Shelley Lake Park

Use the public lot at 1400 West Millbrook Road by Sertoma Arts Center. It is the City's listed parking point for both Shelley Lake Park and the Shelley Lake/Mine Creek greenway connection. Start here when you need indoor assistance, arts-center access, or the most clearly documented trailhead.

Use 1400 West Millbrook Road for Sertoma Arts Center and the primary public parking and greenway access. Neighborhood trail connections also reach the loop, but they may not provide parking or nearby indoor facilities. Follow loop signs if you want to remain around the lake rather than continue onto Mine Creek Trail.

The City lists restrooms both on the trail and inside Sertoma Arts Center. Trail facilities follow park operations and can close for maintenance or winterization; indoor restrooms follow the arts center's building schedule. Use the available facility before beginning the 2.1-mile loop when access is essential.

The park is open daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m. November-February, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. in March and October, and 7 a.m.-8 p.m. April-September. Sertoma Arts Center programs and indoor access have separate schedules, and special events or maintenance can alter facility availability.

General entry, the paved lake loop, playgrounds, basketball court, public art, and pier access are free. Fishing still requires the applicable North Carolina license. Sertoma Arts Center classes, workshops, studio use, programs, and rentals may charge separately.

The 2.1-mile lake loop is paved, and the main approach from Sertoma Arts Center uses developed circulation. Grades, bridge approaches, pavement condition, and temporary maintenance can still affect a complete circuit. Contact Raleigh Greenway staff or Inclusion Services for current route-specific assistance.

The scenic loop around Shelley Lake is about 2.1 miles and paved. It connects with Raleigh's broader Mine Creek greenway corridor, so watch junction signs if you want the lake-only route. The loop is suitable for walking, running, and ordinary greenway cycling, with users sharing the path.

Shelley Lake has two woodchip-surface playground areas: one for ages 2-5 and a larger area for ages 5-12. Trail and arts-center restrooms are available under their respective operating conditions, but the playgrounds do not have the rubberized surface used at some newer Raleigh parks.

Fishing is allowed only from the Shelley Lake pier. Anglers need a fishing license and must use live bait. Bank fishing and fishing from pedestrian bridges are prohibited, and no personal watercraft may be placed on the lake.

Public art appears throughout the park and along the lake trail. A prominent work is Brook Ramsey's turtle-and-anole mural near the wooded arts-center area. Use Raleigh Arts' Shelley Lake public-art map for individual works rather than expecting every piece to sit beside Sertoma Arts Center.