The heart of Shelby is a busy place but there's an oasis beginning at the corner of W. Marion and N. Morgan Streets near the Foothills Farmers' Market that offers folks a chance to commune with nature and get some exercise in a quiet, beautiful, and safe environment.

Known as the Carolina Harmony Trail, the feature is a .7 mile long, 13-foot wide, paved, level, pathway bordered by split rail fence and lush vegetation. The trail was officially opened on October 21, 2023 and has already proven to be a popular spot.

City of Shelby Public Information Officer Chip Nuhrah had this to say about trail usage.

"The trail is very well utilized," Nuhrah said. "Even in the middle of the week, there's always somebody walking it."

Folks don't just stroll the trail.

"People use it to walk their dogs, jog, and ride bikes," Nuhrah said. "People of any fitness level can use it."

Construction of the trail began in November 2022 and was paid for by grants, City of Shelby investment, and donations.

A tour of the trail begins at the distinctive Gateway and pavilion. The trailhead also features benches, flowerbeds, and informational kiosks with trail regulations and maps. Parking is available at the Farmers' Market or a lot on the other side of a building next to the trailhead.

Starting out on the trail, it's amazing to see the transformation that the former railroad bed has undergone. Just a couple hundred feet in, the busy traffic noise is hushed and a quiet woodlands ambience begins. Grass and wooden fencing forms the trail border. Classy metal poles hold large lights- the trail is lit from dusk to dawn.

The overall atmosphere of the trail feels safe. Floyd and Arvelena Proctor were on the trail last week, enjoying a sunny, cool morning. They said they walk the trail just about every day.

"I have no concerns about safety on the trail," Arvelena said. "There are lots of walkers by themselves and I would walk it alone too."

Other trail features are a smaller parking area on Ford St. and a former baseball field that Nuhrah says is slated for the location of a dog park. The trail also passes by the outskirts of Sunset Cemetery and ends at a gravel section of the former rail bed. Total round trip back to the trailhead is 1.4 miles.

The current Carolina Harmony Trail situation is just the start of exciting future developments slated for it. The trail will eventually link up with the Carl Spangler Trail and the First Broad River Trail to form a route on a former unused railroad corridor from Shelby to Patterson Springs to Earl.

Starting later this year, the trail will be extended from the pavilion down N. Morgan Street to the old Shelby railroad depot where a park, restaurant, splashpad, and entertainment stage will be built- but that's another story.

In the meantime, Nuhrah is looking forward to continuing the good vibes that the trail is bringing to Shelby and beyond.

"This is for the community, but we want it to draw people from out of town as well," he said. "The Carolina Harmony Trail is one of the premiere trails in North Carolina."

The City of Shelby has extensive information on the Carolina Harmony Trail project past, present and future. Visit https://www.cityofshelby.com/
carolinaharmonytrail to find out more.