Community owned recreation facilities in the Municipality of Shelburne include community halls, ballfields, River Hills Golf and Country Club, Sandy Point Lighthouse Park and Community Centre

The area also offers many natural facilities for recreational use such as white sand, salt water beaches; beautiful freshwater rivers and lakes for canoeing, swimming, and fishing; and many nooks and crannies for walking, hiking, birdwatching, painting, sketching, and photography.

WELKUM PARK owned by the Municipality of Shelburne is a small day use park tucked away on Welshtown Lake about 14km. from downtown Shelburne. Its features include a sand beach, unsupervised fresh water swimming, picnic tables, 3 gazebos, change rooms, washrooms, and garbage containers, During the months of July and August Red Cross Swim lessons and Royal Life Saving courses are offered by the Municipality of Shelburne Recreation and Parks Department.

There are four walking trails maintained by the Municipality of Shelburne Recreation & Parks Department. Three of the four trails are along sections of the abandoned railway bed. The CN railway operated along the Liverpool to Yarmouth line from 1905-1983. This line was the first to be abandoned and designated for recreational purposes in Nova Scotia. Motorized use along the trail is not allowed except for trail maintenance and special circumstances by request. These trails are perfect to enjoy a leisurely stroll, to observe and / or photograph many types of wild flowers, trees, birds, wildlife, and natural landscapes, or to add to your personal work-out routine. These level terrain trails are active transportation connections in the communities of Sable River, Jordan Falls, and between the Islands Provincial Park and the Town of Shelburne for locals and visitors alike. They are what you make them.

The Tom Tigney Trail ( approx. 1.2 km.) and the Footbridge Trail
( approx. 0.8km) are both located in the heart of the community of Sable River.

The Tom Tigney trail head is opposite the Chef’s Plate Restaurant beside the river. A picnic table has been placed there for users to sit at and eat or take a rest to listen and watch the waters of the Tom Tigney River.  The trail crosses the East Sable Road twice and about 3/4 of the way along it is a former CN bridge that now has a fenced board walk.  On a warm, sunny day the view from the bridge up and down the Sable River is spectacular.  This trail ends where the trail meets the old highway #3

The Footbridge trail head is a small parking area located in the Sable River Volunteer Fire Department's yard. From the trail head walkers follow the signs that lead them to the swinging bridge, across it, and along the Freeman’s Mill Road where it ends at Hwy 103.  It is neat to experience the swinging movement under your feet as you cross the bridge. A major portion of the Foot Bridge trail has been used by the Sable River community for over a hundred years and is known locally as the “footpath”.

The Jordan River Trail ( approx. 2.6 km.) is located in the Jordan Falls community.  To get to the trail head from the 103 hwy take exit #24 along #3 hwy from Jordan Falls to Lockeport.  Turn right onto Hayden’s Road.  The Trail head is located in a small parking area beside Hayden’s Road.  From the trail head you can walk along the trail to the left to end near Camp Jordan or to the right to go across the Jordan River. The former CN bridge has a fenced board walk along it, you walk beside salt water marshes to the trail end where it meets the Lower Jordan Road.

The Roseway River Trail ( approx. 1km.) crosses the Roseway River near Falls Lane on two small CN bridges that have a fenced board walk along them.  It follows the abandoned railway bed and ends at the road near the entrance to the Islands Provincial Park.