Katy Trail Forum

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First time

newbie one from Atlanta GA on 05/14/2012 10:51 AM

Hello All, My wife and I are planning our first Katy Trail ride. We are wide open as far as an itinerary and have about 5 days. We would drive out from ATL so we would have a vehicle. Any advice for the most picturesque segment (we would need lodging) would be appreciated.

SalsaBoy on 05/14/2012 03:37 PM

Park on the Riverfront in St. Charles, Amtrak it to Sedalia, and have at it from there. Lots of good places along the way, but I'd recommend that one of the places you stay is at "The Little House" in Marthasville. Good food and drink there too. If you camp, Pilot Grove, New Franklin, Hartsburg, and others have good places to stay, good food, beer, etc.

Anonymous on 05/14/2012 04:30 PM

There is not an Amtrak station in St Charles is there? I thought if you parked in St Charles the closest station would be in Kirkwood.

SalsaBoy on 05/14/2012 05:25 PM

Taxi/hotel shuttle, or just find a way to Kirkwood from St. Charles. It won't be that much $. That is a better option to me than going to somewhere like Washington. Plus, I wouldn't want to skip the eastern part of the trail.

Haank from New Haven Mo on 05/15/2012 07:11 AM

I would agree, catch Amtrak in Kirkwood and go to Sedalia. Ride from Sedalia to St. Charles, get back to Kirkwood via Page Bridge. If you are not cut out for that kind of mileage, I would suggest Amtrak from Hermann to Sedalia. Ride the trail 120-some miles back to Hermann at a leisurely pace. Spend a night in Columbia via MKT spur trail.Hermann would be a nice place to end the ride.

DSD on 05/17/2012 07:52 AM

If you do not want to bother with the trains and you do have an auto, I would park and start at Jeff City and go west with the option to go up to Columbia on the spur then continue west to Boonville and if you can make it to Sedalia and turn around an head back to Jeff City. Many options to stop along the way and you can turn around anytime too. There are several B&B's and hotels in this area. Better scenic part of the trail.

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Boonville Lodging

Mark from Benotnville, AR on 05/08/2012 08:26 AM

Does anyone have experience or opinion with the lodging options in Boonville. Seems mostly chain hotels but I noticed some were a bit of a distance off the trail. Anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn Express?

Bike Rider from Kansas City on 05/08/2012 08:48 AM

If you are interested in lodging close to the trail, I would suggest either the Isle of Capri Hotel or Hotel Frederick. The trail is literally "right there". Very close to both of them. There are also some nice B&B's in Booneville. Click on "Towns and Services" above, then find Booneville, then scroll to find lodging options. Good Luck!

Jim from St. Thomas on 05/08/2012 10:51 AM

We have a group that rides the whole trail every year and we always stay at the Hoilday Inn Express in Boonville. There is a spur off of the Katy that runs to it.

Trek on 05/08/2012 10:55 AM

The Holiday Inn Express and the Comfort Inn are both a short ride off the Katy...probably 1/8 to 1/4 mile. The turn off is marked with a sign on the east side of the trail, just north of the I70 bridge a ways. We've stayed at both.

The Hotel Frederick is a nice step back in time and is close to main street restaurants. It also houses Glenns Cafe and a small bar. We've stayed there many times as they are very bike friendly with secure storage. And they offer a discount to riders.....check their add on the home page. Most of our trips that include a night in Boonville take us back to the Frederick, or to the Comfort Inn if we are trying to spend/accrue travel points.

The High Street Victorian B&B is just a block or so east of the Frederick. It too is close to the trail and very bike friendly.

Kriss from Boonville on 05/08/2012 11:11 PM

Hi, The High Street Victorian is just three doors up from the Fredrick, and is a great B&B and very bike friendly and offers afternoon and evening snacks and a GREAT multi course breakfast. We'd love to have you!

Anonymous on 05/09/2012 07:58 AM

My experiences support the comments and recommendations above. The one thing I would add is that in my experience the Isle of Capri Hotel/Casino is NOT bike friendly...and you will smell like smoke for a week after a visit there. I tried it, but given the other good options in Boonville, I will not go back there. Just my 2 cents.

Rob from Willard on 05/12/2012 08:28 PM

Days Inn was a good value and clean... no real complaints but is a little way from the trail. Not sure of the milage.

Rookie 1123 from St Louis on 05/14/2012 08:19 AM

Days Inn is about 3 miles from the trail. I have reservations there for 2 weeks from now and the one thing I was concerned about was the ride from the trail to the hotel and then from the hotel back to the trail. Anyone have any experiences with what type of traffic we might encounter when staying there?

zbiker on 05/16/2012 05:44 PM

Boonville is a small town, so traffic will not be an issue. The hotel is about 4 miles south of the bridge crossing, just stay on Main Street. About mile and half north of the bridge you will have a steep hill to pull, but other than that it will be a breeze. If you are coming off the trail from the south, different directions, and a bit more involved. Take the spur at the small kiosk on the south side of Boonville, follow that up past a manufacturing plant. You will end up at Radio Hill Road. Turn north to Sportsman Road, east to Hwy 5/Bus Loop 70/Ashley Road, then north to Logans Lake Road, East on Logans Lake Road to Rt B/Main, then South a couple miles and you will see it on your right.

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TENT CAMPING

LOVE THE OUTDOORS from ST. LOUIS on 05/13/2012 10:58 PM

GOING TO DO THE TRAIL FROM CLINTON TO ST. CHARLES. ANYONE HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH PITCHING A TENT ALONG THE WAY? ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRIVATE CAMPING LOCATIONS?

Gene from Indiana on 05/14/2012 12:44 AM

Camping available in Clinton on the fairgrounds property next to the Clinton Community Center by the Katy Trailhead. In Sedalia, the State Fairgrounds campground is next to the National Guard Armory which is several hundred yards north of the Sedalia West exit. Cost $10.

Anonymous on 05/14/2012 01:10 PM

Pitching a tent along the way is allowed at campgrounds along the trail. Stealth camping is prohibited, but there are plenty of campgrounds. Use the trip planner to find some nice places.

Joe G. from Wildwood, MO on 05/14/2012 11:02 PM

Just completed complete trail last week Clinton to Machens , Sedalia Fair Grounds, Katy Roundhouse in New Franklin, Steamboat Junction in Bluffton, and Klondike Park 2 miles west of Augusta all have great campgrounds and showers.

zbiker on 05/16/2012 05:26 PM

You can also camp at city parks in Pilot Grove and Boonville, need to check in at the local police department first, as these are not "regular" campgrounds.

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Boonville Days Inn - DON'T

Rookie 1123 from St. Louis on 05/16/2012 11:43 AM

We are taking a ride over Memorial Day weekend and we are stopping in Boonville the first night. Being a holiday weekend, everything was booked, EXCEPT the Days Inn, so I reserved a room. I should have done more research before booking it, because now I know why there were openings. Rated low, complaints made to BBB, dirty, stinks like smoke even in the non smoking rooms, rude staff, etc. For some reason I checked the Comfort Inn again, which is just 1 mile off of the trail and wow, thank you they had 1 room. It is about 1.5 times the price, but I took it. Went to cancel my reservation with the Days Inn, still 10 days ahead of time, and found they had charged my credit card for the full amount and that they refused to give me a refund. They said no refunds for any reason (no show, cancellation, late, emergencies...). Apparently this is why they do that, because if they didn't, they would go out of business. Check out Trip Advisor and the Better Business Bureau to start and that will be enough to convince you to pitch a tent instead of staying there.

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Sugar Creek Winery

J Addison from St. Charles on 05/15/2012 04:12 PM

Wow! How can an establishment listed on the Katy Trail Website be so unfriendly to cyclists. My wife and I stopped there last Saturday after a 15 mile ride and were preparing to stop for some wine and lunch, both of which we planned to purchase there. We were chased down and denied entry because we were bringing our water bottles from our bikes. We were not bringing in a cooler, just our half empty water bottles. We got back on our bikes and rode to Defiance where the nice waitress at the biker bar filled our bottles up for us. We will not be stopping at Sugar Creek Winery again, with or without our bikes.

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A great place to stay!

Dan Wehmeyer from Fenton, MO on 05/14/2012 04:19 PM

If you need a nice, clean place to stay that is right off the trail, I would highly recommend the Hartburg Inn. Cath went out of her way to make sure we were taken care of. She had a cold beverage for us when we got off the trail at 6:00 PM and even did a load of laundry for us. If there is anything special that you want to eat or drink, just let her know before hand, and she will have it in the frig for you. Hartsburg has a couple of good places to eat dinner. For breakfast, you'll want to go to Dotty's Cafe and have one of her great omelets and super blueberry pancakes. This town is a great place to stop if you are doing the trail!

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Sedalia to Jeff City

Haank from New Haven Mo on 05/02/2012 08:32 PM

Hi all. My wife and I are planning to ride from Sedalia to Jeff City next month hopefully. We've ridden the east end of the trail extensively but never west of JC. Any tips on where to go, what to do? I'd like to explore some of the Conservation Areas along the way, Diana Bend, Eagle Bluff. Will probably take a spin around Boonville and of course Rocheport. Anything good rides / routes / destinations within Boonville? I love the trail but the wife and I also like us some street riding to break it up.

Cathy from Jefferson City on 05/03/2012 12:00 AM

My sister and I were in Rocheport in 2010 and hiked on a conservation trail there. The river was high at the time but we were still able to enjoy views of a wetland area and hike uo a hillside. Also the general Store at that time
served food and had live music.

Bike Rider from Kansas City on 05/03/2012 08:26 AM

There is a connecting trail into Columbia at mile marker 169.9 just west of McBaine. Its about a 9 mile trail that is really good. It takes you right to Flatbranch Park in Columbia. And rght across the road is Flatbranch Brewery which is awesome, great food and good atmosphere. If you are looking for a diversion, I would recommend this trail into Columbia. Good trail, part of it is through some trees. We had a fun afternoon when we rode this trail last summer.

Trek on 05/03/2012 10:12 AM

Columbia is very bike friendly and the spur is a nice diversion off the Katy to get there. Also, east of Boonville is the AB clydesdale ranch. I've not been there and don't know the road, but it may be a good diversion also. Maybe someone that lives in that area can let us know if the road is paved/gravel/etc. There should be babies on the ground too.

Gary from Near Tebbetts on 05/03/2012 12:15 PM

Trek you usually give good advice, but what's up with the babies on the ground thing?

Trek on 05/03/2012 12:54 PM

The Anheuser-Busch Co has a clydesdale breeding ranch east of Boonville. There should be baby horses born by now.

Rob from Willard on 05/12/2012 08:45 PM

We stayed at Katy Trail B&B in Rocheport, loved it! Also visit Abigails for dinner. GREAT bike shop- needed tubes they were cheaper there than at my shop in Springfield Mo.

Darrell from Jefferson City, Mo. on 05/14/2012 05:06 AM

If you are interested in the conservation areas, you'll want to see this tree. Between Huntsdale and McBaine on Burr Oak Rd., just south of the trail is a beautiful old Champion Burr Oak tree. Ride down to it. My opinion, a highlight of the Katy Trail not to miss.

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St. Charles B&B

David on 05/08/2012 01:15 PM

Hello - can anyone recommend a place to stay in St Charles? We'll be arriving from overseas and need a place near the Katy Trail where we can pack/organize our bikes.
Thank you!

BikerBoy from Edwardsville, IL on 05/08/2012 09:31 PM

I don't have a particular recommendation, except that (depending on your origin), you may want to stay in St. Charles 2 nights. This will give you a chance to get rid of jet lag, but also to help you relax before your ride. There are scores of shops and attractions within a couple of blocks of the Katy in St. Charles.

MidSouth from Rogersville, MO on 05/09/2012 09:29 AM

The Lococo House is close to the trail in St. Charles and also offers shuttle services.

Anonymous from St. Charles on 05/12/2012 02:07 AM

Anywhere you stay in historic St.Charles will be close to the Katy trail because historic St.Charles runs parallel to the trail. (head toward the direction of the river and you will find the trail). Lococo house B&B is known for accommodating cyclists with family atmosphere, and it is close to everything. If you prefer typical hotel accommdation, then the Country Inn & Suites is your best bet-the trail is facing the back of the hote (1-800-596-2375)
. Ameristar casino & hotel is a few hundreds yard away from the historic district. But The entrance leading to the casino is not exactly bike friendly though.

Rhona Lococo from St Charles on 05/13/2012 12:54 PM

we can pick you up at the airport, we are three blocks from the trail, we offer shuttle service all the way to Clinton and in between, have out door hot tubs for sore bicycle behinds and comfy overnight accomodation call us at 636-946-0619 or check us out at www.lococohouse.com

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Dan from Fenton on 05/13/2012 08:33 AM

Maggie and George, thanks for everything!! I don't know where to start. Maggie's dinner and George's breakfast were outstanding! The trips to George's bar in the basement were the envy of all and listening to the Blue Grass jam session that George and his buddies had in the family room was the highlight. (thanks to Grampster, Dave and Rob). On top of all that, Maggie keeps the place so clean and nicely decorated. I would highly recommend Concord Hill B&B to anyone doing the trail. The 1.5 mile trip up the hill is a little challenging, but well worth it. If you call George, he will gladly pick you up from the trail. :)

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Going east of west?

Jeroen Dorrestein from Kansas City MO on 04/26/2012 07:31 PM

I intend to ride the Katy Trail end to end in a couple of days, late June early July.
I'm trying to find some information on prevailing wind directions, I'd like to ride with the wind, rather then going against it.

Any thoughts, suggestions? Many thanks

Jeroen

Jersey John from Jersey Shore on 04/26/2012 08:02 PM

Looks like west to east. check out this link http://www.bikekatytrail.com/weather.aspx
west to east is also more downhill

Jersey John from Jersey Shore on 04/26/2012 08:05 PM

This is the link for the trail elevations.
http://www.bikekatytrail.com/elevations.aspx

Anonymous on 04/27/2012 08:57 AM

Having ridden it both ways...I will always choose west to east in the future. More often than not, the wind during that time of year, is out of the south/southwest.

Enjoy!

Silvia from NJ on 04/29/2012 08:32 PM

Anyone have information about prevailing winds in mid-September?

BikerBoy from Edwardsville, IL on 04/30/2012 07:18 AM

You really can't call the winds in MO "prevailing" because they can change direction many times in a week. In the past 4 days, they came strong out of the North, South, Southeast, Southwest, East-Northeast, and Northwest. This is because we are in a boundary where the moisture coming from the Gulf meets cooler air coming from the West, creating lots of turbulence. Good news is that most of the Katy is tree-lined, so the wind is not as much a factor as open-road riding.

Another Anonymous on 04/30/2012 06:31 PM

KC an Jersey, If you are worried about winds and elevation on the Katy you need more training. How about Rte 94 doing 60+ mile days for a few months?

Silvia from NJ on 04/30/2012 09:00 PM

Thanks. Just asking because I have people in my group asking whether we should start in St. Charles or shuttle to Clinton and ride back because of the wind. I'm not worried .. I rode cross-country in 2000 :-)

Not Just Otro Do Mas on 04/30/2012 10:19 PM

So if I'd rather not ride into the wind, I need to train more? And it's assumed that I'm worried about it because I'd rather not do it??

Train for what? I'm hard pressed to believe that some that just want an easy peaceful ride are in need of training on the highway for over 60 miles a day for several months.

Cathy from Jefferson City on 05/01/2012 12:26 AM

A lot of people seem to think it is best going from west to east. As a previous person said the winds do change a llot in Missouri.

I hope you and your group have a great time on the Katy Trail.

Another Anonymous on 05/12/2012 08:37 PM

In response to Silvia an Mr. Espany, my comments were made to those that have minor concerns about wind and elevation on the Katy which was built on a less than 5% incline for the trains. If for those who want a easy peaceful ride encounter gusts, just stop and have a chardonnay or 2 or 3. Then the wind is of less concern. West to east is the easiest for most especially for groups and newbies.

Anonymous on 05/12/2012 09:11 PM

More often than not (there are always exceptions!!) WEST to EAST is more pleasant for anyone in my opinion, unless they love to ride into headwind. It has very little - if anything - to do with groups or experience

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