Palmetto Trail on the way and, Sloan says, Walhalla should prepare

Outdoor enthusiasts are imploring Walhalla’s elected leaders to get behind the advent of the sea to the mountain trail, whose new terminus will be downtown Walhalla. Ken Sloan of Visit Oconee alerted the mayor and the council last night that, by this summer, Walhalla’s part of the Palmetto Trail will have 10 miles of hiking and biking trails ready for hikers and bikers who are likely to flock here from parts of the Southeast. Sloan used the example of a small Charleston area town that has seen an influx of visitors and predicted Walhalla could see as many as between six and eight thousand visitors a year who will spend money on shopping, restaurants, and lodging. Sloan’s remarks were echoed by Shea Airey, an Oconee County attorney who in recent years moved to the North Carolina mountain town of Brevard.