Canoeing The Saluda River becomes a flowing body of water in western Greenville County and flows nearly 200 miles before combining with the Broad River to become the Congaree in Columbia. The Saluda gets its name from a Native American tribe that lived along its banks in the 1600s. The river has also been referred to as the Corn River and the Chickawa.

Most historians think John Dreher was the first man to harness the river's power. Remains of a canal channel and waterwheels probably used as gristmills have been uncovered from time to time during excavations.

General Robert E. Lee's army engineers first surveyed the land with the intention of building a large water power development there. The Confederate plans were never realized, but the Saluda continued to be considered a possible power source in subsequent discussions until 1925.

The following year, Murray and Flood, a New York engineering firm, bought the rights to the Bear Creek site, where much of the speculation about power plants had been centered.

One day William Murray noticed some conditions on a topography map of the area and decided the world's largest water impoundment could be created on the Saluda River. When construction was completed in 1930, Lake Murray was a reality and so was the Lower Saluda River, a ten mile stretch of natural beauty from the base of the dam to where it merges with Broad River to form the Congaree.

Horsebackriding The Lower Saluda has for the most part remained natural. A dam was built at Mill Race rapids just above where the Riverbanks Zoo is now located to divert river traffic around the rapids. The Old Saluda Factory, a cotton gin that was built on the north shore in 1836, was burned down by Sherman during the War Between the States, and never rebuilt.

Because the water filling the Lower Saluda comes from the depths of Lake Murray, the water is exceptionally cold for this area of the country and provides an exceptional fishery for many regional species of fish and also trout, a breed most comfortable in colder climates.

The unspoiled beauty and natural setting, combined with a smooth current, makes the river a favorite for boaters and kayakers. There are only two access points on the Lower Saluda so congestion isn't a problem, either.

Classes A request was made in 1977 to designate the Lower Saluda River as a state Scenic River but the designation wasn't applied for until the late 80s. The Lower Saluda River Corridor Plan was implemented in July of 1990 to preserve the natural beauty of the area and develop the facilities along the waterway to make it usable to locals and tourists alike. In May 1991, the state legislature finally designated the Lower Saluda a South Carolina Scenic River.

The designation protects the river but also provides impetus and financing to enhance the facilities along the waterway to make it usable for anyone who wants to enjoy it. The development of Saluda Shoals Park was an important first step toward providing the vision of what the area could become.