Katy Trail Forum

My husband and I are looking to plan a trip. He is very fit, but I am not. I've done a lot of the trails in our hometown and on average I can do about 14 miles in about three hours (he can do it in about an hour) Our trails are somewhat hilly, where my understanding is the Katy is not... so what would be a reasonable expectation for a weekend trip? He is proposing 35 miles per day but I have serious doubts. We are looking at the Clinton to Boonville section with an overnight stop in Sedalia. Thoughts?

I think you can do it. Clinton to Sedalia is extremely flat. The section between Sedalia and Booneville winds through the Osage Hills, and in my opinion, is the prettiest section of the trail. There are no steep hills, just long grades. And the last several miles into Booneville is downhill.

Just remember that on the flats you are always peddling....no downhills to get a good coast off of. Take breaks as needed. 35 miles on the Katy Trail is alot to those not used to high miles. Take your time and you should be fine. The section you are thinking of riding doesn't have a lot of tree cover, and Saturday's in Octoer have the potential to be kind of warm with alot of sun. Be prepared with extra water.

I don't mean to burst your bubble but if it takes you three hours to go 14 miles then Clinton to Boonville will be a stretch for you. Yes the Katy is flat but still you are talking about minimum five hours on the bike per day which you may be able to handle for a day, however the second may really hurt. I am just being realistic. I would not want to discourage you, that section is gorgeous, but you must be prepared. I would have a "lifeline" available just in case.

You could let your husband leave from Clinton and then you drive to Sedalia or some point north and ride toward him as he rode north. He'd get to ride the entire route and you could ride with him from when you met, back to Sedalia. You could both ride, but it wouldn't be a 7 hour ride at 5mph for you. Then do the same thing the next day between Sedalia and Pilot Grove. I'd opt out of riding up Lard Hill in Boonville to meet him.

Or just opt out and do some more simple out and backs together until you both can reasonably ride 35 to 40 miles together.

I just rode last week from Sedalia to St Charles - I kept looking for this downhill that so many people have mentioned.... Never saw it... it's constantly going uphill... a few miles are flat, but more going uphill then downhill...
The ride from Sedalia to Jefferson is very nice. After that is boring and nothing interesting to see until you hit Augusta.

If you're planning to be in the Boonville area on Saturday, Aug. 25, join us at the Boonville Trailhead for an open house from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about the western section of the trail. Come provide us with your comments and suggestions about the trail.

Dawn thanks for posting this, wish I could be there. If I could ask DNR about the western section, my question would be about the status of the eagerly-awaited Rock Island extension from Windsor to Pleasant Hill.

Ray, thanks for the question about the Rock Island. When completed, the 47-mile trail will be its own state park, Rock Island Trail State Park (http://mostateparks.com/park/rock-island-trail-state-park). It will connect to the Katy Trail at Windsor and, from there, will travel to Pleasant Hill. Work on three miles of the trail between Purvis Road and Highway P southeast of Pleasant Hill should be completed later this year. Bids are being awarded for construction of several bridges and overpasses so the two-mile section between Purvis Road and Pleasant Hill can be completed as quickly as possible. Once these are completed, we plan on opening the entire five miles from Pleasant Hill to Highway P in late 2013.

Because the trail is being built using the former Rock Island Railroad corridor, Ameren Missouri, the primary stakeholder in the company that owns the Rock Island Railroad, must work through the rails-to-trails conversion process with the federal Surface Transportation Board. This was required on the initial five-mile section before Missouri State Parks could complete the trail. Ameren Missouri must also complete this process for the remaining 42 mile section between Highway P and Windsor before Missouri State Parks can begin development of the remaining section.

Is there an estimate for the completion of the remaining 42 mile section?

Trek, sorry for the delay in response, I just now saw your question. Because completing the 42 remaining miles is contingent upon Ameren successfully negotiating the conversion process, there really isn't an anticipated completion date at this time. The best bet for updates is to check the Rock Island website periodically, send us an email at moparks@dnr.mo.gov, or post your questions here and I'll see if I can get them answered.

Katy Trail State Park now has a Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/#!/KatyTrailStatePark. Come check us out -- we'd love to see your photos and hear about your trail experiences.

Hi Dawn. I found the page on FB, but there is no where to leave comments or to upload pictures at this time. Will this change? And, will ride announcements, and other activities be posted on this page? Thanks!

Robin, I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble posting to the Katy FB page. Make sure you're logged into your FB account -- you should be able to post once you're logged in. Let me know if you continue to have trouble. In answer to your other question, we will post upcoming events that we're hosting to the Katy FB page, but will also continue to post information on our Katy Trail website (www.katytrailstatepark.com) as well as here (thanks, Ray, for providing this forum!).

I'm planning a solo trip from Clinton to Sedalia in late September. Most likely on a Saturday or Sunday. Are there any safety concerns for riding alone on the trail? I know women have been attacked on the trails in my area and am hoping for a safe ride. :)

I just did that section last weekend and saw very few people, and no one for miles in most sections. I rode early from Sedalia to Clinton, and back. I only stop at the trailheads tho...but I am male, and have never ran into any hostile or unfriendlies on the entire length of the Katy.

Anythng can happen, but I think the Katy is very safe. Especially on a weekend. I ride that stretch a lot and have never had ANY probelm with anyone. In fact, riders more often go out of their way to help each other. But, it is not a perfect world we live in, and the Katy is part of that imperfect world.

One time I was riding alone near High Point when I came accross a very strategically stopped group of guys standing around not trying very hard to fix a flat tire. Let's just say that they did not look like recreational cyclists. It occurred to me that where they stopped was a great place to be "Shang High" an unsuspecting tired, solo biker carrying cash. So I slowed, gave them a wide berth and didn't stop to help them. I didn't have any problems, but it crossed my mind that their intentions were not good.

The flip side of that is that people on and around the Katy will go out of their way to help you. I have changed several flats for ladies in distress, and fixed bikes on the trail for those less mechanically inclined.
Once, a nice little old lady in N. Jeff City hooked me up with a bike mechanic on a Sunday morning who literally saved my trip because she said I "Just looked like I needed help......" I did. The old man she brought to me, who I thought was wasting both of our time, and his 30 year old Huffy rear derailleur got me and my $2000 bike home. He also taught me a lesson that I should have already known: Don't judge a book by its' cover. Such is life on the Katy.

But......wrecks, mechanical issues, health issues, and anythng else can happen. If you're worried about your safety, I suggest you ride with a buddy or two. Bring a cell phone and some wasp spray for dogs, and bad guys, and keep them both where you can get to them fast. I use a Topeak TourGuide bar bag up front.

Especially on a weekend, I wouldn't be real worried. The great thing about the Katy is that you can usually find someone

ArkyKenny has some good advise. I am a woman, and, oiy! 60, (how did that happen?). Anyway, I ride the Katy by myself from Jeff City east to Bluffton, and west to Easley. I feel as safe on the trail as I do on the streets of Jeff City. Actually, I feel safer on the Katy. Pay attention to your surroundings, carry a cell phone to get help if you need it, pay attention to the mile markers. If something bad happens and you have to call for help, knowing what mile markers you are between would help. People are nice, friendly, and if you need help, ask and you'll probably get assistance. I think I've only heard of one incident, and I can't remember where it was, but I think they got the guy. I want to say it was maybe on a trail in Columbia. Most of the crazy crime in Central MO. (and probably other parts) is people trying to get money for drugs. They're looking for more money that they expect bicyclists to carry.

I believe the KC urban trails have more undesirables lurking. The Katy Trail is pretty safe as noted. The safety issue is probably more being caught out in isolated areas with bike problems, without provisions, water and cell service.

I think the trail is extremely safe. Carrying a cell phone is always sound advice. Ditto for riding with a buddy. And if you are really concerned for your safety, the State of Missouri allows those with CCW permits (from any state) to carry a loaded handgun in a concealed manner. I use a Kel-Tec P-32. Fully loaded, it weighs just over 9 ounces.

I guess we'll have to add to the trail etiquette. Along with saying "on your left" for passing, say "packing heat" if you are armed.

Six of us ladies rented the whole BnB and had a great time in this home furnished and fully stocked like you would do your own home. The owners thought of every need we might have. The back yard is so relaxing that we hardly needed any other entertainment. It was just what we were looking for.

Eunice, What great B&B was this? And located in what town? I would love to check it out for our group. Thanks!

Please check out our B&B in Boonville (High Street Victorian), I'd love to host a group of girls for a getaway! Thanks for considering us!

We're planning to ride the length of the Katy Trail in October over perhaps 4-5 days, so we'll need lodging each night. We'd like to stay in nice B&Bs. Can any one comment on whether we need to make lodging reservations in advance of our trip? Or can we either just show up in a town and find a place, or perhaps contact lodging each afternoon when we have a sense for how far we'll go that day?

October is prime time so the weekends for sure must be reserved. In many towns the total bed count is pretty slim so you don't want to be scrambling. However the weeknights are usually a different story. My recommendation is to keep a list of phone numbers of likely spots handy, and once you know where you will be for sure then call ahead earlier that day. I would not show up unannounced on an October weekend. Also, as noted in another thread, Mizzou Tigers football on October weekends can fill beds in a huge radius from Columbia. So do a little extra planning and your trip will be better. Enjoy!

Agree completely with the need to have reservations!

Don't forget that the B&Bs along the middle of the trail get more of their customers during the week as riders start on the weekend and don't arrive until midweek.

Hartsburg will be having its 21st Pumpkin Festival the second weekend in October. There will be 40,000 to 50,000 people in town and the trail will be congested but come anyway and have a good time.

We'd love to have you stay with us in Boonville. We highly reccommend reservations, but you can take a chance and give us a call the day of. Oct. is one of our busiest seasons. Kriss, High Street Victorian B&B

On 8/18 just a couple of miles east of New Franklin (by the old brick silo) my wife and I came upon a person walking there 2 dogs that were not on a leash. The dog owner had no control of the dogs. One of the dogs was snapping at my ankle. I was lucky enough to finally out run the dog. I'm hoping the irresponsible dog owner reads this, and invests in leashes before someone gets hurt.

This is pretty common on the trail away from larger towns. Carrying ammonia or pepper spray or just squirting water usually does the trick with the dogs.

Wasp & Hornet spray is MUCH more effective...and it will spray up to 25 ft. It will definitely stop the meanest pitbull.

D Brandon, the MKT started in 1870. Generations of people owned adjacent land, and at that time only had to live with loud railroad noises.

In 1990, the KT trail was opened to bike/hike/horse riding, with several unhappy adjacent landowners. For over a hundred years, they considered the rail land "family land", yet it was not at all.

A local dog-walker is not likely to be reading this, and could easily be disgruntled about you/me/us riding through "Grandpa's Land".

Thanks for the tip, however! I ride through there, I will keep an eye out.

How much money would it take to do the full trail there and Back.lodging food ect.Just a ball park figure would do thanks

$125 a day barring breakdowns. Per person. Could be done for less or more but that would be a figure that you could have a comfortable ride on and eat well. A couple should be able to do it for $200 per day. You could save money by camping but the extra weight and volume and set up break down times mean fewer miles per day and more days riding. Or LOTS more work.

It could run more with much needed libations. Another $50/day easy.

Well said sir! And worth every penny!

We did it in six days. Lodging at B&Bs were a total of $375 and we carried $400 in cash ending up with over $100 left. And yes it was worth every last penny, so much we are doing again next year.

Our trip was end to end. We used a hotel in Sedalia and upgraded to a whirlpool tub in Jeff City. We ate well and yes had a drink or two.

I was curious so tallied up the damage from recent three night trip. Lodging $265, Food $210 and Bar, $85. Incidentals around $20. We ate and drank well. I'd say the $200 per day per couple figure is pretty good ballpark. You can do it for less of course but for $200 you can live quite well.

Thank you all for your help!!God Bless Hope to see you all on the road or trail:)