Katy Trail Forum

Any update on the washout between MM 131.2 and 125.0? Reports also said Hwy 94 was flooded too, so no bypass? Mokane got 9 in. of rain, Wow!!

DNR was there yesterday. Haven't started working on it yet. It is right next to an intersection of county road and 94 so not hard to get onto 94 and ride east a short distance and get back on the trail. 94 does not have any water on it.

It's all rideable but for a bridge that's out.
There's an intersection immediately west of the bridge
If you're coming from the west, turn right and then left (east) on Hwy 94 and ride 1.5 mi into Tebbets.
From the east, go left on the road that passes in front of the trail gate and right (west) on Hwy 94.
At about 1.5 mi, turn right at the intersection to pick up the trail.

Mighty Melt is open again!!!

group of 5 of us hitting the trail w to e sept 29 thru oct 4 . anybody else doing the same ?

Our group is headed west to east in late August, starting in Warrensburg.

Our group is headed west to east in late August, starting in Warrensburg.

The Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival is sometime in October? You might want to avoid that mess.

Good question Michael.

Me and the Mrs. W to E starting Fri 10.20 Clinton to Machens.
Looks like we might hit the Pumpkin Festival.
Any particular reason to "avoid that mess"?

2023 32nd Annual festival Oct 14th and 15th.

A few years ago the attendance record was broken at over 65,000 people.

I hit the Pumpkin Festival in early 2000's in Oct by mistake riding from Holt Summit and I liked it. Trail in Oct and Nov is pretty barren so hitting the festival was a pleasant surprise. Very nice and friendly people with many vendors and pumpkin wine, cider and pie. Good time. Don't avoid it.

No showers, laundry, or flush toilets. $30 to camp. Microwave sandwiches, beer, and assorted regular beverages available.

Yeah, I've never understood the attraction to this place.

Oh, I don’t know, could be because it’s a nice place to pull over and take a break, sit down and watch the river flow by, hydrate with your favorite beverage, fill up with body fuel, meet others with like minds, and listen to the occasional live music. It’s not the destination that counts, it’s the journey.

True dear brother but I miss the days of hydrating with $1 Stags and eating some of the best (and cheapest) Thai food in mid-Missouri…….

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing:

And there were old men, with beer-guts and dominoes
Lying about their lives while they play

Like desperados waiting for a train
Like desperados waiting for a train

LOL……yeah, maybe. But if you enjoy the new environment more than you did when Cooper owed the place we have wildly different tastes. Still, there are enough places around for old farts like me to spend their money. ??

Oh, we won't give in
Let's go living in the past

Oh, no, no, we won't give in
Let's go living in the past

I’m curious…….are there just one of you Anonymouses on this forum or is it like a gang or something?

Good question.

How many people post here as Jim from St. Thomas?

Just one I think. Ray would sure know if somebody from a different IP address tried to imitate him. Besides, his style stands out some. I'm guessing you have never had the pleasure of meeting him. Pity.

I have known Jim from St. Thomas all my life and can verify that fortunately there is only one.

$30 to camp with no showers or flush toilets? No thanks. I’ve camped for as little as $5 and had both.

While I have not known Gary from near Tebbetts all of my life, I have known him for all of his life……..

I haven't been there since 2017. But back in the day it was a great place. As others mentioned, the Thai food from the food truck was exceptional, the fibe of the place was laid back, hippyish, whateverwillbewillbe, the music was special, and there were showers. Wasn't that where Boathenge was? You had all that and could watch the Mighty Missouri River.

Fantastic people, wonderful facilities, and good camping. What more could you ask for? Free coffee in the morning! A great surprise and bonus.

Mona's Red Barn Cafe across the street has amazing food, and very friendly people. Definitely worth a stop.

Yes you will pass several locked gates. Keep going to the one that's open with the big blue sign that says camping. Electric and water at each site. The shower houses were disgusting but did have hot showers. The grumpy old man is still there, but definitely seemed fine today.

Trail cut through the brush just after the bridge goes right down to their parking lot. Good size portions of ok food. Large mugs of beer, excellent price. Coming back up the hill is a little steep.

It’s been 2 years since I rode this section and it was impassable. Has it been fixed yet? Is it rideable now from Boonville east?

What made it impassable? I'm sure many people have ridden the whole trail in past two years, and there haven't been comments about a problem in that area.

I’m assuming you are talking about the washed out bridge due to flooding several years ago around New Franklin. It’s all good now.

Yes the bridge but also the conditions about a mile east of Boonville. It sounds as if it had been fixed.

It has all been repaired and in good shape. Two things you will need to keep an eye out for. 1. Heavy rain and high winds passed through yesterday afternoon (7-29) and there could be trees and branches down. 2. The area has been in severe drought which leads to shrinkage cracking in the trail surface which is wide enough for a bike tire to fall into. This has occurred in sections of the trail east of Booneville. Finally be aware that the KATY will be closed between Rocheport and Huntsdale 8-31 and 9-1 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm due to demolition work on the old I-70 bridge over the Missouri River.

It has all been repaired and in good shape. Two things you will need to keep an eye out for. 1. Heavy rain and high winds passed through yesterday afternoon (7-29) and there could be trees and branches down. 2. The area has been in severe drought which leads to shrinkage cracking in the trail surface which is wide enough for a bike tire to fall into. This has occurred in sections of the trail east of Booneville. Finally be aware that the KATY will be closed between Rocheport and Huntsdale 8-31 and 9-1 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm due to demolition work on the old I-70 bridge over the Missouri River.

Yes the bridge but also the conditions about a mile east of Boonville. It sounds as if it had been fixed.

Yes the bridge but also the conditions about a mile east of Boonville. It sounds as if it had been fixed.

It has all been repaired and in good shape. Two things you will need to keep an eye out for. 1. Heavy rain and high winds passed through yesterday afternoon (7-29) and there could be trees and branches down. 2. The area has been in severe drought which leads to shrinkage cracking in the trail surface which is wide enough for a bike tire to fall into. This has occurred in sections of the trail east of Booneville. Finally be aware that the KATY will be closed between Rocheport and Huntsdale 8-31 and 9-1 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm due to demolition work on the old I-70 bridge over the Missouri River.

It’s been 2 years since I rode this section and it was impassable. Has it been fixed yet? Is it rideable now from Boonville east?

Yes and yes.

Do we need to purchase a trail pass?

Looking for the best scenic ride with in 30 miles of St. Charles.
Wife and I are here for a wedding tomorrow. (7/29).

Would like to ride late afternoon today (98 deg now).
Would also like to ride tomorrow morning too.

Recommendations please.

Thanks,
S

Short notice but today would be Defiance to Augusta. Not necessarily the most scenic but a pretty nice ride. Maybe someone else will chime in for tomorrow. And you don’t need a trail pass.

I had a wonderful stay at the Lindenhof B&B. Kathy was a great host and the accommodations were terrific. Secure bike storage, hot tub, relaxing indoor and outdoor seating areas, snacks, cold drinks in the refrigerator, and a great breakfast to kick off my last day on the trail. I plan on staying here again and recommend.

Just what I was looking for. Directly off the trailhead, comfortable room, secure storage of my bike, and a terrific breakfast. Joey is an extremely accommodating and friendly host. Joey was kind enough to drive me to and from Hermann so I could do some site seeing and grab dinner.

Stayed in volunteer park. It was fine. Had electricity at the Pavillion. Water and bathrooms at the trailhead. Beer and pizza at the hitching post. The Burg Cafe only open Friday and Saturday.

Does anyone know if there are any sections of the trail that are closed for repairs, etc.? There were some recent severe storms that went through the Missouri area a few weeks ago. Four of us are riding the trail from Clinton to St. Charles the middle of August.

No obstacles on the western portion of the trail this past weekend, Clinton to Rocheport.

Debris from earlier storms visible but this leg of the trail is open and in good shape.

Rode section between Tebbetts and Hartsburg, one major tree that fell had been cleared from the trail, some small twigs and ruff trail from storm damage but not too bad. Saw a lot of deer crossing the trail.

Check with the Fans of the Katy Trail Facebook group as a source of some updates. Also look at the official Missouri Parks website. Currently they are saying the trail will be closed east of Rocheport on July 31 and August 1 for removal of some of the old I-70 bridge. No official detours are indicated.

Hello,

My husband, daughter(10) and sister in law are planning a trip on the Katy trail Thanksgiving week. We wont be camping, but could haul our stuff with us. Is it worth is to hire a company to set up our entire trip? We will need a shuttle, does anyone recommend a particular shuttle? How many days would people suggest doing with kids? What’s the most impressive section of there trail? Has anyone done the trail with dogs?

Thanks in advance for everyone’s advice.

-Carlie

If you are planning on riding the whole trail, keep in mind the following that may affect your enjoyment:
1) all the restrooms along the trail will have been winterized on November 1st, meaning no running water and as far as I know, they are locked.
2) the days are very short, so your ride times must fit into a 10-hour period that time of year. That does not give you much flexibility if something goes wrong
3) the trail surface will not dry out if there is wet weather. You do not want to ride on a slushy surface
4) it's cold and muscles do not like that (but being from Iowa, you already know it will be cold). It is not unheard of to have snow that early, though it will not be heavy.
5) a lot of the B&B's, etc. will be closed for the winter. Hotels will not be busy.
6) on the positive side, you will see a lot more of the bluffs surrounding the trail, since the leaves will have fallen by then
7) you are likely to be the only riders for many miles, so if peace is what you want, it will be there for you

Hope that helps.

Is it worth is to hire a company to set up our entire trip?

With the resources available here if you have the time to do it yourself, why spend (waste) money paying someone to do something that you can do yourself?

We will need a shuttle, does anyone recommend a particular shuttle?

Have never used a shuttle but there are several along the trail. I guess it would depend where you were on the trail which one would be cost effective.

How many days would people suggest doing with kids?

Depends on the kids. It shouldn't be a dreadful experience for them though. Take your time and let your daughter enjoy the adventure. You know her better than anyone else.

What’s the most impressive section of there trail?

Impressive in relation to what?? I think in general the entire trail is rather impressive....different sections for different reasons though. The tunnel and bluffs in the Rocheport area are pretty cool. It's also pretty cool seeing herds of deer or turkeys in the corner of a field in the farmland areas as well.

Has anyone done the trail with dogs?

I've seen several people with baskets and trailers with dogs....so yes. Dogs and kids are just alike.....they're all different. If your dog likes to go with on the trails in Iowa they will probably not notice much difference in Missouri.

Looking for a good route to ride from St. Louis train station to St. Charles. Google map routes don't look that safe especially near the airport.

This will add quite a few miles but the point of it was to: avoid riding through a major city when there is a more scenic option, cross the Mississippi via the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge which is closed to car traffic, to ride The Great River Road Trail between Alton and Grafton, cross the Mississippi via the Grafton Ferry (google it) and to see sites. I rode from Machens to Grafton ferry via very lightly traveled and extremely flat roads. Note that the Great River Road Trail is a highway shoulder for about eight miles and at first was unnerving but there is a rumble strip to alert drivers as well as cyclists. From Alton on and into StL is almost completely trails. Brown Bag Bistro in Alton is excellent for lunch. A link to my route is attached, it is my entire ride so zoom into what portion interests you. That ride was over 5.5 days, it’s saved as one file to reflect my trip as a whole. Also Facebook group Fans of the Katy Trail is an excellent source of information. Happy trails!
https://strava.app.link/8jExA6LkIBb

It is easy to book it on your own. At the outskirts of Sedalia, around ball fields, etc, you come to a trailhead, there are paper maps at the trailheads throughout, but keep going on the trail until you come to the big museum/restored train station. Then turn and ride through city streets to the Hotel Bothwell(I assume you're staying there). Traffic is not bad. But the route winds around through the town.
Small town. Nice Coffee shop for pastries and good coffee in the morning-Ozark Mountain Coffee Company a couple of blocks from the hotel. Check your phone/Google maps. The food at Hotel Bothwell is pricey, but it's convenient, but there are pubs and pizza close by as well. Nice people at the hotel and very vintage, cool neon sign, etc. One of the staff went above and beyond for me to get a tube as I wouldn't get in until after the bike shop closed. Built in the 1920's, the rooms are small as it was in that time and vintage. The big train station, now a museum, is very cool too.

If you are taking the train to get to the Katy Trail, may I suggest getting off in Kirkwood instead of downtown? I have ridden from each location (I lived near downtown for 19 years). If you have the option it is easier to route to the Katy from Kirkwood station.