Hidden Tranquility on the Three Rivers Greenway

Experience The Sanctuary at Boyd Island
The grass and leaves are green, flowers are in full bloom, and the great outdoors is beckoning you to spend more time enjoying the stunning natural landscape of our own backyard. Now is the perfect opportunity to explore the best outdoor activities that the Midlands has to offer, especially the ones that provide a tranquil, cool escape from the busyness of everyday life.

Our community is home to a variety of bodies of water that are ideal for enjoying during the hotter months of the year when you’re looking to cool off. We have Lake Murray in Lexington County; Cedar Creek in Congaree National Park; and the famous three rivers—Saluda, Broad, and Congaree—that flow throughout the area. Over the last several decades, through the work of The River Alliance, the rivers have become more accessible to everyone with the addition of new greenways and bridges, opening up areas that were previously only explorable via canoes and kayaks.

“In 1994 and 1995, when we started The River Alliance, you couldn’t get to the rivers,” said Mike Dawson, Chief Executive Officer and one of the founders of the non-profit organization. “You could do it if you had a machete or if you wanted to beat your way through the brush, but otherwise, it was a natural resource that we did not have easy access to.”

The River Alliance is a regional partnership between Lexington County, Richland County, the City of Cayce, the City of West Columbia, and the City of Columbia whose mission is to help the regional community become more engaged with the Broad, Saluda, and Congaree Rivers by making the rivers accessible to everyone while keeping them protected.

“We formed The River Alliance to unlock the potential of the rivers for everybody,” said Dawson. “I think we’ve done a great job of it, too, if you take a look at the work we’ve done through the Three Rivers Greenway.”

The Greenway was one of the first big projects that the non-profit organization proposed after it was created. “We’ve got about 15 miles now,” said Dawson. “The idea was to propose a public system that was safe and secure for families, for walking and running, for baby stroller pushing and rollerblading, and everything in between. It’s what people were asking for and we wanted to find a way to make it happen.”

The Three Rivers Greenway today winds its way through Cayce and West Columbia, picks up again in downtown Columbia along the Columbia Canal, and most recently, it stretches along the Saluda River by Riverbanks Zoo and Garden.

The Saluda Riverwalk, located just outside of downtown Columbia on Candi Lane, opened in June 2021 and has quickly become a favorite place for walkers, runners, and cyclists alike. The path travels parallel to the Saluda River and behind Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, giving you scenic river views along the way. Plus, because much of the path is under a thick canopy of trees and close to the river, it’s a spot where you can cool off during Columbia’s famously hot weather.

As you venture past the Zoo and continue along the path, you’re met with a bridge that connects you with an island in the middle of the river, around where the Saluda and Broad meet to become the Congaree River.

“The Saluda Riverwalk was an idea that had been unfunded for years before we asked Richland County to put the funding of that project into the Richland County Penny Sales Tax,” said Dawson. “When that began moving ahead, Darnell and Susan Boyd—founders and namesakes of the Darnell W. and Susan F. Boyd Foundation—asked if they could do a project with The River Alliance.”

Dawson and the Boyds took a canoe ride out to an island in the middle of the confluence of the Three Rivers, got out, and began to explore. What possibilities did this island, owned by the City of Columbia, hold for our community? How could the greenway connect with it to unlock access? The River Alliance, with funding from The Boyd Foundation, put together a proposal to build a bridge from the future Saluda Riverwalk over to the island; to build trails, an overlook, and a pavilion; and to strategically place benches along the way.

“It’s been fantastic to see that not only did we pull off creating The Sanctuary at Boyd Island and that it looks gorgeous, but to see all the people that go out there and enjoy it,” said Dawson. “Every step of building the greenway has proven that as soon as we build something, people are going to be out there exploring it, achieving exactly what our foundation set out to do for the community.”

The Sanctuary at Boyd Island is about a mile and a half down the greenway from the parking and access point at Candi Lane, just down the road from the Zoo.

Exploring The Sanctuary at Boyd Island is like venturing into an entirely different world without ever leaving Columbia. Once you cross the bridge onto Boyd Island, you’re greeted with a pathway that circles the entire island, providing you gorgeous views of the rivers, opportunities to encounter a variety of wildlife from river otters and beavers to blue herons, and a quiet, natural haven to appreciate. As you make your way along the trails, there are gorgeous sculptures to discover, park benches and picnic tables for resting and enjoying a bite to eat, and an observation deck that offers the best overlook of the natural beauty that comes with the confluence of the three rivers.

“My favorite part about The Sanctuary at Boyd Island is seeing people go out there, have no clue it is there, and to watch their faces when they experience it for the first time,” said Dawson. “You can see river otters, catch a beaver chewing down a tree, and there’s plenty of deer. It’s a great spot to sit and see what animals come wandering by. There’s no way to have a bad day if you find time to sit out there and feel good about the world. Go out there and just take a deep breath.”

It’s a place where everyone can find something different they like, no matter the pace at which you choose to venture around the island. Whether you’re zipping along through the shade on your bike or savoring a slow walk catching up with a friend, you’ll uncover something new each time that you cross the bridge and visit Boyd Island.

“Every piece of the greenway is special in its own way,” said Dawson. “This portion though? This one has rushing water, cool water, it’s right along the rapids, and then when you get to the confluence surrounding Boyd Island, there’s all of these other little islands to see. It’s like you’re in a completely different world. It’s somewhere you can escape for an hour.”

The River Alliance has plans to make The Sanctuary at Boyd Island even more accessible for our community. “We are working with Riverbanks and the City of Columbia to put some ADA parking spaces fairly close to the island so that those with mobility issues can get to the island to experience it,” said Dawson. “Everything we build is wheelchair accessible, but providing access closer to the island makes it a little bit easier for everyone to get to it.”

One day soon, The Sanctuary at Boyd Island will play a pivotal part in the overall picture of The Three Rivers Greenway. The River Alliance is actively working towards making the dream of connecting the Saluda Riverwalk with the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park a reality. The connection will be made from the overlook on Boyd Island.

“What we wanted to do was run the greenway around the Zoo, which we did, and ultimately we want to connect the Zoo to downtown Columbia,” said Dawson. “You have the children’s museum, EdVenture, and the State Museum right there. You could ride your bike between all three of those area attractions. We’re getting close to that goal now. You can stand on the platform and look over and see it all. That’s our next project—making that connection.”

The Boyd Foundation is again partnering with The River Alliance and is providing funding for a bridge that will traverse the river and bring both portions of the greenway together. Permits are underway to create a bridge that goes the shortest distance, bank to bank, and give the community access to fully experience the entirety of the Three Rivers Greenway. Add The Sanctuary at Boyd Island to your bucket list and get out there to explore. It’s a breathtaking, peaceful island waiting to be discovered and enjoyed by you.