Explore the Lovely Shelley Lake Park Loop Trail 

One of the reasons we love living in Raleigh is having access to so many lakes and trails, and the Shelley Lake Park loop trail is another of our favorite short walks.

If you love hitting the trails and exercising in nature, definitely put this on your list of things to do in Raleigh. Even though you’re within an easy drive of downtown Raleigh, you’ll feel a world away. 

This 2-mile paved Greenway trail is part of the bigger 180-mile Capital Area Greenway system and is perfect for walkers, runners and bikers as it winds its way around the pretty lake. 

WALKING THE 2 MILE SHELLEY LAKE TRAIL

This is a 2-mile paved loop trail around the 53-acre lake. The trail is mostly flat with one small incline at the start and is good for all fitness levels and those pushing a stroller. 

There is ample shade along the trail, but I would guess at least a quarter of it is open to the sun so keep that in mind in the warmer months. 

Starting at the main car park off W Millbrook Rd and at the Sertoma Arts Center, you will see a sign with a map as the beginning point, then head down the hill past the kids playground on the right towards the lake. 

Once we connected to the loop trail we headed left in a clockwise direction, first walking over a timber boardwalk section with lovely views across the lake, then back on the paved trail continuing in a northerly direction. 

SWIPE UP TO READ MORE!