The Roadrunner Recreational Trail begins at the intersection of Main Street and Coyote Pass in Shelby. The trail heads north on the bike path along Oilfield Avenue approximately 1.3 miles where it leaves Oilfield Avenue at North Lake Sheloole Drive and circumvents Lake Sheloole for approximately 2.6 miles. This portion of the trail offers scenic views of the Lake Sheloole Watershed where you may see waterfowl and wading birds, song birds and raptors. The trail then winds through natural prairie lands that are home to fox, coyotes, gophers, ground squirrels, badgers, antelope, deer and an occasional lost elk or moose. Many of the plant species in this area are nearly the same as those catalogued by explorers Lewis and Clark over 200 years ago. Varieties include Ponderosa Pine, Green Ash, Plains Pricklypear, Kochia, Russian Thistle, Redroot Pigweed, Net seed Lambsquarter, Sweetgrass, Prairie Clover, Dandelion, Wild Mustard, Prairie Coneflower, Blue Bunch Wheatgrass and many more.
Interpretive signage along the off-street portion of the trail gives history of the floods that initiated the 1969 Lake Sheloole Watershed Project, the coming of the railroad, Shelby's beginnings, the Veteran's Flag Memorial Project and more.
The trail joins the City Shop Road, continuing back into Shelby on Galena Avenue and up to Main Street. The entire trail can take several hours, but if you're looking for a shorter trail loop, take the mid-way loop which joins North Park Drive about .50 miles from the City Shop Road. Off-street parking is available at the North Lake Sheloole Drive entrance and City Shop Road entrance. There are also pet stations and trash receptacles available at the entrances. The Roadrunner Recreation Trail is 5.06 miles paved asphalt with varied degrees of difficulty and lots of exercise of fun!
