Home › South Carolina › Summerville › Sawmill Branch Trail - E. Richardson Ave. Trailhead
Sawmill Branch Trail - E. Richardson Ave. Trailhead
4.5 ★★★★★ 183 Google reviews · Running trail in Summerville, South Carolina · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 6 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Sawmill Branch Trail - E. Richardson Ave. Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Paved pathway for walking and biking, plus a stream and views of ducks.
What runners say about Sawmill Branch Trail - E. Richardson Ave. Trailhead
“In mid summer it can get very hot, not all places have shade .”
This was a fun ride experience with the kids! If you have little explorers, you need to try out this trail! The wow-factor is awesome the first time you ride the trail. After the initial straight away, you ride under your first bridge with cool murals painted on the wall.
Nice wide and paved walking path. Also has bike paths offshoots. Just doesn't make a loop, that I could tell.
Pros and Cons Pros : 1. long stretch you can ride your bike mostly without interruptions such as roads. 2. Great place for smaller kids to learn because it's mostly paved without gravel or roots 3. There is a playground at the halfway point. Great time to rest if you need to. 4. There are underpasses on most points.
Great place to bring the family for free! Key Notes: - Hour of operation 6:00 am - 10:00 pm - 6.5 mile paved trail spanning from Gahagan Road & Berlin G. Myers Prkwy to End of Cross Creek Drive. - Parking is available off East Richardson Avenue. - You can walk, jog, bike or whatever you like to do.
Trail conditions & character
“Great place for smaller kids to learn because it's mostly paved without gravel or roots 3.”
“parking - most spots have limited parking, or parking that isn't designated and off course they're are always those that can't park in a straight line limiting everyone else.”
“Keep your eyes peeled for oblivious ebikers and off leash dogs”
“Key Notes: - Hour of operation 6:00 am - 10:00 pm - 6.5 mile paved trail spanning from Gahagan Road & Berlin G.”
“Great place for smaller kids to learn because it's mostly paved without gravel or roots 3.”
“In mid summer it can get very hot, not all places have shade .”
“It's a steep drop down with no guard rails, but it's plenty far from the riding trail so you won't fall in unless you want to.”
Plan your run at Sawmill Branch Trail - E. Richardson Ave. Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance6 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, water — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Summerville
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Azalea Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,895 reviews
Scenic park with landscaped flower beds, ponds, sculptures, winding walking trails & tennis courts.
Gahagan Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 2,123 reviews
Family-friendly park with baseball & football fields, plus a castle-like playground & picnic tables.
Wassamassaw Community Park
4.3 ★★★★☆ 304 reviews
Venue offering a playground & picnic areas as well as basketball courts, a walking path & dog park.
Shepard Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 182 reviews
Neighborhood park featuring shaded walking paths, play structures & a pond with turtles.
