Augusta Canal Trail

The Augusta Canal’s 7.5-mile trail occupies a unique historic and natural setting in the heart of Augusta. Originally constructed in 1845, the waterway itself is the only unbroken, accessible industrial canal in the South. Its textile heritage is preserved in several existing period structures, including ornate Sibley Mill and a Confederate-era parapet. The trail is part of the larger Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, which centers on the Augusta Canal Interpretive Center.

The mostly packed-dirt trail (a section near downtown is paved) runs along a strip of green between the canal and the Savannah River, where small rapids cascade over granite ledges separating the coastal plain from the piedmont plateau. Starting from the outskirts of downtown, the trail passes Sibley Mill, enters a lightly developed neighborhood then really turns on the charm along a tree-canopied segment beyond an I-20 underpass. You would never know you’re just a stone’s throw from downtown. The shady forest and adjacent cool waterways offer relief in the steamy summer months.

North Augusta Greeneway

The North Augusta Greeneway, known to most citizens as “The Greeneway”, was named after former Mayor Thomas W. Greene (1985-1997). The Greeneway is a 7+ mile paved recreational trail that follows an abandoned railroad right of way purchased by the city in 1988.

The most recent phase of the Greeneway was completed in 2011. In addition to city funds, construction of the Greeneway has been funded by grants from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, South Carolina Department of Transportation and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The city has provided materials, equipment and labor.