The General Dacey Trail is a multipurpose trail designed for walkers, runners and bicyclists. This trail is a great place for the whole family to spend time together enjoying creation.
Besides exercising, the trail is a great place for bird watching, geocaching and photography. The trail offers users many opportunities to pause on donated benches and contemplate stunning views of Lake Shelbyville and the area.
The trail opened in 2006 with a one mile section and has been developed in phases over the years. The trail development is the responsibility of the General Dacey Trail Committee. The GDT would not exist without the support of the City of Shelbyville and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
This project has been viewed as a model example for other trail developments based on its success and excellent working relationships between the partners.
The trail heads are located behind the Scout Cabin in Forest Park, the Dam West (9th Street) Recreation Area, the dam overlook rest area, the Army Corps of Engineers Visitors Center, and the lower spillway parking lot.
Trail users can start at the Forest Park trailhead and explore two one-mile sections through the wooded area along Lake Shelbyville.
A third leg connects Forest Park to the Dam West Recreation Area and passes a new pond along the way.
The trail continues along the dam road to the Visitors Center. The trail then winds its way to the Dam spillway area and up to the downtown of Shelbyville.
The route continues along city streets and goes by the Glenwood Cemetery and returns to Forest Park. This part of the trail is just over seven miles in length.
The seven mile long mountain bike trail was developed in 2014. It is located about one mile north of the Forest Park trailhead and is found by going north on the General Dacey Trail.
