of the rocky Congaree River with the Jarvis Klapman Bridge just downstream.

After a quick break, we started our journey back to the car. But first, we needed lunch. We walked to the Kingsman, sweating but in good spirits.

After lunch, we made our way back to the Cayce Tennis and Fitness Center and headed home.

My simple description does not do the trail justice.

Walk or bike the Riverwalk to experience nature, history, and beauty for yourself.

Go out and create your own adventure.