Lake Murray Dam Walkway

Lake Murray was created in the late 1920s and early 1930s when the Saluda River was dammed to generate hydroelectric power for the growing Midlands. The earthen dam that holds it back was, when finished, one of the largest of its kind in the world, and the reservoir behind it flooded farms, roads, and whole communities, whose residents were relocated as the water rose.

The lake takes its name from William Murray, the engineer who led the project. In the early 2000s the dam was reinforced with a massive backup structure to meet modern earthquake safety standards, and it was in that work that the paved walkway along the top was created, opening the crest of the dam to the public for the first time. What began as an engineering necessity became one of the region's favorite places to walk.

Out in the lake, within sight of the dam, lies a small tree-covered island that became famous during World War II as a bombing practice target for pilots training nearby, which is how it earned its nickname, Bomb Island. Today it is protected as a bird sanctuary, and each summer it hosts one of the largest known roosts of purple martins in North America.

Purple martins are large, graceful swallows that gather in enormous numbers before their fall migration to South America. On summer evenings, staggering numbers of them stream toward the island at dusk, forming rolling clouds that swirl and funnel down into the trees as the light fades. Boats gather offshore and walkers line the dam to watch, and it ranks among the most extraordinary bird spectacles anywhere in the region.

The walkway runs roughly a mile and a half straight across the top of the dam, wide, paved, and level, an easy out-and-back for walkers, joggers, and families with strollers. There is little shade, which is the trade-off for the constant, unobstructed views: the vast lake glinting on one side and the wooded river valley dropping away on the other.

The exposure that makes it warm in summer also makes it a superb spot for sunrise and sunset, with the sky opening wide over the water. Benches and overlooks along the way give places to pause, and the steady breeze off the lake is a welcome companion on all but the coldest days.

Spring is mild and breezy, a pleasant time for the walk as the martins begin gathering and the lake fills with early boaters.

Summer is the marquee season for the purple martin flights at dusk, though the walkway itself is hot and shadeless at midday, so mornings and evenings are best. Fall brings crisp, clear air and some of the finest sunsets of the year over the water, and winter is quiet and bracing, the walk bright and empty, with waterfowl on the lake and long, low light across the dam.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.