If North Augusta's Greeneway isn't reason enough to enjoy an afternoon outdoors, its many trailside attractions surely are. I recently told you about the 150-acre Riverview Park with its myriad of recreational amenities and the lovely Boeckh Park overlooking the Savannah River.
Hard to believe, but I've saved the best for last. Brick Pond Park, located near the eastern end of the seven-mile trail, is a forty-acre restored wetland that's been turned into a gem of a nature preserve.
The park's ponds, waterfalls, and forested areas provide visitors with a lush landscape for viewing wildlife from alligators and river otters to some 111 species of birds. Walking the trails through the wetlands, you're likely to spy egrets and herons wading among lily pads or a turtle popping up its head in one of the park's four ponds.
On the East Pond you'll find a pavilion with shaded seating for wildlife viewing. The West Pond features a dock where you can sit and enjoy the scenery or cast a fishing line. Canoes and kayaks are allowed in both of the ponds.
After working up an appetite riding the seven-mile Greeneway, my friend and I stopped at the park to have lunch on a picnic table by one of the two smaller ponds. A waterfall gurgled a short distance away, providing a musical backdrop to the birds chirping around us. You can't pay for that kind of ambiance at a restaurant.
Parking is available at several locations.