Falls Park on the Reedy

The Reedy River drops about eight metres through the middle of Greenville, and the falls powered the mills the city grew on. In 1960 the Camperdown Bridge was built directly over them - a four-lane concrete span that hid the falls almost entirely for four decades. A local garden club had already begun buying and clearing land around the gorge, and the city eventually took the decision to demolish the bridge, which it did in 2002. Liberty Bridge, a curving pedestrian suspension bridge hung from one side so nothing obstructs the view, opened in 2004. The park around it has become the standard example cited when cities discuss removing infrastructure to recover a natural feature.

What you actually see

• A waterfall of about eight metres - in the middle of the city.
• Liberty Bridge - suspended from one side to keep the view clear.
• The site of a demolished road bridge - removed in 2002.
• A recovered river gorge - now the city's central park.

When to go

March to November; the falls run strongest after rain. Two hours.

Honest expectations

Flow drops noticeably in a dry summer. The park is small and quickly walked. Weekends and events crowd the bridge. Parking downtown is paid.

Nearby

Main Street runs north; the Swamp Rabbit Trail follows the river.