Katy Trail Forum

Completed our 4th trek on the KATY yesterday. Sedalia to St. Charles. Thought I'd list our itinerary and hotels for those planning for their first ride.

Day 1: Amtrak (Kirkwood) to Sedalia. Bike to Booneville. Hotel Frederick.

Day 2: Booneville to Columbia. Holiday Inn & Suites Columbia University Area (Stadium/63)

Day 3: CoMo to Jefferson City. Courtyard JC

Day 4: JC to Hermann. Hermann Crown Suites

Day 5: Hermann to Washington. Old Dutch Hotel

Day 6: Washington to St. Charles.

We like all of the hotels. Highlights of each:

Hotel Frederick - great restaurant stays open until 9. Main St Diner across street for bfast with lightning service. Bike friendly.

Holiday Inn Como. Don't skip Como, it has an extensive bike trail system going east /west. The HIEX is at the east end of that trail system. UBER to dinner. Bistro Les Bourgeois is excellent, especially if you can sit outside. Best view of the river.

Courtyard JC. NEW! Very nice and not far from the bridge. Bfast is good but not free. Madison's for dinner. Not a lot of non-chain restaurant options in JC. UBER exists but may have to wait for a ride.

Hermann Crown Suites. Not a fan of the decor but well run, good bar in the basement, live entertainment in their courtyard and have multiple bedroom options. Wurst House or Tin Mill for lunch/dinner

Old Dutch Hotel. Love this place. Good service, great restaurant and bar. Short walk to waterfront.

Lunch on the trail favorites:

MCafe - Rocheport - Fresh!

Red Caboose - Marthasville - fresh food, friendly owner

I hope this helps. Happy to answer any questions.

Sorry you didn't know about the local restaurants in Jefferson City. Next time you are there check out:
JQ's on High
O'Donoghue's
Ecco Lounge
Prison Brews
The Grand on High
Sapphire's (top of the Coubletree Hotel)
Arris Pizza
Oscar's Classic Diner
Nick's Family Restaurant
Daisy Delight
Bone's Restaurant
Veit's
Das Stein Haus
Paddy Malone's
Cork and Board
Yanis Coffee
Towne Grill

I lived there 27 years and can personally say all of the above are excellent. I moved away 2017, there's probably more that have opened since I left. And they are all locally owned, not franchises. That's a big thing in Jefferson City and the locals support them, and keep them going.

Cathy
Did you forget about Central Dairy ice cream already?

Please next time try the small lpcal places, NOT the luxury places you listed. You might as well drive a car. The Katy is for the experience, not the fancy places. sorry you missed it.

Thank you for sharing you itinerary...so much of it is familiar as we've had very similar experiences throughout our years on the Katy.

Traveling by bike is a grand way to capture local mid-west rural life from the old renovated hotels to the local one off restaurants and cafes.

The view from Les Bourgeois as well as the food and wine at the A-frame makes for a very pleasant rest stop.

Thank you for visiting our state to experience the Katy for the 4th time. Out of curiosity, what other trails do you frequent?

Gary I am humiliated that I left out Central Dairy. I suggest you not eat for 3 days before you go there. The servings are huge.

Really, as others have said, there are many local options in Jeff City, as well as all along the Katy. I don't know if Mokane and Portland still have their bar and grills, but when I biked those parts both places had awesome bugers.

Mike Rodemeyer, please give my regards to all the good people in Hartsburg.

Michael A. Rodemeyer from Hartsburg Mo what on earth is it that you continually think that everyone doesn’t understand about riding the Katy?

Most of the places the OP listed are local one off places….not luxury chain establishments. Yet you comment that the Katy is for the experience and you are sorry that they missed it.

What was missed?

To fully experience the Katy as one should, where do you stay in each town when you ride the trail?

Where do you eat in each town along the Katy to get “the experience?”

How does one “miss it” whatever “it” is when the majority of places money is spent is at local establishments?

Perhaps you would be better served with gratitude that someone has traveled from miles away multiple times to our state to experience the Katy and stimulate the local economy in several small towns along the trail.

Instead, “The Katy is for the experience, not the fancy places. sorry you missed it.”

Do better Michael A. Rodemeyer.

I'll add to the rebuttal re: Michael R.'s odd commentary...

First, I personally don't consider any of the lodging options listed as "luxury", although your mileage may vary.

Second, it would seem to me that each user of the KT is free to make decisions about his/her personal "experience". When I traversed the trail just last week I stayed in nice hotels along the way, mainly because I wanted certain amenities available (and restaurants that were actually open while I was there) after a long day of dragging my fat bike and fatter body along the trail. I would argue quite easily that my experience was fantastic, and unique, and not at all diminished by my stopover choices.

The freedoms of choice offered by a KT trip are just that, for better or worse and in many cases, somewhat driven by what's available (and open). For any one person to jump on this forum and dictate how these choices should be made is a tiny bit ridiculous (please note strong use of sarcasm in the word "tiny").

Oh my, how did we get here? I don't know. But here's the deal.

To the original poster, thank you for biking the Katy Trail and posting your take on what you experienced. Your reviews will help others planning their trips.
effe
As I noted in my comment, I lived in Jefferson City for many years and am somewhat passionate about the local businesses. I mentioned many, but there are probably more since I moved on 10/2017.

Mike Rodemeyer is very knowledgeable about the offerings in Hartsburg and other small towns along the trail. He, Gary, Kim, Doug and others are cheerleaders who remind all about the magic that is offered through the heart of Missouri.

So don't be dissing my peeps.

God I miss that place.

Why are my critics always "anonymous". If more of the riders would use our facilities they could afford to stay open more often. The unknowns
failed to mention the claysville Store restaurant (of course it's only open on weekends. I'm told the Globe Hotel in Hartsbrg is an excellent choice for lodging. You could also drop into the Hitching Post Bar for a little bit of trail "color". Without your participation our locals can't make a living from the one time you might stop in. We need more trail users to use our facilities. We have had several good places try and make a go of it only to die on the vine because users prefer the establishments previously mentioned. I don't have any stake in this matter other than I support our locals attempts. I'm certain the new Rock Island Trail will suffer a similar fate which is a shame because several of these small towns are looking for the trail to revitalize them. At least I publically support them and I always sign my name.

Cathy-

I dissed your "peeps" because one of them decided it was in the readers' best interest (or his) to judge someone else's KT experience based upon a simple and relatable description of said experience that didn't jive with certain core values he holds. I can appreciate your willingness to defend local businesses along the trail, but Michael R. probably could have professed his beliefs and observations in a manner that wasn't inflammatory to begin with.

I lived next to the KT for several years, about 4 miles from the St. Charles trailhead. I would characterize my personal relationship with the mileage to Machens and all points west to Boonville as "extremely familiar". That said, I made food and lodging choices during my latest ride (last week) based upon certain elements, including whether or not a particular business was open during the day i was riding through. I was comfortable, as was my wife and her sister, but in no way was this analogous to "driving a car along the trail" as Mr. R. alluded to.

I also appreciate how certain businesses along the KT are hanging on by their fingernails business-wise, made potentially worse by a global pandemic. This is an unfortunate fact of life, however. Truth be told, even in the best of economic times any business located adjacent to a rails/trails project that relies on a certain percentage of cyclists visiting and spending a threshold amount of cash is built on a flimsy business model. And when circumstances cause a business to limit hours to save overhead, this just worsens the chances of a mass influx of random cyclists showing up. Perhaps, as an alternative to being critical of those who make choices that don't directly support these businesses - while aligning with your ideals - a better approach may be to spend time/energy promoting the trail itself while encouraging NEW groups of cyclists to use the trail. Just a thought.

So don't be dissing my peeps....Michael A. Rodemeyer from Hartsburg Mo reminded no one about the magic that is offered through the heart of Missouri. But he did sign his name so I guess that rabbit is out of the hat.

This is all good discussion.

I hope Mike will be ok with me sharing that he, his wife, myself and others were part of a movement to promote all things local in a 5 county region along the Missouri River in central Missouri. Our organization, Missouri River Bluffs Association (MRBA) worked very hard to market the small businesses, culture, artisans, wine, restaurants, etc. in Cole, Boone, Callaway, Moniteau and Osage County. This was about 7 or 8 years ago. One of our biggest challenges was that the business owners who "had skin in the game" didn't have the time or resources to help our efforts. I believe the group eventually disbanded. I learned a lot from that experience, and still remember the wonderful people and business owners who wanted to see the organization succeed.

We all want the experience along the Katy and now Rock Island Trail to be the best possible. that takes businesses for bikers to use. It's a 2 way street. The businesses need the bikers, the bikers need the businesses.

Figuring out a way to improve the success rate of businesses along all of these trails is the challenge. It will take teamwork, problem solving, and a willingness to listen.

On my upcoming ride I plan to spend a half day in Columbia. Can I camp at the "MKT Trail - Jay Dix Access?" Any other recommendations on camping in Columbia?

I am planning a early November ride of the KT, West to East. My plan is to ride town-to-town and spend each night in a hotel (or B&B) meals in restaurants - so, will ride with a small amount of clothing, repair kit, etc...

Riding a Trek FX4 that is set up for touring.

Plan to average 30miles a day, with a 50mile day (or 2) in the mix.

Anyone have thoughts or specific advice about such a ride? Weather? Places to stay/places to avoid?

Thanks, in advance, for your comments.

The weather can be iffy early November as you may know, so prep for cool mornings and evenings. Day temp may be cool as well. Water is shut off at the trailheads November 1 so plan accordingly to carry water. Some services along the trail may not be available beings its the end of the season. It's best to call and verify if places of interest are open or not. Posting here will probably not generate results.

If you are passing through on a weekend of a Mizzou football game, know that lodging may book up in the outlying area of Columbia...Boonville, Rocheport, etc. The Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia and the Hotel Frederick in Boonville are both nicely renovated old hotels that are worth the stay if they meet your travel requirements.

Maybe read further back posts from riders who had "good and bad" experiences on lodging. I made a list of the good and bad for a future ride.

Concur with what's been said already about the weather "iffy-ness" for November. I would certainly prepare for rain and cooler temps. Here's my itinerary including lodging and places I ate during my 6-day Sept trek last week. https://bikekatytrail.com/talk.aspx?tid=13594&tonly=1

I did not camp; I "glamped". My ride was a 6-day pedal, west to east.

I rode a mountain bike with hybrid tires. My overnight backpack was a simple book backpack tied to a bike rack. I wore a day-pack that contained my 3-liter Camelback.

Clothes / Kit
1. 3 biking shorts
2. 2 biking jerseys
3. Helmet
4. Biking gloves
5. Biking rain booties (VXAR waterproof rain shoe cover)
6. Bike backpack (Camelback)
7. Trek water bottle (for electrolyte)
8. Cool Rag
9. Sunglasses
10. Handkerchief
11. Emergency Whistle
12. Undergarments (incl. post-ride)
13. Running Shoes
14. iPhone & phone charging cord
15. Portable charging battery
16. Pajamas
17. 1 pair Jeans shorts (for post-ride)
18. 1 Tshirt (for post-ride)
19. 1 long-sleeve t-shirt
20. Bike Leg Warmers / Arm Sleeves
21. Knee (stabilizer) brace
22. Rain Jacket / Poncho (Spmor brand)
23. Go Girl / TP / Ziplock for trash
24. ZipLock Bags (for packing / ice)
25. First Aid Kit
26. Travel Chamois Butter
27. Chamois cloth
28. Blue garage cloth (for tires/chain)
29. Small pad of paper / pen
30. Cash / Credit Card / ID / Med Card
31. Printed Itinerary / Plan
32. Trash Bag to cover backpack (rain protection) (Camelback)
33. 3 Stuff Sacks for packing overnight backpack


Bike Gear
1. 2 Tubes
2. Lubricant
3. Multi-purpose tool
4. 3-4 bike tire levers
5. Trash bag to cover overnight pack on bike rack (rain protection)
6. Bike lock & combo
7. Bungee cords / cordage
8. Bike headlight / rear flasher
9. Mini portable bike air pump (attached to bike)


Toiletries
1. Travel Toiletries / personal hygiene
2. Small brush
3. Kleenex pack
4. Eye Glasses cleaning cloth
5. Over-the-counter sleeping pills
6. Tylenol
7. Mixture BCAA / Glutamine (recovery drink)
8. BioFreeze tube
9. Vicks vapor rub
10. Eye drops
11. Lip Balm
12. Sunscreen
13. Travel Woolite for laundry
14. Hand sanitizer / WetOnes

FOOD
1. 18 GUs (3/day)
2. 12 Trail Bars (2/day)
3. Propel electrolyte formula


Because I was handwashing my kit or my overnight location had laundry facilities, I could've gotten away with 2 bike shorts (rather than 3).

One can complete the Katy Trail in 4 days, but that's a rather aggressive ride and leaves little time (IMO) for exploring and enjoying the towns and history. I "glamped", not camped. Here was my itinerary - west to east:

DAY 1 - Clinton to Sedalia (35.6 miles)
Historic Hotel Bothwell

DAY 2 - Sedalia to Boonville (37.2 miles)

Hotel Frederick had no vacancy, so I stayed at Isle of Capri Casino Hotel.
Main Street Diner for breakfast is a great option.

DAY 3 - Boonville to N. Jefferson City (48.6 miles)

Katy Trail Cottage, Jeff City

Breakfast at Meriwether's Cafe in Rocheport.
Tried to eat lunch in Hartsburg at The Burg, but it was closed.

DAY 4 - N. Jefferson City to McKittrick

Joey's Birdhouse, McKittrick

Breakfast at Landing Zone in Jeff City.
Ate mid-day in Portland at Holzhauser's Bar & Grill.

DAY 5 - McKittrick to Washington (Dutzow)(26.8 miles)

Best Western Plus, WA

Snacks at Peers General Store.
Ate lunch at KT Caboose in Marthasville.

NOTE: The route from Katy Trail to WA is at least 4 miles via Augusta Bottom Road--6 if you stay at the Best Western Plus. So add these miles to your total.

DAY 6 - WA to Machens (St. Charles) (47.1 miles)

Comfort Suites, St. Charles

Snacks at Defiance General Store.
Lunch at Bike Stop Cafe, St. Charles.

Celebratory dinner: Imo's Pizza (St. Louis style) or Hendrick's BBQ.

Shuttle back to Clinton: Bike Stop Cafe

Lunch in Clinton: Square 109 restaurant on Historic Square.

Heading West to East, if you're looking to shorten a day's ride, you might consider an overnight in Washington. A safe route from the Katy Trail is approx. 4 miles (plus any add'l miles from the MO River to your destination in WA). Take Augusta Bottom Road (ABR), which is located +/- halfway between Dutzow and Augusta. It'll be a paved road just before a little wooden inclined bridge on the trail. At the time of this writing, there is no sign indicating ABR. Heading from west to east, turn right on ABR: ~1 mile is presently paved; ~3 miles is grated very rough gravel. It is extremely rough and jarring. It'll end at Hwy 47. Cross the 47 and go left for < 1/4 mile to cross the MO River. There is a pedestrian/bike path on the right of the bridge. I stayed at Best Western Plus on 5th Street (add an add'l 2 miles). WA is hilly. IMO, it's safer to take 5th Street to the hotel--as one can always walk the bike up the hill--rather than taking routes including Hwy 100. Hwy 100 also has a considerable incline AND much more fast traffic.

For those planning to travel to Washington MO from the Katy Trail via State Highway 94, then 47, both highways have been resurfaced and now have 3-4 feet wide paved shoulders. I rode the KT from Clinton to Washington 19-22 June, and while the two highways still needed striping, this may have been finished by now. I considered riding the Augusta Bottom Road, as has been recommended elsewhere, but that route was exceptionally dusty and traffic seems to go faster on that road than the highways. One can see where this road joins Hwy 47 just by the dust clouds. With paved shoulders, the route to Washington is not as sporting as it once was, and while leaving the KT at Dutzow and riding in traffic on Hwy 94 can be unnerving to some, it's not as horrible as has been portrayed. Crossing the Missouri River via the bridge bike lane is super; I like it much better than the Boonville crossing. Navigating Washington is pretty easy, although you'll be riding in traffic once you cross the bridge regardless of where you're heading. I stayed at the Best Western in Washington, which is bike-friendly and easy to get to except for that last hill on 5th St just before the hotel. Overall, except for some blowdowns near Calhoun (gone by now I'm sure), the trail conditions were as good as I can remember in the the four trips I've done over the years. A little warm and dusty, but that's summer. Good riding.

Does anyone have some more recent experience taking the route on highways 94 and 47 into Washington, since they have apparently been repaved and restriped?  Is it now any better/safer for riding into Washington from the Katy Trail?  I've also read about using Augusta Bottom road as an alternative, but that doesn’t sound like a very safe route either. And, maybe with the improvements in the 94/47 route, Augusta Bottom road is no longer the preferred alternative?

Any fresh intel on biking the new shoulders on Hwy 94&47? Is it comparable to the ride into Hermann from McKittrick on Hwy 19 (wide shoulder but lots of traffic).

On Sept 14, my son and I embark on our 4th KATY ride and will stay at the Old Dutch in Washington. I would greatly appreciate comments from anyone who has recently traveled the shoulders on 94 & 47 into Washington. I would love to avoid a dusty, rocky Augusta Bottom Road. Thanks!

Maybe a call to MODOT or the Old Dutch in Washington would generate a viable answer.

Good thought

We rode the shoulders of 94&47 on September 18 & 19. It was not our most pleasant stretch of our trek but would do it again.

Hwy94 is short with less traffic and got us from the Dutzow trailhead to Hwy 47.

Hwy 47 is, as the OP stated freshly repaved with 3 to 8 ft shoulders. The intersection of the two does not have pedestrian crossing signals as they are highways. The speed limit is 55 on hwy 47.

On 47, the shoulder is narrow on the West side, just north of the bridge for about 50ft stretch. It widens to 8 ft from that point to the airport (going north) then narrow to approx 6ft from airport to the intersection of 94.

The east side is not as narrow and I believe there is a path just before the bridge that goes under to connect east and west side shoulders.

We chose to ride facing traffic so rode into Washington on the east shoulder at 3pm on Monday and out of Washington on the west side at 10am on Tuesday.

Traffic was heavier in the afternoon. Traffic included dump trucks and semis. No vehicles crossed over onto the shoulder for either leg but the trucks did push a lot of air.

The new bridge over the Missouri has a great segregated bike path just like Hermann.

We stayed alert for both rides, faced the flow of traffic and would do it again.

A large group has booked the shelter for the Friday and Saturday nights this week. There will be no available room.

Tebbetts Annual Picnic & Muttonfest
September 22, 23, 24 2023
Friday 5:00pm - 8:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 8:00pm
Sunday 10:00am - 2:00pm

Food Stand
Friday & Saturday 11:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 11:00am - 2:00pm

Beer Stand
Friday, Saturday, Sunday 11:00am - Close

We are heading to the KATY next week for a West to East ride for pretty much the whole trail. Are there any comments on trail conditions, and are any closures or detours?

https://mostateparks.com/page/84206/katy-trail-state-park-advisory-map

Riding the trail from Weldon Springs to Dutzow, came across this newly-opened gem right on the trail in Defiance next to the bike shop. This general store has it all and more. Got a chicken wrap sandwich & apple for lunch, sat on the beautiful back patio watching the world go by on the trail. They had coffee, tea, breakfast items, lunch items (grab & go sort of things), cold drinks, ice cream, beer, wine, spirits, trail mix, jerky, and everything else you could possibly want. Will definitely make this my go-to stop on the trail in Defiance.

Riding west to east sep 29- oct 4 anyone else ?

Fantastic place! Impeccably clean and well appointed. Highly recommend. Cute town, too!

Fantastic place! Impeccably clean and well appointed. Highly recommend. Cute town, too!

Katy Trail Cottage is fantastic! Impeccably clean and very well appointed. Irish pub right down the street. Highly recommend!

New e-bikes. Love them! Looking for recommendations for our first ride on Katy Trail with best views. 30 mile max round trip ride. Start in what town?

That would probably be Rocheport east to Easley and back (32 miles) plus a visit to the tunnel west side of Rocheport.

Definitely agree with that. And check out Meriweather Cafe in Rocheport.

New e-bikes. Love them! Looking for recommendations for our first ride on Katy Trail with best views. 30 mile max round trip ride. Start in what town?

Hi! One of my favorite routes is starting from Rocheport, then head East. You will immediately get some river and bluff views that are beautiful! Then go to Coopers Landing (close to Easley if you are looking at the online map). Coopers is a great turn around stop. Depending when you get there, you might see a food truck, and you can get beverages from the store. And the river view here is amazing!!!

When you get back to Rocheport, go west about 1/2 mile, and you will experience the tunnel. It isn't super long, but it is long enough to be super cool!.

Have fun!!!

Does the Hermann Crown Suites provide a place for safe keeping of your bicycles?

Dunno.....check their website Amenities or give them a call.

Yes-they have storage. We stayed there a few years ago and they were quite accommodating!

Katy Junction was a great stay for my first night on the trail on 9/1/23. Jerry takes such great care of his guests! I ended up getting pizza for dinner at Casey's and Jerry had made banana pudding to have for dessert that was delicious! He also asked about dietary restrictions and made a vegetarian breakfast for me of eggs, hash browns, coffee and toast that was just the fuel I needed to hit the trail. It was a comfortable place to stay with a secure place to store my bike.

Great place but be aware that Cori's (the bar and grill about 50 yards away from the main building) plays live and/or loud music on the weekends during the summer months till the wee hours. Even with earplugs it's really loud.

due you allow children to attend 12 and up with their parents.? Also, would we need a reservation for a group of about 11.

I got this one…

You will have better luck getting an accurate answer to your specific question if you contact the winery directly.

This forum is for general discussions about the Katy Trail. The winery may but probably won’t see you question.

COLUMBIA - Interstate 70 is scheduled to close the morning of Sunday, Sept. 10 for the blast to remove the truss of the old Missouri River Bridge at Rocheport.

For safety reasons, the interstate and a perimeter around the blast, including a portion of the Katy Trail, will be closed during and immediately after the blast. Traffic on I-70 will be stopped around 7:30 a.m., in both directions, prior to the blast.

Once the area is secured, a demolition team will use a controlled explosion to drop the old truss into the river. Following the explosion, crews will inspect the new westbound bridge to ensure the debris is clear before reopening the interstate to traffic. The Missouri Department of Transportation expects this process to take up to an hour.

https://www.komu.com/news/midmissourinews/blast-to-remove-truss-of-rocheport-bridge-scheduled-for-sept-10/article_af0d568c-4698-11ee-90cd-e3048f0a20aa.html

Considering doing the KT in coming weeks. Is the Volunteer Park and Conservation Area Hartsburg free for camping?

Thanks and ride safe everyone!

G

My wife and I are planning a September trip to the Katy. She has no interest in riding but has agreed to follow along in our small camper van. We're planning on a mix of camping and Hotel/B&B. I'm going to keep the daily milage low to leave time for sightseeing etc.

We're starting at Clinton and would appreciate any suggestions of campgrounds along the way that allow drive in camping.

The park in Pilot Grove, you can park there and camp over night. Restrooms close by also, The town as also B&B just feet from the trailhead.

Hope to see you out there! I’ll be doing exactly the same thing, wife running support vehicle as we start in Clinton on 9/17. Best of luck on your ride. It’s a nice time to ride in MO.

Katy Roundhouse campground in New Franklin is located on the trail. Showers and bathrooms, electric and water. Close to Boonville with things to see and do. Nice place to spend a night or two.

Thanks for the info. We have most of the reservations made. I’m looking forward to getting out there. I’ll be a few days ahead of you leaving Clinton on the 13th. I’m old and slow so you might catch me.
Tm

Does anyone have any input on the difficulty of riding the Rock Island Trail (from Pleasant Hill to Windsor) relative to riding on the Katy Trail? The AllTrails app shows a lot of elevation changes, with a cumulative 1247 foot elevation gain and a 1230 foot elevation loss. That sounds like a lot of ups and downs compared to the Katy Trail. I'm thinking that riding the 47 miles of the Rock Island Trail is probably about the same as riding 55-60 miles on the Katy Trail. Does that sound about right?

its about the same as katy no more tha a 4 percent grade winsor is the highest point on the trail theres a sign and a bench at the high elevation point

Hmm, what's the cumulative gain loss for the Katy from Clinton to Windsor?

Looking at the Elevation Chart, the elevation at Clinton is 780ft and Windsor is at 890ft.

Alltrails shows 488 of elevation between Clinton and Windsor, which does seem quite a bit flatter than the Rock Island segment.

47 of RI seems about like 55-60 of KT, then, like you said.

I have not noticed a real elevation change on the Rock Island. Certainly nothing like the changes from Sedalia to Boonville. The bigger challenge with the RI is the surface (a bit less hardened than the Katy) and the scarcity of towns with services. These issues will settle out with time.

SBS,

I live in Pleasant Hill and have ridden the Rock Island from Pleasant Hill to Windsor many times. It isn't in the cards this year but plan to ride from Clinton to Machen's next year in a single day. I have ridden the Katy from Clinton to Sedalia and here is my thoughts. When looking at the Garmin rides my RIT ride to Windsor and back has very close the same amount of elevation gain as the Katy does one way. For reference from P. Hill to Windsor is 47 miles and it is 236 to 238 on the Katy that is twice the gain. Relatively speaking I feel the RIT has rougher roads and sections and noticeable elevation gain. Still a great ride though. Have fun

Is the Katy Trail shaded from Hermann to St. Charles? We will be completing that section in the extreme heat and hope it is canopied by the beautiful trees.

Whew, if you are talking about this week, the humidity will turn the high 90/low 100 temps into a heat index of around 110. Any shade you find on the trail will not provide relief from that. You will also find long stretches of open trail along the fields of crops. So in a nut shell, plan on it not only being hot but daaaamned hooooot.

The devil would feel right at home.

Also stayed at the Parson's House on 8-13-23. Comments from the previous post are accurate. This is not a B&B. Not even sure you could consider this a hostile. Grounds were unkept, i.e. overgrown which was the red flag even before walking inside. Also advertised a hot tub which was present outside however it was very dirty with tree debris. I don't believe it was operational. The house was built in 1840 so I expect some cracked walls, uneven floors, etc, however it was much more than that. It needs a crew to give it some TLC. Not a good night rest. Couldn't wait to get on the trail in the morning.

Oh, it sounds like it was hostile enough…LOL.

I have a friend who has an electric bike(EB) and would like to bike Katy Trail and camp along the way. The main issue is getting his bike recharged every night and possible along the way during the lunch time. Has anyone done this? Is the bike trail EB friendly? Do old train stations that have water/toilet have electrical outlets he can use? He is willing to pay for the electricity he uses. Any info will be appreciated.

Thomas if your friend needs to charge his bike he can stop by the Katy junction B&B, or even camp out back and plug in for the night. Restrooms just 75 feet away across the street.

Thank you for the info. Good to know. The issue is, he needs to charge his EB every night. Needs assurance that he can charge every night.

I have not attempted this with an ebike, but would suggest that any of the campgrounds with electric hookups should be available for charging. Off the top of my head this would include the Katy-Rock Junction offered above. Also, the Farringer Park in Windsor has some electric hookups. The State Fairgrounds in Sedalia has a campground with electrical hookups. The Roundhouse campground in Franklin. You might be able to top up at Meriwether's in Rocheport. Cooper's landing has camping and electricity. Hartsburg has the city park with gazebo and electricity at the trailhead. The Turner Hostel in Tebbetts. The campground in Portland. Hermann has camping at their city park with electricity. Marthasville has opportunities at the city park. In addition to all of these suggestions, don't be shy about asking businesses along the way if they will allow charging. Be sure to do some business with them if they let you use their outlets. If your friend has decent range, this should not be a problem. Just be aware of the next town and what may be available.

We stayed at Parsons House one night the week of August 13, 2023. Our stay was very very disappointing. We expected a B&B. Parsons House is not that! Our two rooms were dirty, dust everywhere. The fans in the rooms had dirt on them. The top of the armoire and ceiling light look like they haven't been dusted in months, and it looked like bird droppings on top of the ceiling light. The screen door into the kitchen is broken. Two dogs crated in the kitchen during our entire stay, and dog poop in the cage, not cleaned. Norm Keller, out host, left early in the morning, so our breakfast was coffee made in a coffee maker that looked like it was never cleaned in months, and instant breakfast sandwiches we needed to microwave. The photos on this website are not up to date and in my opinion are deceiving. There is no limo. In a word, Parson's House is disgusting. We do not recommend staying there.
Norm Keller is a very nice man who appears to be too busy to attend to this property, which we assume at one time was very charming. Norm did allowed us to use his car to go to the local winery for dinner.

Called today to ask about a tent site. They no longer offer camping. No reason given.

Hartsburg offers FREE camping at their Volunteer Park or their baseball park just south of town. Some set up their tents inside our gazebo, on the floor, or beside the bldg. We will always find a place for you.

Beware of local boys on bikes tearing up the bathroom by plugging the toilets with toilet paper rolls and greasing the toilet seats with hand sanitizer. Also a man and woman going down to the ball field in the middle of the night and dancing to loud music. I wont camp there again.

Sorry you had a bad experience in Hartsburg; your description does not sound like a usual night in Hartsburg. Furthermore your experience has no connection what so ever to the Globe Hotel Bed and Breakfast.

A friend hiked the Trail and stayed with Doug and called him “a national treasure” and the stay was the highlight of his trip…and he was not wrong! Doug was the consummate host: provided beer (put $ in the beer kitty) and he cooked Corn on the Cob and shared his homemade German Chocolate Cake. The camping was in Doug’s expansive yard…and I was the only camper. And the indoor bathroom and nice shower was a plus. All for $11! Doug also has indoor sleeping facilities. I stayed with Doug on the way to Clinton and the reverse trip to St.Charles. (he had fresh green bean casserole, corn on the cob and fresh roasted peppers…. and you will enjoy his stories and conversations! Sadly, he is selling his place so if you want to experience his hospitality, better visit soon!!!!

Thanks for the kind words Bill! Just wanted to let people know The Barn is for sale but no buyer yet. Hoping it will be someone that wants to continue it but until then I will still be here as long as health allows because it has been a heck of a good lifestyle for me to be out here and have guests like you to share evenings with.

Doing some advanced planning and hoping to get some leads for a cargo van or shuttle bus type of vehicle to shuttle us from St. Charles to Kirkwood Amtrak. We have 2 large e-bikes that will not transport on a standard bike rack. So far I have found no options. Suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.