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.

Hours: Dawn to dusk

To the western trailhead: From downtown Charleston, drive west on US 17 and cross the Ashley River. Turn right onto Wappoo Road and the trailhead sign is on the right immediately after the turn.

To the eastern trailhead: From downtown Charleston, drive west on US 17 and cross the Ashley River. After you cross the bridge, turn right onto SC 61/SC 171. Shortly before SC 61 and SC 171 split, there is a trailhead sign on the left.