Riverbanks Zoo skyline could be up and running by the end of the month
Visitors to Riverbanks Zoo & Garden will soon have a quicker and more photogenic way of getting back and forth between the zoo and the garden sides of the Midlands attraction separated by the Saluda River.
The zoo has hung 19 aerial gondolas on a 1,700-foot cable spanning the river, part of the Saluda Skyline project that’s been in the works for years. Now, if the weather holds up and the final permits are in place, zoo officials hope to begin moving guests by the end of the month.
Once the skyline is up and running, visitors to Riverbanks will be able to ride over the river throughout the zoo’s hours of operation with no additional fee. While it’s meant to increase the connectivity between the zoo and garden, officials see the skyline as a potential attraction for visitors all on its own.
“It will start at 9 o’clock when we open and run until the last guest leaves,” said Riverbanks president Tommy Stringfellow.
The gondolas will move more than 2,000 people an hour for the two and a half minute ride over the river, Stringfellow said. Officials estimate a new cab will pick up passengers every 20 seconds. That’s a much faster travel time than the foot traffic and mechanized tram rides over the pedestrian bridge currently connecting both sides of the park. Stringfellow said the zoo could even add or remove gondolas from the line depending on demand, since each cab is detachable for maintenance and cleaning.
The skyline is a part of Riverbanks’ multimillion-dollar Bridge to the Wild expansion project. The current phase is drawing funding from an $80 million bond from Richland and Lexington counties, with those two local governments kicking in $44.8 million and $35.2 million, respectively.
The skyline will come with new attractions planned for the botanical garden side of the river, including a new primate habitat, red pandas and space for a new tiger, said Greg Peccie, vice president of animal care. Riders will also be able to stop at a new restaurant and events space overlooking the Saluda.
“When you can sit out on the deck and look out at the river, I’m excited about it,” Peccie said.
Manufactured by aerial lift maker Leitner-Poma and imported from Switzerland last spring, the gondolas can seat a maximum of eight passengers, and include raisable seats to make extra room for wheelchairs or children’s strollers.
“They’re more typical of what you would see in more mountainous terrain,” said Lochlan Wooten, Riverbanks chief operating officer. “You wouldn’t normally see these in South Carolina.”
Operating the skyline will add five new maintenance positions at the park, Wooten said, along with six new operations staff.
This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
.jpg)