Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced
Gravel - % Unknown
Pavement - % Unknown
Original Route Posted By: cmscheip
Saluda is a small mountain town at the crest of the Blue Ridge Escarpment (BRE). The BRE is the steep front of the Blue Ridge Mountains and stretches from Georgia to Virginia. If you've driven to the area from the east, you've climbed the grade.
This route starts off with a blisteringly fast and fun descent, dropping about 700 feet down the BRE before grinding excellent low traffic gravel along the North Pacolet River back up. From there, you'll spend most of the remaining ride in the much lower relief, less steep landscape of the upper Green River watershed.
After making your way through the town of Saluda and up the famous Greenville Street climb, you'll cross into South Carolina and descend through the protected area of the Greenville watershed. The area is gorgeous, and though paved, watch your line, it's not new pavement!
Wrapping around to the north, you'll soon find Summit Lake. Summit Lake is formed by a hydroelectric dam that impounds the Green River. The dam generates municipal electricity and provides downstream recreational releases for excellent trout fishing and whitewater boating. The loop around the lake is a treat. Little elevation, great gravel, great scenery. Enjoy it. Take a stop at Tuxedo Park if you need water or a restroom.
Next up - Bell Mountain. Climb this paved grade traversing through old multi-generational farmlands. You'll take some rutted double track that can be muddy through a section of the Greenville Watershed again, and then it's down toward a great overlook at Judd's Peak. This land is protected by the Saluda Community Land Trust and provides an excellent view of Brushy Ridge to the south.
Leaving Judd's head on down Pace Mountain Road - a gravel gem in the area. This will bring you to US-176, a famous road riding stretch. Cross US-176 and you'll find yourself crossing the once-bustling but now abandoned railroad tracks of the infamous Saluda railroad grade, once the steepest standard gauge rail line in the US (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saluda_Grade).
Last stretch! Spin through farm country with low traffic. The road will turn to gravel for the final grunt out of the Camp Creek drainage. Climb Howard Gap gravel and then you'll spin into downtown Saluda, back to the car. You made it and didn't miss much of Saluda's gravel. Enjoy!