Airlift for Riverbanks zoo now complete; first of its kind in South

By Bryan W.

On August 29, 2025, Within  the city of Columbia, the Riverbanks zoo finished the long—awaited construction of its newest attraction, Saluda Skyride!

The Saluda Skyride is the gateway for phase two of Riverbank’s zoo expansion, “Bridge to the Wild.” Where phase one protected and conserved endangered species, phase two has the ambitious goal of creating a bright future for it’s community.

Similarly to Riverbank’s own name, the Saluda Skyride is positioned over it’s namesake the Saluda River. Being an Aerial Tram System capable of carrying 152 people at one time, built to ensure passengers regardless of condition can enjoy the view of the zoo from above for two minutes and thirty seconds that comes for free with the admission to the zoo.

If you are curious as to how Riverbanks was able to afford an aerial tram system, It has been revealed that the counties of Lexington and Richland have contributed a whopping eighty million to assist in the zoo’s expansion.

While some may question if such an attraction is safe, Riverbanks zoo has made it their priority to ensure safety is guaranteed with constant checkups on every function and aspect of the tram system.

Riverbank’s ultimate priority however is to connect people to the wild and and with each other. Having shown their commitment to their goal by working alongside the department of natural resources and environmental services in order to minimize the  effects on habitats and their native species for animals and for humans they made efforts to reduce the usage of fossil fuels not just for the attraction but the zoo as a whole to protect the environment.

For those wondering what exactly a sky tram is, They are a form of transportation that is signficantly faster, larger and more environmentally friendly that works by using an electric motor to roll along a thick cable.

Let’s all look forward to seeing Riverbanks Zoo will accomplish with their expansion, for further information check Riverbanks.org.