Why Central Has a 585-Foot ‘Random’ Trail

If you’ve driven in Central near Bolick Field recently, you may have noticed a short but unusually wide sidewalk next to Mugshot Coffee — about 585 feet long, 10 feet wide, and not connected to much of anything.

It looks a little random, doesn’t it?

If you’ve ever wondered why it’s there, the backstory helps explain how public trail projects really come together.

Red arrows point to the “random” 585-foot segment of the Green Crescent Trail near Bolick Field in Central

A Small Segment With a Specific Purpose

This 585-foot concrete path was completed in summer 2023 by Foothills Contracting for $151,000.

It was funded by:

  • $100,000 from the federal Recreational Trails Grant (administered by SCPRT)
  • The remainder from the Town of Central

It’s built to full Green Crescent Trail standards — a sturdy, 10-foot-wide off-road path meant to support people walking, biking, and rolling.

So why did this small piece get built years before the rest of the project?

Because This Piece Wasn’t in SCDOT’s Right-of-Way

The 585 random trail (can we call it Bolick Curve?) is in green on this map. The yellow lines will be built by the SCDOT in 2026.

The larger downtown-to-SWU trail is being designed and constructed by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

But this particular 585-foot section sits outside SCDOT’s right-of-way. In practical terms, the state cannot build permanent infrastructure on land it doesn’t control.

For that reason, the SCDOT asked the Town of Central to build it.

And it’s telling that the Town of Central quickly moved ahead and built their piece by summer of 2023.

The SCDOT portion? We’re still waiting.

More on that shortly.

But this situation exposes the messy reality of trail building projects like ours:

  • different agencies own different pieces
  • grant timelines don’t always align
  • some segments are ready to go before others

That’s how you end up with short, isolated parts of larger projects built first.

What’s Coming Next: The Bigger Trail in 2026

Widened sidewalks and a new sidepath will be built along Hwy 93

The remaining portion of the trail along Hwy 93 — from the downtown Caboose to Tarrant Street — is scheduled for SCDOT construction in fall 2026.

When that work happens, this short 585-foot segment will finally connect into something meaningful:
a continuous walking and biking trail running along Hwy 93.

But there’s another part of the story you should know.

Why the Trail Won’t Yet Reach Southern Wesleyan University

When this project first began back in 2016, the vision was to connect:

Downtown Central → All the way into the heart of the SWU campus

The idea was:

  • Phase 1 – build the trail to the edge of SWU’s property
  • Phase 2 – SWU would then build the final segment onto campus

But over several years, two things happened:

  1. Long delays in the SCDOT-managed portion
  2. Leadership changes at SWU, which meant the original connection plan never materialized

By the time SCDOT moved forward with detailed engineering, they did not have an agreed-upon route on to the SWU campus.

And without a confirmed connection point, SCDOT engineers insisted on ending their project at the intersection with Tarrant Street, about 300 feet short of the SWU property line.

So How Will the Trail Reach SWU Now?

The blue lines represent 3 different options that SWU officials and the Town of Central are discussing for a future trail connection

The Town of Central is actively talking with SWU leadership about where the trail should enter campus.
Once there’s an agreed-upon route, that last 300 feet — plus any path through campus — will be built as a Phase 2 project with its own design, funding, and construction timeline.

It’s not ideal that the connection didn’t happen as part of the original project.

But the door is still open, and the conversations are ongoing.

A Realistic Look at Public Projects

This is a messy story that’s still ongoing.

And personally, this was a tough pill to swallow as a trail advocate. I’m frustrated that this long-time project won’t end on SWU’s campus yet.

But it’s also a lesson about the tough reality of trail building, which involves:

  • multiple government layers
  • strict grant rules
  • private property boundaries
  • right-of-way limits
  • leadership turnovers
  • slow-moving timelines

That combination often results in:

  • parts of projects built out of order
  • temporary gaps
  • phases that depend on later partners
  • short segments waiting for the rest to catch up

I’m told that unfortunately this is normal — but the details are rarely visible to the public.

So, I wanted to share this story to help set expectations for how and why things are unfolding the way they are.

Where Things Stand Today

Here’s the current, honest status:

  • The 585-foot Central section (Bolick Curve) is finished
  • The downtown-to-Tarrant Street trail is scheduled for construction in fall 2026
  • The connection onto SWU’s campus will be a future phase
  • Conversations between the Town and SWU are active
  • The long-term goal of reaching campus is still alive

The short segment we see today may not be useful yet, but it’s a piece of a larger puzzle that’s slowly coming together.

The important part is that progress is happening — even if it arrives in small, imperfect steps.

We’ll keep sharing updates on our email list as each piece of the project moves forward.

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How Trails Turn Empty Buildings Into Local Landmarks

One hot morning this past summer, I was walking the Doodle Trail in Easley with my parents.
I’ve walked the Doodle Trail many times — it’s an easy, peaceful path with just a few joggers or cyclists passing by.

But this particular morning as we rounded a curve, something new and unusual caught my eye.

From Eyesore to a Welcoming Gathering Place

Where there had once been an abandoned commercial building, I saw something that looked like a mix between a football tailgate party, a tiki bar, and a concert venue.

It had real stadium seats, a fire pit, and a homemade music stage! It just felt like the kind of place that belongs next to a trail.

Jerry used unique materials – like real stadium seats and bar stools

Take a seat on a bike-barstool or let the kids play on the astroturf

This quirky beer garden was called Sip & Ride, and Jerry, a local contractor and the venue’s owner, happened to be repairing something as we walked by.

We struck up a conversation, and he shared how he’d bought the building when it was nothing more than an eyesore. He saw potential where others saw decay — a place that could bring people together.

Jerry reused whatever he could find: astroturf from the University of South Carolina’s old football field, painted sheet metal from a job site, diner stools from an old café. Bit by bit, he built an outdoor space that felt alive — part workshop, part backyard hangout, part local landmark.

Relax in rocking chairs around the fire pit while taking in tunes

You can drive and park to Sip & Ride at 400 Gentry Memorial Hwy, but my preferred arrival is by trail (parking at the Doodle Park).

As I stood there that morning, the venue wasn’t open for business yet. But I could just imagine neighbors meeting for a drink, families walking in from the Doodle Trail, and everyone enjoying live music from a seat in the bleachers or at a bicycle-seat barstool!

It had the kind of charm and local energy that makes you want to stay awhile.

And as it turns out, Sip & Ride isn’t the only example of new life growing along this trail.

From Textile Mill to Trail Destination

Just down the trail, another stop caught my attention: the Southern Weaving Food Hall, a massive brick building that once housed a textile mill built in 1900.

Today, it’s a beautiful mix of old and new — the tall windows, exposed beams, and industrial bones are all still there, but now they frame several local restaurants, a tap house, and a spacious outdoor amphitheater for live music.

You can drive there if you want — there’s a big parking lot out front — but it’s definitely got a trail vibe. The Doodle Trail runs right in front of it, and the outdoor space feels connected to that same spirit of recreation, creativity, and community.

As the owners put it on their website: “We’ve brought together a community of chefs, makers, and food lovers under one roof. More than just a place to eat, our food hall is a destination where every flavor tells a story.”

That idea — connection and creativity — is exactly what happens when a trail is done right.

I enjoy walking the trail with family or friends

The Power of Trails to Grow Local Business

This is what I’ve learned after visits to the Doodle Trail and many others:

Trails don’t just connect parks — they connect people to local business and culture.

People who use trails are often looking for more than exercise — they’re looking for experiences. Trails bring that kind of energy to a community. They want to stop, talk, eat, listen to music, or grab a drink with friends.

Trails are like miracle grow for unique local businesses!

When people walk, run, or bike, they naturally slow down. They notice small things — a mural, a coffee shop, a garden, a live band playing near the trailhead. And when you have that kind of organic foot traffic, it creates opportunities for entrepreneurs like Jerry to build something authentic and local.

What It Could Mean in the Clemson Area

Walking the Doodle Trail that day, I couldn’t help but imagine what this could look like in our own backyard — along the Green Crescent Trail in Clemson, Central, and Pendleton.

We already have the creativity, the talent, and the love for our towns. We just need the connected spaces that make projects like this possible.

Because trails aren’t just about transportation. They’re about transformation.
They make it easier to walk, bike, and connect — but they also make it easier for local businesses to thrive and for communities to grow stronger together.

If you love places like Sip & Ride and Southern Weaving, just imagine what could happen when the Green Crescent Trail is fully connected!

More music. More art. More local flavor. More life along the trail.

That’s the kind of community we’re building — one step, one mile, one story at a time.

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How Can You Support the Green Crescent Trail?

The Green Crescent Trail is more than just a path — it’s a growing movement to connect our communities, promote healthy living, and create safe, green transportation corridors through Clemson, Central, and Pendleton.

Want to be part of it? Here are the top ways YOU can support the trail — starting with the most important:

1. Join Our Email List (It’s the #1 Way to Stay Involved!)

Want to help the Green Crescent Trail grow? The first and most important thing you can do is sign up for our email newsletter.

It’s the best way to:

  • Get early updates on trail progress
  • Learn about volunteer events and clean-up days
  • Hear about funding milestones and community input sessions
  • Be part of a movement for safer, healthier communities

Sign up HERE
You’ll hear from us just once or twice a month — and always with something worth reading.

2. Use the Trail & Share It

Lace up your shoes or hop on your bike — the best way to support the trail is to use it!

  • Snap a photo and tag us @GreenCrescentTrail with #GreenCrescentTrail
  • Bring a friend who hasn’t been yet
  • Leave a review on Google

3. Spread the Word

Not everyone knows what the Green Crescent Trail is — but they should.

  • Share this post
  • Forward our newsletter to a friend
  • Talk about the trail at school, work, or your local coffee shop
  • Invite us to speak to your group or class

 4. Volunteer Your Time

From helping at trail cleanups to assisting at local events, there’s a role for everyone.
Join a Trail Work Day
Speak at public meetings or on social media
Become a GCT Ambassador HERE

5. Donate or Fundraise

Every foot of trail takes funding — and even small contributions move us forward.

  • Donate once or monthly: HERE
  • Host a personal fundraiser (birthday, race, etc.)
  • Ask your workplace to match gifts

6. Be a Trail Advocate

Local leaders make the final decisions — and they need to hear your voice.

  • Email your city or county rep
  • Sign petitions and community surveys
  • Attend local planning meetings

The Green Crescent Trail belongs to all of us. Whether you give time, money, ideas, or just a few good steps — it all adds up.

Let’s build it together.  Start by joining the movement HERE

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How Greenville Transformed Its Main Street — And What the Clemson Area Can Learn

In the summer of 1974, an architectural design firm presented a bold plan to leaders of Greenville, SC. Downtown was in decline. Main Street was a four-lane state highway lined with half-empty storefronts. Shoppers had fled to malls. The heart of the city was dying.

Main Street in Greenville before: a four-lane highway through a fading downtown.

The architects made a surprising suggestion: shrink Main Street from four lanes to two. 

Controversial Advice for Main Street Greenville

The design firm proposed wider sidewalks, diagonal parking, and rows of small trees that would eventually shade the street. In short, they recommended making downtown less convenient for cars so that it would be more inviting for people.

The plan was controversial. Some feared killing off the little business that remained. But civic leaders like Mayor Max Heller and attorney Tommy Wyche kept pushing.

Rebuilding Main Street in the mid-1970s after approval of the controversial “road diet.”

Freshly planted trees and wider sidewalks in the years right after the redesign.

Fifty years later, Greenville’s gamble has paid off beyond what anyone imagined. 

One of America’s Best Downtowns 

Today, Main Street is lined with more than 100 shops and restaurants, shaded by mature trees, and filled with people strolling, eating outdoors, and enjoying festivals. It is recognized nationally as one of the best downtowns in America.

Today, Main Street is shaded by mature trees, filled with people, and recognized as one of America’s best downtowns.

How to Build Beautiful, People-Friendly Downtowns

The lesson is clear: awesome downtowns don’t happen by accident.
They take bold planning, tough choices, and persistence.

That’s the challenge for local communities in the Clemson area today. All three town in the area – Clemson, Central, and Pendleton – still need work.

A few years ago Pendleton took some first steps to improve walkability around the Village Green. Hopefully those efforts will continue in a wider area around the town.

Pendleton widened sidewalks, created protected crosswalks, and narrowed car lanes.

Clemson commissioned a Downtown Corridor Plan in 2017, but much of the vision has not been executed.

This is what main street (aka College Ave) in Clemson feels like today.

And Central has made some improvements like adding downtown crosswalks, but main street as a whole hasn’t been transformed like it could.

Downtown Central has charm — but its main street is still designed for cars, not people.

What Needs to Happen in the Clemson Area

But here’s the hard truth for Pendleton, Clemson, and Central: all of their Main Street corridors are owned by the State DOT. 

The state’s priorities are often not the same as local towns when it comes to making roads more pedestrian friendly.

So, to make real, people-friendly changes, Pendleton, Clemson, and Central will need to work with the SCDOT … or even take over responsibility for their main streets.

That’s what Greenville did. It’s also what Clemson University did in order to make pedestrian-friendly improvements in front of Bowman Field.

But in exchange for the chance to build vibrant, pedestrian-friendly downtowns, our towns would have to accept long-term responsibility for road maintenance costs.

I believe it’s a tradeoff worth making. It will allow the same kind of bold, pedestrian-friendly choices Greenville made for their Main Street in the 1970s.

And if we do the same, our communities will become even better places to live, work, and visit for decades to come. 

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The Surprising Story Behind the Green Crescent Name

The name “Green Crescent Trail” didn’t come from a marketing team. It was born in a Clemson University classroom. And it almost disappeared at our first community meeting.

Yet a decade later, the name has grown into a local symbol of connection, nature, and history.

The story begins in 2014 with Community 1:1, a creative inquiry course led by Clemson architecture professor Dan Harding.

Over several semesters, his students imagined a connected system of trails linking the Clemson area’s natural resources with its towns, universities, and historic landmarks. Their work included maps, design concepts, a YouTube video, and one big idea: a name for the trail.

Green Crescent Trail - one of original designs - Community 1:1 Class at Clemson University

“Green” reflected our community’s bond with nature, from the Clemson Experimental Forest to other nearby natural spaces. 

Todds Creek falls (Clemson University Forest)

And Green also represented the potential economic vibrancy that trail visitors bring to local businesses.

“On the Ave” summer event in downtown Clemson

“Crescent” carried layers of meaning: the Amtrak Crescent passenger train that still stops daily in Clemson, the crescent moon on South Carolina’s state flag, and even the Latin crescere, “to grow” (as in crescendo).

The daily Amtrack train stops in Clemson

But when community volunteers gathered later that year to carry the idea forward, some questioned whether “Green Crescent” really fit. They floated alternatives like Cateechee, Issaqueena, and Cherokee-inspired words.

In the end, momentum and meaning carried the day. Volunteers felt “Green Crescent” best captured the spirit of what we were trying to build: a walking and biking network that connected people to one another, to their towns, and to the land itself.

Looking back, I’m grateful we kept it. The name has aged well. Our trail network has slowly but surely crescendoed into 5.5 miles of completed trails in 2025, with a goal of reaching 15 miles in the next five years.

The name started as a student idea. But today it has grown into a community movement that is carrying us toward a greener, more vibrant, and more connected future.

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A Safer Way to Walk in Central Is Within Reach

What if you could walk safely from your apartment or neighborhood in Central to the library, Town Hall, or your next CAT bus stop … without worrying about traffic, narrow shoulders, or missing sidewalks?

What if families could walk together after dinner or a group of friends could go for a jog without needing to drive somewhere first?

That’s the promise behind a small but important trail project near the Rec Center in Central.

And it’s nearly shovel-ready.

A proposed rendering of the new trail connection along Cross Creek Road.

Where Things Stand Today

In 2024, the Town of Central completed the first phase of Green Crescent Trail in Central – a beautiful, paved half-mile path winding through the trees and the disc golf course.

(1) Ribbon cutting of phase 1 (2) View from phase 1 in the woods

It starts at a small trailhead parking area on Cross Creek Road and ends at Spring Forest Rd.

But for residents living nearby, the trail stops short of where they actually need to go.

Current conditions with no sidewalks along Cross Creek Rd

To reach the library, Town Hall, the CAT bus stop, or other destinations around town, walkers are forced onto Cross Creek Road—a street with no sidewalk and fast-moving vehicles.

It’s not just unpleasant. It’s unsafe.

And for people who don’t live within walking distance but want to use the trail, there’s no safe way to extend their route. The Rec Center or library might offer parking, but right now there’s no way to go far on foot from there.

A Small Project With a Big Impact

The next segment of trail—called Phase 2—would close this critical gap.

The new 0.27-mile section would extend from the current trailhead and wrap around the Rec Center, connecting to nearby sidewalks and unlocking access to the rest of town.

This short section of trail (shown in red) would connect over 1,000 nearby residents to civic and community destinations in Central.

The plan calls for a 10-foot-wide, paved side path, separated from traffic and designed for people of all ages and abilities. It would complete a safe, continuous connection between:

  • Spring Forest Subdivision, The Whitley, University Village, The Kenyon, and other nearby residential communities
  • The Central-Clemson Rec Center
  • The Central Branch of the Library
  • Central Town Hall
  • CAT bus stops
  • And eventually, the broader Green Crescent Trail system reaching Downtown Central, Southern Wesleyan, and beyond

Who This Will Serve

More than 1,000 people live in apartments within walking distance of this short trail connection. That’s over 20% of Central’s total population, most of whom currently have no safe pedestrian route to public services, greenspaces, or even each other.

But this trail isn’t just for nearby residents.

It also creates a safe walking route for:

  • Parents and grandparents who want a peaceful stroll after parking at the library
  • Students walking to a bus stop or cutting through town
  • Runners and walkers who want to exercise without driving somewhere first
  • Anyone who values the freedom to move safely and confidently on foot

What’s Needed to Make It Happen

The Town of Central is ready to build the trail. A preliminary budget of $275,000 to $350,000 has been developed. But construction won’t begin until the funding comes together.

Support will need to come from a mix of sources:

  • Town funds and capital improvement planning
  • Grants from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
  • Private donors and local champions like you

Let’s Connect Central – Safely

Every trail is more than just concrete. It’s a connection between people and places.

This one connects Central’s residents to their own town—its library, civic spaces, sidewalks, and larger trail system. It helps create a safer, more walkable community for everyone, not just those who live nearby.

If you want to help:

  • Share this article with a neighbor or friend 
  • Tell local official you want to fund this trail
  • Sign up for updates from Friends of the Green Crescent
  • Support future fundraising efforts when the time comes

Let’s make walking easier, safer, and more enjoyable in Central!

In the meantime, you can help us by sharing this with your friends, family, and colleagues. 

Together, let’s keep making walking and biking in our community a little easier, safer, and more enjoyable for everyone!

Thanks for reading!

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Maps of Green Crescent Trail Network

Green Crescent Trail - Map Thumbnail - Clemson Central Pendleton
Read more
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What is the Green Crescent Trail?

What is the Green Crescent Trail? Will it be similar to the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Greenville County, SC or the Doodle Trail between Easley and Pickens, SC?

In short, the Green Crescent Trail is a all about its connections (#GoConnect). It’s a proposed *network* of multiple pedestrian and biking paths. And their purpose will be to improve the quality of life, economic vitality, and public health in the greater Clemson-Central-Pendleton community. Because it will actually be many connected trails, we call it the Green Crescent Trails (aka GCT).

And the Friends of the Green Crescent is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded and run by local community members. We’re leading a movement to bring the GCT to reality and to make our community more pedestrian & bike-friendly.

Above all else, the Green Crescent Trails movement is about connections.

Our Mission: #GoConnect

An early Green Crescent Trails meeting where community members marked important local assets

The GCT is not a rails-to-trail initiative. We don’t have an abandoned railway that can be converted to trails.  Instead, the GCT vision is to connect the amazing destinations that already exist within our community.

The actual trails will be a mix of on and off-road paths. They will include shared-use paths for pedestrians and bikes (like the Swamp Rabbit and Doodle Trails), but they will also include sidewalks, natural paths (dirt/mulch), protected bike lanes, shared use roads, and pedestrian crossings.

The common theme is making those connections safe and user-friendly for all users, from an 8-year old on a wobbly bike to an 80-year-old on wobbly knees.

We believe that our community already has amazing assets. But these assets could be made even better if the attractions themselves and the connections between them were more pedestrian and bike- friendly.

That’s where the Green Crescent Trails come in! The GCT will run both:

  • between our community’s important locations, like connecting the town of Central and the City of Clemson
  • and within the locations themselves, like improving sidewalks or paths in a neighborhood, a park, or a downtown district.

Speaking of locations, let’s take a look at what the GCT will actually connect.

What the Green Crescent Trails Will Connect

Here are some of the places that local community members identified as connection-worthy for the Green Crescent Trails:

Forests/Natural Areas:

Clemson Experimental Forest – a 17,500-acre local gem (photo credit: Clemson University)

Parks:

Abernathy Park - courtesy of VisitClemson

Abernathy Lakefront Park in downtown Clemson (photo credit: VisitClemson.com)

Downtown Districts & Village Centers:

Historic Pendleton’s Village Green (photo credit: Town of Pendleton)

Universities:

Bowman Field and Tillman Hall at Clemson University (photo credit: Clemson.edu)

Local Schools: 

Kids preparing to cross the new Green Crescent Bridge on the way to Clemson Elementary

  • Clemson Elementary
  • Central Elementary (Central Academy of the Arts)
  • Pendleton Elementary
  • Daniel High School
  • Riverside Middle School
  • RC Edwards Middle School
  • Clemson Montessori School

Historical/Cultural Attractions:

Central History Museum in downtown Central (photo credit: VisitClemson.com)

Local Libraries:

Central-Clemson Library (photo credit: Town of Central)

  • Pendleton Library
  • Central-Clemson Library
  • Clemson University Library

Neighborhoods:

Patrick Square – one of many local residential neighborhoods (photo credit: Upstate Business Journal)

  • historical
  • contemporary
  • new development

The Big Picture View

Overview Map - Green Crescent Trail Feasibility Study

Overview Map – Green Crescent Trail Feasibility Study in Clemson and Central

When you put the key landmarks on a map, the obvious connections between them become more clear. The map above is from the 2016 Feasibility Study funded by Pickens County, the City of Clemson, the Town of Central, and Southern Wesleyan University. Both Clemson University and the Town of Pendleton completed their own, separate pedestrian and biking studies.

For now, most of these connections are simply lines on a map. In some cases like on Berkeley Drive in Clemson, there are existing sidewalks and bike lanes.

Existing sidewalks and “bike lanes” on Berkeley Drive in Clemson

The vision of the Friends of the Green Crescent is to turn those map lines into real pathways that will improve our community. And that is what our movement is working to make happen right now.

Future articles will talk in more detail about current projects, our implementation plan, and how the Green Crescent Trails could be funded.

But for now, here’s an image to help imagine what the Green Crescent Trail could do for our community.

Berkeley Drive Clemson SC - image of potential Green Crescent Trail pathway

What places like Berkeley Drive in Clemson could be like with the Green Crescent Trails

What’s Next?

If you are interested in the Green Crescent Trails movement, we’d love your help! Here’s what you can do.

1. LEARN

  • Read the 2016 Green Crescent Trail Feasibility Study if you want more details
  • Get email updates about future articles, videos, and more from the Friends of the Green Crescent

2: CONNECT

3: DONATE

  • Your time. Be and advocate with us. We’re fun! Let us know you’re interested.
  • Your connections. Help us identify other donors and supporters.
  • Your dollars. Help us continue our advocacy efforts by donating (tax deductible) to the Friends of the Green Crescent Trail

We look forward to creating the Green Crescent Trails together with you – one step at a time!

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Final Results of Trail Study to Be Revealed at May 26th Public Meeting

Green Crescent Trail Public Meeting

On Thursday, May 26th from 6:30-7:30 pm the Friends of the Green Crescent will host a public meeting at Southern Wesleyan University. At the event, members of Alta Planning and the Friends of the Green Crescent will share the results from an ongoing feasibility study for the proposed Green Crescent Trail in the Clemson-Central-Pendleton areas.

For more details, visit the event page:

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Hendersonville Tennessee Greenways & Bike/Ped Trails

Bicycle and pedestrian trails improve the quality of life for residents in our community. Some of the benefits for Hendersonville residents include:

• Having a bike/pedestrian trail in close proximity of where they work or live
• A place where residents can meet and discuss the events of the day
• An opportunity to exercise for people of all ages and abilities
• A place for families to safely walk and bike
• A chance to bike to work or run errands without the worries of traffic
• A unique way to take in the scenic beauty of Hendersonville

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