Katy Trail Forum

Our small group rode the trail for 4 days and loved our trip however we plan to end our ride in Washington differently next time. We rode the stretch from the trail head at Dutzow across the river to our room in Washington. The traffic was harrowing to say the least and there was no where to ride your bike. The bridge was not bike friendly and the traffic was treacherous! There was not a shoulder for the 3 mile ride into town for a portion of the ride and when there was a shoulder it was pretty rough. We will call a taxi if we stay here again!

There is an article on the MO Bike Federation website about the effort to replace the Washington bridge to include a bike/pedestrian path. Also included is an effort to create a path from the Katy to the new bridge when it's constructed.

Good news for those who have avoided this bridge and those who've had the nerve to ride it!

Brenda, first of all - Congratulations - for surviving the bridge. It is a disaster waiting to happen for any biker who dares! On a different note (should you travel there again) there are taxi services in Washington that will transport bike/rider over the bridge for about $10 per/person - well worth it and the way we handle the death trap bridge! You can get the number from the store right by Dutzow TH! Glad you survived!

In Oct.,2011, we also travel said highway to the bridge,seven of us. By the time we made it to the bridge my wife had cut her leg and had a rear flat. My brother-in-law and I made the dash across the bridge and called for a taxi to go for the others. A great idea on the taxi. Bad bridge to cross, BAD!

I nearly got run over simply crossing Highway 94/47 at the Dutzow trailhead last Thursday!

Yes the bridge is bad. Hwy 47 is even worse IMO. However for those who crossed the bridge did you try riding side by side? I've done this 2 different times and it worked fine. You simply take up the lane with your bikes and don't let anyone pass. On both occasions people just slowed and it was no big deal. Don't get me wrong, I don't recommend this over a taxi, but it can be done. You just have to pedal fast!

McKittrick's favorite dog Harley (a female black lab/boxer mix +/- 50 lbs. last seen wearing a purple collar) is MISSING. She is not really my dog but has been loved by many of our guests, and neighbors, as she is overly friendly. If anyone knows of her whereabouts please let us know. Thank you.
Feel free to call 314-698-9152.

Great dog. She ran with me for several miles a few weeks ago. I hope she is found in wonderful condition.

There was a black dog in Hartsburg last Sunday that was being a pain getting in everyones way. Maybe its not your dog.

I doubt she would have gone all the way to Hartsburg though she can be annoying. She has two white paws and a white spot on her chest. If seen email a photo to mckittrickmercantile@yahoo.com

Hope that's her. She can be annoying because she is so friendly.

I hope you find her. I remember her thinking she was a lapdog and trying to get in my wife's lap. What a sweetie.

Keep us posted. Got our fingers crossed and saying a little prayer that Harley is found safe.

Harley has returned to McKittrick. Actually someone found her along Hwy. 94 and returned her. Thanks for all your well wishes and crossed fingers.

My husband and I are going to bike the trail fall of 2013. We want to bike the entire trail and wanted to know the average distance covered in a day. We will be carrying our own gear and staying in B&B's along the way.

Hard to put a number on it. There are so many different fitness levels and interest levels. There are a few that can do the whole trail in one day, but I think most take about 5 days. When I ride alone I average about 55 miles per day. When my wife comes along we average about 35-40 miles per day. The trail is flat like much of SC, so load up your bikes with similar weight in gear and ride some of the trails in the south this fall to see what is comfortable for you.

Thanks. Our fitness level is very good and we ride regularly. I figure we will want to stop some along the way and not just ride for exercise so I wanted an idea so I can plan our overnight stops. Your feedback really helps.

I would say 50 to 60 is a good number. The wife and I are pretty fit and we bit off 78 miles in one day this spring. The next two days we were hurting a bit over 40 to 45 miles. To do it over again I might break that 160 into three 50+ days. A little more leisurely.

It kind of depends what you're into. If you want to cover distance you can do it. If you want to lollygag but still make time you can do that too. I would not recommend going too fast. Break the day up into a couple long stretches and don't pass up the sights when you see 'em. Enjoy!

I concur with the other comments here.

A buddy and I did the trail earlier this month, Clinton to Machens. We covered it in 4 days, and our itinerary was basically (rounded-off) 70 miles, then 50, then 70, then 50.

As mentioned, the 50 mile days definitely gave you time to relax a little bit, see some stuff, maybe start out a little later in the morning and/or get there a bit earlier in the evening. The 70 mile days we certainly did stop and get off the bike to look around, and had lunch of course, but covering the distance was a priority.

We met and spoke with several riders on the trail, a number of whom were also doing the full trail, and consistent with comments here, most of them seemed to be doing it in about 5 days. Some 6 days.

My best recommendation - if you want to take a little time and see all the stuff (which I highly recommend) plan to do it in about 5 days. Nail down your exact dates as early as you can and work to reserve the B&B's for those dates - they fill up well in advance in many cases. And you mention Fall 2013...if I can suggest the 2nd/3rd week in October, the foliage is incredible. It was very pretty when we went; we got the sense that if we'd gone a week or two later it would have been even more vivid.

Good luck and above all, have fun!

I agree as well. 5 days was perfect. We just rode the whole thing. I put our experiences and recommendations on a web page if you'd like to look. dconn143.wix.com/the-wallace-ride. The link to show where we are is no longer valid though.

I rode the trail Clinton-Machens-Clinton just this last September, on a fully loaded camping/touring bike, doing half B&B and half camping. I did the entire trip in 11 days (with one rest day in St. Charles) logging about 500 miles total, or an average of 50 miles per day, but my day's mileage varied from 40 to 70. I am 65 years old. Lodging I can recommend: Hotel Bothwell; Georgetown Estate View B&B, both at Sedalia; Rendlemann Home at Bluffton; Meyer's Hilltop Farm B&B at McKittrick; Lococo house in St. Charles.

Go West to East. We just did the trail from St. Charles to Sedalia staying at 3 places along the trail. It took us 4 days. We stayed at: Lococo (best breakfast) in St. Charles, Joey's Bird House B&B in McKittrick, Hartsburg Inn in Hartsburg, Hotel Frederick in Boonville. The following day we traveled to Sedalia and took the train back to Kirkwood. The Lococo picked us up and we stayed there a 2nd night. They were really accommodating. IF you go East to west like we did you will pedal against the wind and it's more on an incline than the other direction.

As noted earlier...GO WEST TO EAST!

I say go EAST to WEST! Seriously, as someone posted a couple of weeks ago, there is no way to plan a 5-day trip considering the wind. The "prevailing Westerlies" do not prevail in MO because of the Gulf currents. Yesterday the wind was coming very strongly out of the North, which made it tough to ride from Clinton to Sedalia. The bluffs around here twist and turn the wind in every direction. I have ridden both ways several times and I would opt for convenience of transportation over wind and slope any day.

I too have made multiple trips across the KATY. While I have battled headwind while heading east on more than one occasion, I would have to respectfully disagree with the post immediately above and say that - more often than not - WEST TO EAST is a more pleasant trip.

It OBVIOUSLY can be ridden either direction with great joy.

Just my 2 cents.

To me the biggest advantage of West to East is you are doing the few long inclines that the Katy has at the beginning of the trip instead of at the end.

East to West *is* uphill, as you're basically going upstream. As any sewer engineer knows, 1% slope is downhill. Or uphill, as the case may be.

I agree with others that wind can buffet you in any direction, but the prevailing still comes from the west, so more than likely you'll get more of it if going west.

Finally the rhythm of the trail when going west to east just *feels* better to me. This is no doubt subjective but west to east feels as if you're going *to* something whereas east to west feels as if you're going *away.* Those on the western side of the state of course may experience that differently.

I tried Philly's this week and it compares to other high-quality non-chain pizza restaurants. The pizza and salad was made fresh in front of me and staff seemed very friendly. The pricing was very reasonable.

We agree with your comment 100%. Great service and good food and a reasonable price.

We tried Philly's yesterday, and we agree, too.

I was looking for information or maybe help trying to find about a great uncle who worked for the railroad at Kansas City missouri. He was a engine wiper when he was there but when he went to parson kansas he worked inthe spring department this was in 1910 according to census.I haven't been able to find anything since that time. where could I look
charlie minor




parson

I just did a ride on the Katy Trail starting out at St. Charles and ending in Sedalia. We stayed at the Lococo B&B. I highly recommend them. They went far beyond our expecations as far as taking care of us. They Picked us up at Kirkwood (train station) arriving back at their B&B around 10pm on a Thursday night. They found out our last meal was in Sedalia around 4pm and that was also our lunch so they made us (4 in total) sandwiches, chili and drinks. THey provided our shuttle and were 1/2 the price of other shuttles. If you stay at St. Charles you can't go wrong with Lococo.

The Critter Cottage seems to be defunct and Monettes is a no response. Is there anywhere else that anyone could recommend for lodging for one night next week? (6.12.12)

I stayed at The Little House last September and it was awesome! The lady met us there, took our info and payment, gave us the key to the front door, wished us well, and left us alone to enjoy the place. It was clean, the beds were comfy, and the shower head put out a bunch of water. Self serve breakfast was nothing fancy but it was good--exactly what we needed for another day on the trail. I'm used to B&B's being hosted: This was not. It was renting a stocked house for the night. Loved it! Loved not being on anyone's schedule but mine. It's 100 yards off the trail, near restaurants, and bars. Highly recommend.

The only BnBs still in business at or near the Marthasville trailhead or the Dutzow trailhead are The Little House and Heaven On Earth Bed and Breakfast. The Little House is within blocks of the Marthasville trailhead but the Heaven On Earth BnB will pick you up from and deliver you back to either the Marthasville trailhead or the Dutzow trailhead. They have even been known to pick-up from or deliver back to the Washington, MO AMTRAK station and other trailheads in the area. Their service can't be beat.

Monettes cabin is still open...sometimes my phone does not ring through, but if you leave a message, I will return your call. Sorry for any inconvenience...

Acorn Ridge is a new B&B run by Natasha and Mike, two very energetic people dedicated to making our experience in their historic home a wonderful adventure. We were their very first guests (ever!) and I am sure they are going to be a success. Everything from the welcome we received to the linens are of the highest quality. Natasha's love for cooking was clear to us from the moment we arrived, finding fresh baked cookies and pastries to be eaten next to the warm fire on a chill day. They are running a top-notch operation!

Hello Jean and Jerry, it was a pleasure having you, we our glad you enjoyed your stay with us www.acornridgebb.com Mike and Natasha

We just came back from a two week ride on the trail and we passed through Mokane,so we stopped for lunch at the bar and grill. I must say they had the best food ever it was the biggest cheese burger I had ever had. The staff was very friendly and we enjoyed our conversation with Mel the owner,I know other people said that the market wont fill water bottles up for you but the bar will weather you buy there our just rest. I recommend every one to stop at the bar for the food and service!

Mary Ann,
Refreshing. To many people knock Mokane, Good folks here. Next time in town tell Mel to call Billy and I will come over and buy you a beer.

I keep reading comments about there being some lingering negative feelings for Mokane by some of the trail users: I don't understand where they come from. I've stopped lots of times. That includes at the Mokane Bar and Grill and Mokane Market. I have nothing but good to say about either. Really. Cool places if you ask me. I've filled up with free water, used the bathroom, and made pleasant small talk with the good folks working there. I've also bought plenty of pizza, sandwiches, and drinks--so I'm not just a taker, I'm a customer.

Could it be that people are coming off the trail tired, cranky, needy, and cheap? That would get old for anyone. Especially for a business owner. What gives with Mokane? I like it.

Hello all,

I live in southern Illinois and I am very much into cycling. I am planning a trip in Spring of 2013 to ride the entire trail from start to finish and back (Machens to Clinton and back to Machens). I have some questions though before I do it and need your assistance :)

1. Is there anywhere I can park (free or paid) for about 9 days while I am on this trip. Obviously somewhere legal and safe parking.

2. I plan to just camp by tent. I plan to ride about 65 miles a day, will there be plenty of camping options for me?

3. Am I allowed to ride at dark at all?

4. Anything else you think might help me :)

very kind regards,
Shawn Gossman

A friend and I rode the same distances from Clinton to Machens and we camped in Pilot Grove, stayed in the Turner shelter in Tebbetts, and camped at Klondike park near Augusta. All were really good places to stay. Can't help you with the parking situation though. The Katy is closed from dusk to dawn so no riding at night legally anyway. Enjoy your trip the Katy is a pretty cool adventure.

There is no parking at Machens, but plenty of parking in St. Charles at the trailhead. I would start out in St. Charles and do the Machens out and back on the first day. There are many camping options, use the Trip Planner above to see where they are located, then use the Mileage Chart to plan your daily distance between camping spots. Riding on the trail after dark is not legal. Be prepared to fix flats if necessary and a means to carry plenty of water. Bring some energy food especially in the western section, many shops and diners are closed Mon-Wed.

You might also check the town of Portage De Sioux. It is very close to Machens and has several marinas. If you asked I would think one would let you park there and then an easy bike ride to Machens.

We did the whole trail and started in Clinton where we could keep our car at the Hampton all week. In St. Charles we stayed at the Quality Inn, a bit off the trail and they do the same thing. It's about 12 miles from Machens.
It gets pretty darned dark out there, and like the other post said, legally you can't ride past dark.

I asked about overnight parking at one of the trailheads and this is the response:

"For all of you wondering if you can leave a vehicle overnight at a Katy trailhead, the answer is yes. The Katy is a day-use only park, which is why we don't allow camping along the trail. However, we do allow overnight parking but ask that you call the Katy Trail office at 573-449-7402 to let us know the following: your contact information; at which trailhead you'll be parking; how long your vehicle will be there; and make, model and license of your vehicle. This information is then passed along to our maintenance and ranger staff so that they don't assume you've abandoned your vehicle and also so they can keep an eye on the vehicle."

We've done the entire route 3 times and I trust that you will really enjoy your trip. We always use b&b's and motels so can't help on the camping question.

Just this September, I did the entire trail Clinton-Machens-Clinton doing 50/50 camping/B&B. Here are some camping choices between Machens and Clinton: Klondike Park (just before Augusta); Bluffton; Portland; Hartsburg; Cooper's Landing just past Easley; Katy Roundhouse at New Franklin; Pilot Grove, Sedalia, Clinton. I recommend you spend your first night at St. Charles at the Lococo House. It is well worth the money (about $75 w/ a MONSTER breakfast), and they will probably agree to let you park there for your trip. I did not find any good tent camping options at St. Charles - just an RV park. St. Charles to Machens is only worth doing to say you did the entire trail. The Rendlemann Home at Bluffton offers tent camping and Doug R. is a really interesting character, not to miss. Cooper's Landing has live music on weekends, a store, and good food. Take the turnoff to Hermann to find a really good grocery store just as you enter the highway. Groceries seemed to me harder to find than camping places. Use heavy duty tires. I met plenty of people with flats and even one guy had a ruptured tire casing he'd booted with a dollar bill and duct tape. I used Panaracer RiBMo tires 700c x 35, heavy duty tubes and Flat Attack sealer on my camping bike, and had no problems at all. A camping bike is heavy anyway, so the extra tire weight was not noticeable. And Katy is almost flat; unless you leave the Katy you will use only one or two gears, but if you leave it, better have a granny gear (for example getting up to Klondike Park!).

The ride from Portage de Souix to the Machens TH is 2 miles. We had our ride pick us up there. Not sure about parking if you want I would contact the police dept or sheriff dept and let them know you are leaving your car. St Charles request that you call the police dept so they know about your car.

I rode the trail 2011 from Clinton to St. Charles the end of March and I ran into a wide range of weather. Started out cold, 40s, misty rain and 20+ winds from Clinton to Boonville with mushy trail and then the skies cleared and the sun came out and the wind calmed, seriously and it was in the mid-high 60s the rest of the way into St. Charles. But these warm days were unusual for early April plus the trailheads hadn't opened yet. I would pack cold and rain gear and rags to wipe your wheels and chain if you plan on riding this time of year.

We stayed a second time this October at Joey's bb and new room was great. Easy bike ride over the bridge to Herman to get your funk on at night. Joey's new resturant was wonderful. Breakfast included in the room. Perfect spot for bikers on the trail. Cant wait to go back int he spring.

What a great way to start the Katy Trail: spending the first night in a caboose! Very spacious, morning coffee in the observation chair. Fire pit in the evening was very welcoming. Damon picked us up in Calhoon and would have dropped us back at the trail the next morning, but we got directions and rode to it, which was not hard. Definitely recommend staying here!

We're staying at the cabooses later this week with the grandsons....can't wait!

I called before we ever left for our Katy Trail trip to confirm hours of all the places I thought we might pick up lunch/dinner. Unfortunately, I assumed that if they were open, they served food. Bull's Eye IS open till late, but they don't have their deli going on Sundays. They do, however, have convenience store-type cheese and crackers.

Todd at Katy Bike Rental went out of his way(literally,) to make sure our trip ran smoothly. His communication with us regarding the details of the shuttle and bike rental put my mind to ease as I planned this trip 2 months before we started and from 3 states away. He is one of the most enthusiastic people we've met, and resourceful as well. What a great resource to have KBR for the Katy Trail.

Very bicycle friendly folk!! We stayed in lococo II, next to Lococo House III. Hot tubs felt GREATafter a week on the trail. Snacks welcomed us, and a cozy fire on the patio ended our day. Shuttle to airport was prompt. What a great way to end a great ride!

We just returned from a week on the Katy Trail and this was undoubtedly a true gem along the trail, not to be missed. We felt we were staying in a piece of living history. I could have stayed in the mansion a week and still been discovering its rich details. Don and Joe were the perfect hosts, and the breakfast was fit for royalty. Very large, quiet, comfortable room on third floor. Would love to come back just for one of the "murder mystery nights" if we get the chance.