Breaking off the Sensory Loop in the Children’s Garden, the Altrusa Adventure Trail begins as a series of rocks that descend into a slight gully and leads back onto the sensory loop. The theme is “Learning through Fun and a Little Risk.” The rocks are not connected so the slight “risk” requires hopping or stepping from rock to rock until you get to the other side of the trail. As part of the Sensory Loop, not only does the trail involve the traditional outer senses, it also engages your inner senses of balance, movement (self regulation) and spatial awareness in your environment. This is phase one of this project.

In phase two, which will begin construction shortly, the trail will crossover the Sensory Loop and descend again, this time into a tunnel which will lead into the lower garden, splitting into two paths. A patio is planned to be on top of the tunnel where parents can watch their children play in the lower garden area.

Altrusa International of Spartanburg proudly donated this adventure trail. Altrusa International is a global non-profit organization of volunteers whose common goal is to improve the communities. in 2014, they donated the Altrusa Native Plant Garden on the Thomas W. Bartram Trail which includes plants discovered and identified by William Bartram during the pre-revolutionary era. And in 2021, Altrusa International of Spartanburg dedicated part of the Thomas W. Bartram Trail as the Altrusa Pathway that goes past the garden room toward the back of the garden.

The Altrusa Adventure Trail