Katy Trail Forum

I studied the various icons of what is supposed to be at certain locations along the trail. Where is the water??? I was expecting a tap water spigot somewhere near the restrooms that are in the larger towns, similar to what I've seen in state parks. I could not find any of these.

Are they talking about getting water at the restaurants in those towns? That didn't do me much good as I was riding back to my car at midnight last night. I had to ration 1/2 bottle of water for the last 50 miles.

Maybe the Katy is only officially open until sunset ("state parks rules apply") but if it says water is available I'd like to be able to get some, in the event that something happens to slow me down and I get caught far away from my destination in the middle of the night, like it did with me.

Maybe there is 24 hour water available somewhere on the Katy but I rode from just west of St. Charles, 71 miles west and back. I sure didn't see any...other than a big river. :-)

I recall that there is 24 hr. water at Marthasville TH(MM 78), Marthasville Ballpark(North of Katy same location), Dutzow TH(MM 74), Klondike Park(MM 64) located just north of the trail, but that's about it if you are riding when every business is closed.

I should also mention that I have used the vending machines at Rhineland, Treloar, and Marthasville to name a few to get water when nothing was open.

CamelBak: Don't leave home without it.

This topic comes up from time to time. Where IS the water? There may not always be a spigot with cold running water waiting, but it can usually be found.....outside the restroom, in a nearby store, etc.

SalsaBoy is spot on. If you are traveling very far, don't leave home without the CamelBak or at least enough bottles on your bike to get you by. Quarters are light and work well at the vendo when nothing elese is around. I always top off the bottles/CamelBak when I can even if they don't need it. You never know when there should be water at the next stop, but for reason you can't get it.

A known issue on the MO Katy is to carry plenty of water on its eastern half where the outside spigots are few and far between. A 142-mile round trip there without adequate water can be dangerous. Good thing it wasn’t overly hot outside.

Your best bets for water late in the day there are the Marthasville trailhead (inside the restroom; no outside spigot there) and Dutzow trailhead (outside).

Some campsites, city parks, and town churches might have open water spigots as well. But why should trail users have to search for them? Rhineland, Treloar, Dutzow, and Defiance have bar-cafes (with public sinks) near the trail if open on holidays. Outside pop machines exist at Treloar and Marthasville. McKittrick has a convenience store just south of the trail on Route-19. But only experienced users know these things.

No doubt, the trail needs more trailhead spigots on its eastern half. But that probably won’t happen soon under the current budget conditions.

At Portland there is a Trailhead. Just above that is where the camping area is for a private campground. There is a 10 X 10 building where the bathroom/sink/shower is. On the north side of that building there is a outside spigot. Help yourself. Also try the restaurant a few hundred feet south of the trailhead up the road.

Gene we don't want any GPS tourist mistakes here. The bar in Portland is NORTH of the trail.

Sorry, Doug about the directions. If you went south a hundred yards, you'd be in the Missouri river. I think the restaurant is called the Riversedge or Riverside and they have new owners as of 2010.
That direction error is the first mistake I've made in my life. I know about 4 people from here in northern Indiana are planning to ride the Katy in mid May.

Great Gene! Send them down. The bar there serves a great burger and huge order of fries along with other items like catfish sandwiches etc. and will make your friends welcome. Plus, we'll do our best to keep the GPS from leading them into the river!

I know this is a late response to this thread, but for future reference, there is a spigot in Rhineland, near the ball park. Hope this helps!

I rode from MM 85 (Treloar) to past MM 95 this morning. Apparently they had some severe weather last night. There were several large limbs down on the trail, including two I couldn't get around without dismounting. Is there anyone I should contact about them?

Contact the MO Department of Natural Resources.

We shared two meals with Doug - good food and good conversation. But the best part of our stay was unexpected. We'd been on the trail for several days when we arrived in Bluffton, and were missing our dogs. What a joy it was to meet Freckles and Obie and get our doggie fix!

Thanks Lisa! Glad you enjoyed them as much as we enjoyed having ya'll here. You are welcome anytime at all. Even if you just want water! Of course, I'd rather cook and talk while you're here!

After riding up the hill to the winery in 100+ heat and buying a bottle of overpriced wine, they wanted to charge us $2/bottle to refill our water bottles. Seriously?!?We also bought a small hard sausage ($6) and a small cup of cheddar cheese cubes ($5), only to find out that if we acutally wanted to cut the sausage and have something to put it on, we would have to spend another $1.85 for a "picnic pack" consisting of two small paper plates, two plastic forks and a plastic knife.

Appreciate this information. It allows me to make choices when I travel the KATY.

Lisa, why don't you open a business next to them and charge $1 to refill water bottles and whatever else you can to undercut their prices? Let us know how your business does.

Do you mean SUGAR Creek Winery, near Defiance? I so I will put in the "don't go there" file.

Never had a problem with Sugar Creek but I go there to drink a little wine and soak up the scenery. If you think they are bad try stopping at Mount Pleasant.....

Sorry, yes, I meant SUGAR Creek. Also stopped at Mt Pleasant, and they couldn't have been nicer (and didn't charge us for plates and utensils!). Food was excellent, and much more reasonably priced.

This place is pristine! The owners are very friendly & helpful. Dale even hosed my bike off after trail riding in the rain! Hope to return again.

Does anybody know if there are Katy trail water bottles available?

Yes. Try mostateparksdotcom/shop. You can probably get one at the depot in Sedalia also.

We had such a good time in Hartsburg and highly recommend staying at the Caboose and having dinner at the Bistro. Very fun to hear the band too!!! We loved it. Ginnis and Rook

Meyers Hilltop Farm is gorgeous, and Eldon and Maggie were perfect hosts. Made you feel like a beloved family member returning home for a visit. Lots of special touches, like chilled juice glasses inthe morning and fresh baked ginger cookies for the road.

Can I park my car at the WS trailhead Parking over 2 nights legally? I want to bike south, stay overnight twice and then bike back to my car on the 3rd day. Besides legally, if allowed, how about any knowledge of vandalism at the trailhead parking lot? Appreciate your comment before mid August. Thanks.

whoa....just read a 2008 entry "Crime at the Trailhead," so I'm not sure if the situation has improved over the last 4 years. Not sure what to do....how do you get your bike to a trailhead and not leave your car there??? WS Trailhead Parking Lot should set up cameras to catch criminals.

we are 12 miles from Weldon Springs, you can leave your car here at Lococo House B&B, we are 3 blocks from the trail head, we have off the street parking....call 636-946-0619

Looking for overnight lodging in Hermann. Have scouted out lots of websites. Curious as to your experience for the best value. Not looking for fancy dinners or breakfast...just a nice comfortable place to spend the night. Thanks for any help/experience/insight you can provide.

Hermann Motel or Winchester, wait make that VINchester, Inn. Never stayed at either but heard both are decent.

If you are touring and plan time in Hermann; the Harbor Haus with Frank has all prices for his rooms. If you are staying on the trail and elect not to do the 5 mile turnaround to Hermann. Joey's birdhouse in Mckittrick may be your best choice; both she and Meyer's shuttle to town. Next to the Merc which is opening Weekends or will serve meals for her guests.

The citizen

If you are touring the short ride to Hermann is well worth a couple of miles for a good meal, a break in the cellar at Stone Hill, or a bottle of wine on the patio at Hermannoff.

I have stayed at the Vinchester Inn a couple of times and it sounds like what you are looking for. Decent, clean, large rooms and it is right downtown for easy access to the Trail. The Hermann motel is a bit farther from the Trail and has smaller rooms. I would chose the Vinchester.

Sharon

It's just an observation but a four plus mile turnaround on hot asphalt with clay trucks and semi's roaring by is not easy anything. Like hitching in the Mojavi. Once in Hermann every thing is close.

The trip to Hermann from McKittrick on bike is likened with hitching a ride in the Mojavi desert?

You paint a rather bleak and distorted picture of the ride from the Katy to Hermann which is both unrealistic and untrue.

Of course you want everyone to stay in the fine oasis of McKitterick, eat your free range eggs, and let you shuttle them to Hermann. That is probably not very realistic either. Get a grip Rich.

Of course I advise people to stay close to the trail in hot weather. I also encourage people who are not on tour to Hermann to beware of the trip if they are going simply for housing. I have opened an oasis in Mckittrick; thanks for noting. The Mercantile is on the registry of National Historical Places. And yes we do serve free range eggs and locally grown foods. We do shuttle as well as Meyers Hilltop. It is realistic. Thanks for your input.

P.S. I have been stuck hiking in Blyth; thats in the Mojave

And your experience being stuck in the desert is a close lickness to our bike ride from the Katy to Hermann??

"lickness"???

Rich is right. My friend and I stayed at Joey's bird house in June, before it got hot and we were grateful to be shuttled by the owners of Joey's bird house from mckittrick to herman. The one time we did ride our bikes it was easy yet uneventful and lots of traffic whizzing by on a busy highway. Thankfully the weather was mild unlike today. Thanks for your trolling, anonymous.

I can offer a personal unbiased opinion here. I've ridden and ran this stretch many times. I rode McKittrick to Portland and back just yesterday. The traffic can be bad and the ride while short can at times be unpleasant. If you were staying in McKittrick and coming into town after a long day a shuttle for reasonable $$ would be helpful, especially for the return trip after dinner.

However there is nothing at all "bad" about the ride into Hermann. It is just easy riding on a busy highway with wide shoulders. The bridge crossing is awesome. In my opinion anyone touring the trail MUST see Hermann, and it's better to do it on bike.

I think the Mercantile is a nice place and wish it success. However I will say that if all Katy business owners promoted themselves through this site like the Merck owner does, it would clutter and detract considerably from the site. Helpful suggestions are fine, relentless self-serving advertisements are tiresome and IMO reflect poorly on the owner.

My two cents.

I have to tell you Rich......I bike a lot and love to support merchants on the trail but you're coming real close to crossing the line between offering advice and naked advertising. I would back off a little bit.

Jim, I believe Rich has already crossed the line a couple of times besides his naked advertising.  In the past, in my opinion, he has deceptively tried to get people to support his plan to have part of the trail property converted to a camp ground for his self serving needs.  In this thread, in my opinion, he has used scare tactics to try to get people to patronize his business over that of those in Hermann.  Come on now, he makes the trip into Hermann sound like a terrifying and dangerous ordeal.  Really?

The only good bit about his naked advertising is I know where not to spend my money.

My name is Rich. I live Hermann and beliebe it to be the best tourist location near (2.75mi.) the trail. It's It's architecture and services are a must visit. Best prices in Hermann area, On the trail; Meyer's Hilltop and Joey's Birdhouse. In Hermann Vinchester and Harbour Haus. Hermann is 2.75 miles from the trail, a sneeze for a seasoned rider in 100 plus degrees. It is however a journey for the weekend warrior after 50 miles.
Mckittrick does not have and will not have lodging or services to serve but a few.
I have cycled, walked and mostly driven the stretch between the twin cities thousands of times; it is only as dangerous as weary cyclists or bored and tired truckers.
There is no devious or covert plan to build a campsite even though I assume there is really big money in that! Actually I hear that someone is planning a possible a bike port in Hermann.
We would not be stupid enough to use 'scare tactics to increase bussiness that we are incapable of handling. duh! There is not enough overnight lodging, services or points of interest to sustain tourism. I would appreciate
you stopping by on your next passing, pickup some cold water; use an alias if that's more comfortable; I may be able to quell the(theory's)
We probably would like each other. Thanks rich

Boys, play nice now. Your little snit is taking up too much space on this forum. I'd advise to go to the source if you have a problem. The rest of us don't want to hear it.

your rite 314-603-2889
Thanks Pam

Pam forgive me for one last parting comment on this topic. Rich scroll down to the bottom of this page, click on the advertise link and buy advertising on this page. I'm sure Ray would appreciate your support for his running this site.

Pam;
You don't have to forgive Gary near Tidbits.
I have already committed to advertising on BKT; the ad has just not been posted. I hope someday Gary near tidbits can contribute something but negativity. The development of the trail near him can a more positive path. There are people who do; and there are those who complain of us.
Safe biking Pam O

Now that everyone had had a chance to speak their minds, let's move along.

In Rich's defense, he did indeed contact me a couple of weeks ago to arrange for advertising. It's been delayed because I've been at girl scout camp with my daughter for the past few days (camping in the 105-degree heat is only slightly easier than biking in in) - but you will see "the Merc's" ad soon.

And in Gary's defense, many of the folks on the forum are quite sensitive to anything that might be interpreted as advertising or self-promotion on this forum. People like Gary contribute a lot to the forum and don't want to see it become commercialized or spammy.

Thank you for making this forum the place to go to share information and talk about the Katy Trail. Let's just hope for cooler weather so we can get out there and enjoy it more! Happy trails.