Shelley Lake Loop Trail

The main start is Sertoma Arts Center at 1400 West Millbrook Road. The City also lists a lake-adjacent lot at 1140 West Millbrook Road and neighborhood street access at 6372 Lakeway Drive and 6344 Rushingbrook Drive. Use the main lot when you need the clearest orientation or indoor facilities; neighborhood access does not guarantee amenities.

Start at 1400 West Millbrook Road by Sertoma Arts Center for documented parking, staff-area orientation, indoor restrooms during center hours, playground and court access, and the easiest connection to the loop. The 1140 West Millbrook lot starts closer to the lake when the loop itself is the only goal.

Yes. Raleigh lists a restroom facility on the trail and additional restrooms inside Sertoma Arts Center. The trail restroom follows park operations and can close for maintenance; indoor restrooms follow the arts center schedule. Use an available facility before starting if access is essential.

Park hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. November through February, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. in March and October, and 7 a.m.-8 p.m. April through September. Sertoma Arts Center has separate building hours. Allow enough time to complete the loop before the seasonal park closing.

Yes. Walking, running, cycling, public art, casual playground and court use, and pier access are free. Sertoma classes, studios, events, programs, and rentals can charge. Fishing requires the current state license even though park entry is free.

The 2.1-mile loop is paved and developed connections lead from the main park area, making it more predictable than natural-surface trails. It is not perfectly uniform: grades, bridge approaches, pavement condition, crowding, weather debris, and temporary construction vary. Contact Raleigh Parks for route-specific needs.

The City's current greenway list gives the Shelley Lake Loop as 2.1 miles and paved. The park's narrative rounds the route to about 2 miles. The loop circles the lake; Mine Creek and Snelling Branch junctions can add distance if you leave the lake route.

Yes. The named 2.1-mile paved route circles Shelley Lake. Watch signs at greenway junctions so you do not unintentionally continue onto Mine Creek Trail or Snelling Branch. Either direction returns to the same loop, but parking and facility access are easiest to remember when starting at Sertoma Arts Center.

Mine Creek Trail connects at Shelley Lake, and Snelling Branch runs 0.9 mile from Mine Creek near the lake to Optimist Park. These extensions turn a short loop into a longer linear outing, so check mileage, parking, facilities, and return time before leaving the lake circuit.

Yes. The paved loop is part of Raleigh's shared greenway system and has safety pavement markings. The greenway speed limit is 10 mph. Keep right, yield to pedestrians, announce passes on the left, and slow around playgrounds, fishing access, bridges, children, dogs, and busy trailheads.

Yes, under Raleigh's greenway rules. Keep dogs controlled on a leash no longer than six feet, stay to the right, and remove waste. Prevent pets from disturbing wildlife, anglers, children, or other users and do not treat the trail or lake edge as an off-leash area.

Fishing is allowed only from the Shelley Lake Pier. A current fishing license is required, and the City says anglers must use live bait. Bank fishing and fishing from pedestrian bridges are prohibited, and personal watercraft are not permitted on the lake.

Yes. Shelley Lake Park has separate woodchip playgrounds for ages 2-5 and 5-12 near the developed park area. Start by Sertoma Arts Center when combining the loop with play, restrooms, basketball, or arts-center access, and supervise children closely near the lake and shared bicycle trail.

It can. Storms, fallen trees, flooding, maintenance, park projects, or events can affect a section even when the park is generally open. Check park and Raleigh greenway alerts before visiting, especially after severe weather. Never enter a barricaded section or cross moving water.