York County officially opened its largest park Saturday, Oct. 17, giving Fort Mill, Tega Cay and Lake Wylie residents a 1,900-acre outdoor destination along the Catawba River.

Catawba Bend Preserve, at 4134 Catawba Bend Parkway on the Rock Hill side of the river, launched its phase-one amenities after a morning ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony. The county bought the former timber site in 2018 for $21 million and spent $6.3 million building out the first round of trails and facilities, the Tega Cay Sun reported.

The park now offers 10 miles of mountain bike singletrack built by Nature Trails, LLC, with a skills area and routes for beginners through experts. Two disc golf courses constructed by Ace Place include an 18-hole championship layout and a 9-hole beginner course. Hiking trails, a loblolly pine grove and picnic areas by Big Pond had been open since a soft launch earlier in 2026, according to The Herald.

"This beautiful acreage could have been developed," York County Council Chair Christi Cox said at the ceremony. "Instead, it's a vast, protected greenspace that is preserved for everyone to enjoy for years to come."

York County Parks & Recreation Director Katherine Jones called the preserve "a vital resource for our community" and said the grand opening honored years of work to protect the green space.

The Oct. 17 festivities began with the Bob Jenkins York County Cross Country Championships at 8:45 a.m., followed by a ribbon cutting and park dedications before full public access opened at 1 p.m., according to the county's park page. A new art installation called the Catawba Bend Cross Country Arch doubled as the finish line for the race, which was held in partnership with Visit York County.

Park Superintendent Marvin Bouknight said the county plans to keep expanding. The county's website lists ongoing construction projects including rebuilding three earthen dams, pond rehabilitation, fish stocking and the first mile of a paved greenway trail along the Catawba River.

Winthrop University in Rock Hill has hosted the disc golf national championship for more than two decades, giving York County deep ties to the sport, The Herald noted.

The park is open daily. Visitors can find more details on the York County parks website.