Katy Trail Forum

We are planning a lunch break buying deli supplies at Woods.

Does anyone have a recommendation about a close by park to have our lunch at?

Thanks!

Katy Trail Depot, or the town square over by the Hotel Bothwell.

Just a gentle reminder if you're staying at the Turner Shelter in Tebbetts. The a/c is on during the summer so if, for some reason, you want to open a window or two please make sure to close them before you leave.

Not impressed. Office was closed. I reserved online. Management is currently replacing tent sites 1-8 with small bungalows. This upgrade removes the tent sites that were in shade. Sites 9-13 are in the open. Not ideal during mid to upper 80 sunny days. I was held hostage under the pavilion until the sun went behind the trees (5pm). Showers are decent. It is a quiet campground. The bar across the trail has several beer varieties. The food is tolerable. Bar closes at 7pm.

We just got back from riding the OTET! Cincinnati seems like a cool place to ride. I tried the spaghetti 3 ways and it was great. My riding companions were unconvinced and chose Chipotle instead. :)

I'm thinking of cycling the Katy from Clinton to St Charles a day ahead of the Big Bam ride schedule. Should I expect any closures or congestion due to the Big Bam setting up for the next day? Any places that might be crowded due to people camping ahead of time? Thanks!

This is a shop that has the ability to fix a cable on your hybrid or do a clean and wax on your SRAM Red drivetrain. Small, unpretentious, and surprisingly well stocked. Highly recommended and, though the map may be confusing, it is a vigorous baseball throw from the Sedalia Depot.

Ebby that owns Pro-Velo is the best! Believe closed Sunday and Monday

Yesterday afternoon I encountered a person on a motorbike on the trail just east of the Family Arena in St. Charles. He had to be doing 35 or better coming around the curve headed west. When I saw the dust cloud I was approaching, I at first thought it was from the construction vehicles crossing the trail there. There were quite a few young kids in that area and the sight distance was virtually nil. Not sure where he got on or got off. Very foolish stunt.

I have two bikes to choose from. The first is a Marin Stinson 2 step. I am reluctant to rent this bike as it has a rigid front suspension. I never done the trail before and if it is bumpy I'm going to hate this bike. My current bike is like this. I used to have a mountain bike and I loved it because of the forks took all the brunt. The second bike I can rent is jamis citizen 2. I'm thinking I would like this bike better because of the front suspension. Any insight how bumpy is this trail? If the trail is bumpy I'm going to watch some spension. Thank you

The trail is mostly compact chat/pea gravel. The only time you may encounter rough areas would be after heavy rains where the water runs across parts of the trail. If that happens pick yourself up out of the saddle and use your built in shock absorbers. A mountain bike would be overkill in my opinion and you would suffer from the low gearing on long flat stretches of the trail.

I would not be taking a mountain bike. It would be the Jamis citizen 2.I would be renting it.It has suspension. I realize the trail is crushed gravel. I've never rode on that terrain .I don't know how smooth it can be. I'm trying to avoid having my shoulders take a lot of the shot from the front. Thank you

I looked up a review of the Jamis 2. It looks like a very comfortable hybrid bike well suited for the Katy with a configuration of upright sitting posture and step thru frame design.

I'd go with the Marin Stinson 2. Run those fat tires at about 30 to 40 PSI and that's all the suspension that you will need. My wife and I have a fat tire MTB tandem that we've done the entire Katy Trail plus GAP, C&O, and cross Florida. One of the first things I did to it was remove the front suspension fork. We just run lower tire pressure.

I see one issue with both bikes. They only have a place for one water bottle holder. Water stops can be far between on the Katy. You might want to investigate getting a water bottle holder for the handlebars or something like a Camelbak backpack.

All tent sites have power but not all have water. My site had a water spicket but no running water. Three tent sites have a small pavilion. The remainder are in the open. Don’t despair about the water. The park is not that big. Just find a site that’s not being used and check their water. I wouldn’t count on the men’s room sink because it has one faucet and dispenses hot water. I found that weird.

Decent city park. It has a playground, pavilions, restrooms with showers. It has spots for RVs as well as tents. 15.00 cash. Envelope and drop slot. Pay at the restroom building. Skip the Wharf St address on the Katy trip planner. Use 118 W13th St. The park and tent area is next to a busy road so, be prepared for that. There is a Casey’s c-store on that busy road. You’ll see it through the trees from the restroom. Bike or walk. Your choice.

My brother-in-law and I are attempting to ride from the RIT Stadium trailhead in KC to the Eastern Terminus of the KT in Machens later this month, approximately 300mi, in under 24hrs. Despite searching online I cannot find any instances of others doing this ride.

Does anyone here know of another rider or team that has completed the RIT+KT in under 24hrs?

Thanks!

Entirely possible. It depends on who you are, but a group did the 240 miles in about 12.5 hours, a mere mortal like myself did it a dozen years ago in 24. So if you're in a group and are just little faster than me, its theoretically in range. That said, I am totally unfamiliar with any routes not on the trail. (by "mortal" I mean never ran a marathon in under 3 hours, and never ran a mile in under 4 minutes) Its a fun idea, hope to hear how it goes!

This is the most up to date information on how to load a bicycle on the River Runner train in Missouri. I can say that because I am on train 318 now. The River Runner is a twice daily train between KC and St Louis, but one of the daily trains extends to Chicago, on a different route than the Southwest Chief. This particular River Runner adds the description “with Lincoln service.” This loading process is only applicable to the Missouri River Runner because they do not have a baggage car, luggage (and bikes) is carry on only. I personally call it a glorified commuter train, hence no baggage car. You must add a bicycle reservation when you purchase your ticket, and that fee is $10. I understand they have a limit of four bicycles per train, so book ahead. Due to Amtraks reservation system you wont know if bike spaces are available until after you add a seat into your cart….the next step is adding a bicycle (or golf clubs) This is where you learn if those spaces are available for you and there is a counter of 1-4 displayed. If spots arent available you don’t have to “check out” or get billed for the seat you placed in the cart, similar to other online purchases. Once you are beside the train, unload and set aside your panniers/bags if applicable, pick up your bicycle and carry it on board. On this train I was instructed to lean it against a railing in a passageway just a few steps up and into the train. On my previous Amtrak ride I stored it in the seating area of a passenger car where two rows of seats had been removed. The conductor assisted me in carrying the bike on board the first time, but not today which was not an issue. With permission I chose to lock my bike to the railing since it was out of my line of sight. ?
Be aware Amtrak is often late. They are completely at the mercy of freight traffic which always had priority. If you are interested in this you can check train status prior to your trip. Yesterday Amtrak was two minutes early arriving in StL from KC. The day prior the same train was about thirty minutes late. Today we departed 17 minutes late due to a broken down freight train.
I think that should cover most of the questions. It was pretty easy both times.
Happy Trails!
This is a copy of my post in the Facebook group Katy Trail Riders. That post includes a video, but essentially it’s three or four steps up into the train, a 90° turn followed by a few steps to the storage area. Very easy with an unloaded bike…unless you left your bags on, then it’s a bit awkward and unbalanced.

Great stay, convenient to trail. Great breakfast, very clean and comfortable rooms, safe bike storage, and lovely people. Will be back!!

My wife and I are biking the KT west to east the first week in October. Does anyone have recommendations for the type of clothing we may need for both biking and non-biking activities along the trail that time of year? Thanks in advance for sharing your insights and experience.

Just be prepared. I've ridden the magnificent Katy Trial in 2 Octobers and weather is mostly, just perfect...but...it can be hot and it can be cold and rainy. Take some layers and make sure you have rain gear!
Mostly just enjoy the beauty!

Just a FYI. We are still up and running. Full rv hookups and tent sites with a bathroom and shower. The picture is very old but can't seem to get it updated. You can also check Google earth for more current pictures. We are just 20 miles from hermann and October festival is coming up so look us up. If you're needing a spot close to stay.

I searched the forum and only found one on the subject from 2023. I will be renting an electric bike and camping. The rental company told me that most people charge the bike are staying at hotel or bed and bresftfast....Has any one had experince chargeing while camping? I want to do the most pretty part .Im thinking about starting in new frankiln and trying to do it in 3 days to st charles ...but i dont know if I can do it in 3.

A lot depends on the bikes battery amp hour rating, the bikes drive motor power, and how much you will rely on the motor vs pedal assist. When you stop to eat etc, look for power outlets and ask around. People will usually help you out.

The Turner Shelter in Tebbetts is a good place to stay inside and sleep while charging your bike.

NF to ST.C is about 150 miles. Do the math. Fifty per day gives you Tebbetts, Marthasville, and then Machens. Not sure what's near Marthasville BUT there's nothing at Machens. St. C would have to be your respite at the east end. Take it from a guy who depleted his battery once; DON'T DO IT! Be sure it's juiced. Pedaling an e-bike is a little more demanding. But if you're going east from NF, you're going in the least difficult direction. You won't be coasting but you won't be climbing significantly, either. But still, ... As for "pretty", beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Enjoy.

If you camp at Coopers Landing, you can plug in - just dont ask if you can. They'll tell you the electrical outlets are for RV campers.
I've plugged in my devices twice there. If you have space, you might carry an extension cord with you.
Turner Shelter, yes, as mentioned above.
If you camp at the ball park in M'Ville, there's outlets there as well.
Then if you need it, you could grab some lunch and a beverage at the Good News Brewery in Defiance. I'm sure you could plug in there too.

You won't find any places with a big sign that says "EBIKE CHARGING STATION", but there are lots of places to sit for a while and get some charge from an outlet on the side of a store or under a town pavilion or something like that.

I'd think you could find outlets at...
Rocheport - Meriwethers, neighborhood park, trailhead restroom.
Cooper's Landing
Hartsburg - trailhead, campsite, ballfield, that bar that seems to be the only thing with regular hours in Hburg.
N Jeff - maybe the trailhead bathroom, or the ballfields.
Tebbetts Shelter
Mokane - VFW, town campground
Portland - Holzhauers, maybe at the little campground.
Rhineland - maybe the park, Fire Department, or some of the unoccupied commercial bldgs
McKittrick - Loutre Market
Treloar - I think that the bar and grill is about to reopen
Marthasville - all kinds of spots.
Dutzow - that diner thing
Augusta - not sure about in town, Klondike Park
Defiance - all sorts of places
St Charles - all sorts of places

I’d be interested in knowing how much electricity an e-bike is using as it charges. Obviously that amount would vary depending on the bike, the type of charger, etc. Expanding on that, how much that actually costs in electricity used, which would vary by the rate charged by the local utility. I suspect it’s probably not much, but if I was a business owner I would see someone using my electricity as an additional hurdle to breaking even financially. Perhaps spending money in the business or paying a token fee for using the power would be the decent thing to do.
Using the electricity being paid for by someone else makes me think of the word freeloader.
Note: this is not directed at the original poster.

Just for reference:
My heat pump at home is set at 73 degrees and the thermostat has an option to see how much electricity it uses and allows you to enter your cost per kilowatt hour to see your cost per day. That said, running all day cost me between $2 to $3 a day. I’m guessing charging a bike battery would be somewhat less than that. I’m guessing there could be a meter you could add to a dedicated line to get an exact amount to charge but the expense to do that would probably far greater than the benefit.

Eric, that's definitely a fair point. It looks to me like a typical bike battery is something like 500Wh, or 0.5 kWh. Assuming some inefficiency, it might take 1kWh to charge from completely empty to completely full. That's about 15 cents worth of electricity.

I definitely think that if you charge your bike a business, you want to be a customer of the business in some form, whether you eat lunch there, or buy a bag of chips, or drop a dollar into the campground paybox. If you charge at a town park you could walk around and pick up some trash or dead branches while you charge.

Have you have you considered the option of manually using the pedals, perhaps? This is a forgotten skill from days of old.

Wow! Easy to say under the cloak of "anonymous". Some people get up there in age and parts don't work as well. Or maybe because they're hampered by injury or illness. It isn't because they're lazy or unwilling. Cycling is not about seeing how much pain and discomfort you can inflict on yourself. At least it shouldn't be. I'm sure the vast majority of them transitioned from pedal bikes. I did. Like me, they use an e-bike to stay connected with nature. And while they're there, they support those communities they pass through. Be better.

No kidding. That's a pretty uninformed comment. Many ebikes, like mine, are only pedal-assist. If you aren't pedaling it's not moving. The motor only helps push the pedals. No throttle. Also, without any knowledge of the rider. As we age, getting up the hills riding in the Ozarks can be limiting. I've ridden a Fugi Touring bike for years but found my yearly mileage dropping as arthritis got worse in my knees and wrists. Last year I bought an ebike and tripled my mileage from the previous year. I might still ride the Fugi on a rail trail like the Katy. But you can't beat the help getting up Missouri hills.

Also, Google says the charger would consume about 125wh charging a 500wh battery from 0. So the cost would be closer to a dime. If you plug in at a park or business while eating lunch or taking a break you might gain 10% on your charge costing a penny or two.

Recommend that the cite occasionally be cleaned up. Becoming massive and many click here don’t work.

Trail conditions more current would be helpful.

Ok, so it is decided we need to make advance overnite accommodations. So what about extended parking on the east end? Nothing at the terminus; anything in Black Walnut or is it necessary to go back to St. charles? This would involve shuttle service, or renting a car to go back to Clinton, pre-ride. Thoughts on this?
$400 seems like a lot to shuttle our vehicle from Clinton to the east end, but seems the easiest. Thoughts on this?

I don't mean to be tedious, I'm sure these questions have been posed a million times. I just haven't found the answers yet.

I guess $400 seems like a lot, but to drive a vehicle from end-to-end on the KATY is an 8-hour day for someone. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive one way. Then they have to get back. That's 7 hours not including breaks. So maybe $400 isn't so bad. I guess it depends on how much the convenience is worth.

Parking at Black Walnut is okay but I don't know if I'd want to leave my car somewhere in a secluded spot for 5 or 6 days. Downtown St. Charles might be a better choice.

The Bike Stop Cafe in St. Charles lets you leave your vehicle with them if you use their shuttle to go to Clinton. If you are getting to Clinton a different way and somehow leaving your vehicle towards the east end of the trail, then St. Charles is definitely the safest place.

Yeah, I'd use Trail Stop or another shuttle service that has good parking in St Charles.

Well, here's a thought. For a leisurely ride, why not park in Clinton at the Community Center (about 1/2 mile from the start); very safe there and there's camping at the Community Center, then ride east to the terminus at Machens. There's only a kiosk and bathroom there, so the only reason to go there is to do the entire trail. Then back to St Charles, remain overnight (it's 12 miles one way between Machens and St Charles). You could then start heading back West, and catch the Amtrak at either Washington or Hermann. There are bike routes to St Louis Union Station or Kirkwood Amtrak from St Charles, but that might be more than you want to try. You have to cross the Missouri River at either Washington or Hermann, but neither way is that bad if you're used to riding with motor vehicle traffic. Just ride WITH the traffic. Of the two, Hermann is better on a bike. Then catch the Amtrak back to Sedalia, making sure you reserve a spot for your bikes. Then ride back to Clinton. It's longer, but the eastern half is flat, so it doesn't matter what direction you're going. You could go on to Warrensburg (next stop west from Sedalia) on the Amtrak and shuttle back to Clinton; would NOT recommend riding State Hwy 13 between Warrensburg and Clinton. It's only about 24 miles, but there's no shoulder for most of the way, so it's just not safe. There are shuttles between Warrensburg and Clinton; you'll have to search around on this site for them. It does extend your trip, and Amtrak may adjust its schedules daily, so you do have to be flexible. You'll be on the trail longer, but depending on how far you ride each day, not a lot. For example, it's a little over 60 miles from St Charles to McKittrick (Hermann), so that adds a day. Depending on whether you camp or stay in lodging, you could eat into that $400 savings from not taking the shuttle, but you can perhaps visit some sites that you missed on the first leg. By the way, forget about prevailing winds and weather forecasts; it will be the opposite during your trip. Take rain gear and have a great trip.

Is there parking at Bluffton trailhead? I have the Katy trail guidebook but I don't see anything about parking.
Thanks

There is no trailhead at Bluffton. The closest would be Portland.

Thanks for the information

Shawnee Mound BBQ is open

Thanks for the heads-up; got 'em back in the listings.

Hello all- This forum is MASSIVE and a lot to surf thru! Could some experienced riders comment with their trail highlights? Looking for must see scenic attractions, best campsites and food/beverage.

Use the search bar above and type in “Trip Reports” to see what other people found on their trips. Then just ride along and keep your eyes open, you might just see something no one else has seen. Have a good time.

Highlights in the Spring are wildflowers.

Highlights in the Fall are orange and red leaf color.

Regardless of season, I always enjoy the company of my wife. Yep...being with her is a highlight for sure.

The "must sees" and "bests" of anything are judgement calls that vary for each individual.

New website: https://goboonville.com/rivers-rails-trails-museum/

This is definitely a cool place to visit when you pass through. They also have Katy Trail swag. I recommend the socks.

Are there any closures along the Katy and completed section of the Rock Island? The state park website didn't have any listed. Thanks for your help!

I just rode the length of the Katy and there were no closures. I didn't touch the Rock Island trail so I can't speak to that part. Have a good ride.

The Katy junction B&B in Pilot Grove, well be closed for Aug. 22nd 23rd for a wedding that weekend. All rooms taken on those dates.

I want to know when the ride is and how much it costs.

https://bigbam.wetravel.com/trips/october-5th-11th-2025-big-bam-on-the-katy-big-bam-86200437

Planning on riding Clinton to Machens about the 3rd week in October 2025. Want to do a fairly leisurely trip of 35 to 45 miles per day but I don't want to be tied in to a set schedule. Is it easy to get accommodations without reservations at that time of year? Thinking motel, abnb, camping.

Peace of mind that you have a place to spend the night can enhance a leisurely trip. Know that MU football game days in Columbia can cause lodging to fill in the outlying area. And fall rides in cool days with colorful trees can bring more people to the trail after sitting out the hot months of July and August.

For me, traveling without reservations creates confusion and stress. It would be nothing but speculation for anyone here to tell you with any reliability that you could always find lodging where you wanted on your leisurely journey.

All of the Oktoberfest events across the state combined with the leaves changing color make your proposed timeframe one of the busiest times of the year. You will probably be okay being flexible around the western part of the state, but I would at least plan out your stops along the eastern half of the Katy Trail.

As a trail lodging owner I'm always sorry when I have to tell last minute folks that all four cabins are already full for that night. Sept. and Oct are especially busy months

Hello everyone. I just finished riding the Katy trail yesterday. A young man had passed me between St Charles and Machens. He was kind enough to take my photo ringing the bell and he informed me of his time and that he had ridden straight through. Unfortunately, he had to shoot off and catch his ride and somehow in the middle of this he left something behind. I would like to return it to him if there is a way to find it. I didn't get his name so I figured I'd drop a line here. If he sees this or someone can identify him for me then confirm 1. What he lost 2. The time he told me it took him to finish. Then I will find a way to get in touch and return it.

Hi Tom,

The timing is off but your description made me think of a young man who rode straight through in a total time of 16:57, ride time of 14:38. But he did this on July 3rd. If this is him, his name is Cooper White. What a feat!

Good job, Cooper!

Wrong date, Cindy.