WEST ASHLEY GREENWAY:
A favorite of local mountain bikers, the West Ashley Greenway takes you on a ride from suburban Charleston west to the scenic Lowcountry wetlands that surround this charming city. From its trailhead behind the South Windermere Shopping Center on Folly Road, the greenway connects several miles of subdivisions on a 100-foot-wide, packed-dirt path.
On Johns Island, the dirt gives way to rough gravel and narrow bridge crossings mountain bikes are a must. Here the broad wetlands flank the trail, presenting magnificent views and rewarding bird sightings. If your timing is right, you may catch sight of the tidal flow that carved these lacework channels. The agricultural heart of the region, Johns Island is the nation's largest producer of tomatoes. In fact, much of the fresh produce served in local restaurants hails from this rural community.
Legnth 8-mile (one way)
At the Wappoo Road crossing you can take Wappoo north, crossing over US 17/Savannah Highway and hop on the 2.5-mile West Ashley Bikeway.
Parking and Trail Access
To reach the eastern trailhead from downtown Charleston: take US 17 west across the Ashley River Memorial Bridge. A half-mile past the bridge turn left on Folly Road. At the second light, turn right on Windermere Boulevard and enter the South Windermere Shopping Center. Park beside the trailhead on the north side of the shopping center.
To reach the western (Johns Island) terminus: head south on US 17 and turn left on Main Road. The entrance to the trail is 2.5 miles ahead on the right, just before the bridge. Turn right, then continue right onto McLeod Mill Road. The trailhead is on the left-hand side with parking.
WEST ASHLEY BIKEWAY
Although the paved, flat 2.5-mile West Ashley Bikeway is too short for serious bicyclists, it’s a great area for walkers and runners. Once part of a five-mile stretch of rail owned by Seaboard Coastline Railroad Company, the route was abandoned in 1976. Before long, weeds and rats took over and it became a collection point for old mattresses, rusting appliances, and other refuse. Eventually the corridor’s right-of-way passed to the S.C. Department of Transportation, who hoped to turn the area into an expressway. This didn’t happen, so in 1978 the agency agreed to lease the property for $1 a year to the city. After several years of bureaucratic red tape, the park officially opened in 1983. Today, what was once a dumping ground, the asphalt pathway serves a real need in the community.
Length: 2.5 miles one way
CARTRIDGE:
The Cartridge is designed to provide the user with a map of both trails while caching the power trail or just out biking. It is for this purpose an open ended cartridge.
This cartridge covers both the West Ashley Green way and Bike way. It is designed to be started from McLeod Mill road, (If starting here it is only necessary to bike half the Green way to wappoo road and cross over to the Bike way.) However it will run from any of the four parking spots listed. At the start you will be given a parking card and you can select from the card where you would like to start the cartridge from. The final coordinates will unlock only after you have biked both trails. A simple Multi-type that will be adopted out after a few finds to ensure the cartridge doesn't need any updating. Cartridge can be downloaded from the related web page link above. Bring your own Pen.