Buddhist monks on Walk for Peace head to Lexington Friday. What to know
The latest map from the Walk for Peace shows a group of Buddhist monks will be walking through downtown Lexington later on Friday.
The live website for the walk shows the monks Friday morning left their overnight location at Nazareth Methodist Church near the Lexington-Saluda county line, heading down U.S. 378. After stopping for lunch at 1124 Spring Hill Road off of Augusta Highway near Gilbert, the monks plan to walk through downtown Lexington later on Friday before stopping for the night near Interstate 20.
A visit by the monks can be a logistical undertaking for local agencies. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department is escorting the monks across the county as they walk single-file along roadways that often have narrow shoulders.
The Walk for Peace usually leaves the planned lunch site in the early afternoon and will then head into Lexington on Highway 1. The group will then turn onto West Main Street from Columbia Avenue and head through town until they reach the overnight location at Tom’s Den, 5026 Augusta Road, by the interstate later tonight.
Sgt. Cameron Mortenson, a spokesman for the Lexington Police Department, said Friday morning there are currently no plans to close any roadways for the walk, but that police and sheriff’s deputies will be monitoring tighter spaces to regulate traffic flow when the monks are passing through. Officers will also be directing traffic to parking areas downtown in expectation of a large crowd to greet the monks.
Once the monks reach their stopping point for the night, they will greet their supporters, lead a meditation and hand out peace bracelets, if they follow their usual routine. The walk is expected to continue to Columbia on Saturday.
This story was originally published January 9, 2026 at 10:46 AM.
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