Bike Trails Grand Kickoff

Shelby County Bike Trails Now Open for to the Public, Grand Kickoff on June 2 Ride the rural routes in Shelbyville and Simpsonville for stunning scenery and outdoor adventure.

Pedal your way across Shelby County on miles and miles of newly opened, scenic bike trails. Shelby County’s Parks Foundation has been hard at work for several years raising funds and submitting grant applications to create a series of cycling routes that would benefit residents and visitors alike.

Cycle the county

Avid bikers and outdoor enthusiasts can now explore Shelby County via 12 cycling routes that cover 346 miles of gently rolling hills, picturesque parks and paved country roads. The byways and highways of the county are all utilized, from parking lots to county parks and many roads in between.

While the routes are officially open to the public now, the grand kickoff of the Shelby County Bike Trails will take place on June 2 with the Parks Pedal Party. The kickoff features several events including an “In the Park” ride at Clear Creek Park that’s perfect for families and children, as well as a route for more advanced riders featuring a choice of a 21-mile or 42-mile-route. While there is no fee to participate in the Parks Pedal Party, it is a fundraiser to benefit the Park Greenway Trail System, so donations are appreciated.

Rural Riding

Passing by golf courses, an arboretum, horse and dairy farms, shopping centers and an apple orchard, cyclists will find an amazing array of sights and sounds encompassing the 12 bike routes, each offering its own distinct charm and beauty. Riders with varied interests will get an up-close and personal glimpse of the countryside on these routes.

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History buffs will love the routes, which take them by historic sites like the Todd House and the Stanley-Casey House, both built in the 1800s. Birdwatchers will be delighted that one of the routes passes by an eagle’s nest. Stop for a spell at Gallrein Farms or Mulberry Orchard. Do some window shopping as you pass through The Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass parking lot. After you pass by the Wakefield-Scearce Galleries, which sells old English antiques, you’ll probably find yourself making a mental note to return with your car so you can fill up your trunk.

Luke Scott, a student at Shelby County’s Cornerstone Christian Academy, rides these trail regularly. He rides them so often in fact that there’s a trail named for him: Luke’s Long Ride.

“These routes are what have helped me to become a competitive racer,” Scott explains. “You get the perfect mix of flats and hills, along with a mix of small town and total country seclusion. All around, you get a beautiful taste of what it's like to be a cyclist in Shelby County.”

More to come

Outdoor enthusiasts will be flocking to Shelbyville and Simpsonville for these wonderful new trails, but if they are not enough of an enticement, there’s more to come. The Shelby County Greenway Trail Phases I, II and III are now open to the public. Phase I has been paved, and Phase II will be paved by mid-June. Plans to pave Phase III by next year are in the works.

INFO ON RIDES: HERE

RIDES AT A GLANCE: