Boy Scout Troop 761 traveled to Newberry County to hike the “Peak to Prosperity Passage,” a popular section of the Palmetto Trail, on Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, 2014.

Troop 761 hiked 13 miles along the Peak to Prosperity Passage trail, which extends across Newberry and Fairfield Counties in South Carolina and is a great way to enjoy hiking in SC. The trail includes over 14 wooden trestles and features a spectacular view of the Broad River and a Civil War-era trestle, Nathan’s Trestle, which includes the original trestle buttress built in 1848. The trestle was built as part of the Greenville to Columbia Railroad but was burned in 1865 by the Union cavalry as they withdrew from Confederate forces in Newberry.

The Palmetto Trail is two-thirds complete and will eventually stretch over 500 miles from the mountains to the sea. Begun in 1994, it is the largest bicycle and pedestrian project in the state and is being built in a series of passages that will eventually form a network of trails and bikeways throughout the state.

Troop 761 meets at Main Street Methodist Church on Monday nights at 6:45 p.m. The troop teaches boys ages 11 to 18 outdoor skills, character development, leadership traits, and honor towards God. Anyone interested in scouts can come to a meeting or contact scoutmaster Kevin Bailey, or assistant scoutmasters Douglas Lynn, Bucky Rourke, or Tim Fitzgibbon.

For more information on the Palmetto Trail, visit palmettoconservation.org.