Katy Trail Forum

I am wondering if anyone knows of a bike shop near St Charles I can send a boxed bike to? I will be riding the Katy Trail as part of my Lewis and Clark trip to Oregon and will be shipping my bike to St Charles to start at the end of May. thanks

If you will use the Trip Planner above, you will discover a few on that end of the trail. Call them and ask about shipping to them.

I use granada cycles. guys are great. They have been around for a long time. they should be able to help you. dont have number. there in st.charles.

Great - thanks for your help I'll try granada and check out the trip planner. Thanks again!

Plan to back light but wondering about what to buy to use to transport the basics. This will be my first "bike" travel trip. I've done a fair amount of caneo/backpacking on the other side of boundry waters, but I'm concerned about too much weight on my back & a bike. Suggestions from all you experienced bicyclists is welcomed. Thanks!

I started out by buying a cheap rear rack for my bike and putting everything in a medium sized duffle bag, strapped to the rack with bungees. Eddie Bauer has a nice selection of lightweight, cheap, but capable nylon duffles. If you want protection from rain, pack your stuff in a trash bag that has been placed in the duffle.

To that, buy a $2 length of parachute cord to tie your tent, pad, etc, to the rack, and you'll be good to go. Now I have panniers, but the duffle worked fine.

On the rack, I think it is best to buy a rear rack that sits high in the back so you avoid heel strike of your stuff when pedaling: Bring your bike and duffle to the bike store with you to check for heel clearance, and buy a rack with as much clearance as you can get--there can be a big difference between how high they sit back there.

I have never tried a backpack, but I'm not so crazy about a CamelBak, so I wouldn't like a pack. Never tried a cart/trailer, but 1) Why? (as in, "How much stuff you carrying?"), 2) They seem like they would be one step above an anchor to me.

Weight on a bike is best kept low to keep the center of gravity low. Much like standing up in a boat, too much weight too high will cause you to be more off balance than need be.

When we started trail riding, we bought Topeak rear racks and a couple of pairs of panniers. Topeak trunk bags slide into a groove on their racks to secure them....makes a nice set up with the rear panniers. We can each carry two rear panniers each when we ride the half bikes or we can haul all four on the tandem with its front rack.

I too am not fond of carrying the Camelbak on my back. Did it one time and that was enough so I don't think I'd encourage anyone to ride with a backpack full of gear....too hot and rubbing as you ride makes it pretty uncomfortable.

I have a Burley cargo trailer that I pull when we are going to camp along the way. Starting out I can tell its there, but while in motion I hardly notice it. No, you probably can't break any land speed records with it, but that has never been our motive anyway.

Read a few journals on crazyguyonabike dot com and see how the bike touring crowd hauls their gear. There is Forum topic there about loaded touring bikes with some good pics of bikes while on tour. Credit card touring will allow you to travel quite a bit lighter than when you haul camping gear.

The loaded bikes are under "Articles" on crazyguy as Loaded Bicycles by Kelly Iniguez. You can view by bike manufacturer and type.

Use Ziplock bags--qt and gallon size--to roll your items up and store them. That should keep the rain out. Put sleeping bags in big store plastic shopping bags. No sense being miserable when wet.

I ditto the suggestions to use a rear rack and panniers. Backpacks will throw off your balance -- probably okay while you are just riding along with no issues, but if you have to swerve to avoid a snake or a kid, the weight of a backpack will pull you over and down in no time. Get a good rear rack (go to your bike store and have them help you pick one out for your bike -- don't buy it at a big box store) and panniers can be expensive or not -- or like some have suggested here, just use bungee cords and a duffle bag with ziplocs inside.

Thanks so much everyone. Very helpful tips and info!

I am lucky enough to live in Augusta and a few blocks from the Katy Trail. Trail conditions have been phenomenal this year. If you have not yet been out - what are you waiting for? Gorgeous! My husband did see a Timber Rattle Snake claiming his spot in the sun. That is a first. Have seen Copperheads but not Rattlers.

Hi Debbie! I'm planning a trip on the Katy in May and I'm looking to make Augusta kind of a base camp for a couple nights. Could use some recommendations on a place to stay!
Thank you!
Rick

First time to Katy Trail in June. Where is a safe spot to park for three or four nites at a trail head? Would like to start in St Charles MO

There's several parking area near the trailhead going west. A friend and I parked our trucks there two years ago but we let the St Charles Police know our vehicles' location and license numbers. Have a good trip.

I would park at the casino. in the parking garage. i did no troubles.

I just finished the Trail, and wanted to offer a couple suggestions regarding one of the more logistically challenging parts of the trip for me - getting to and from the Trail.

I was going to be in St. Louis anyway for other reasons, so when I decided to tack this ride onto my trip, I decided the best way was to (1) rent a bike in St. Louis (from Big Shark, $100 for the week, including helmet and lock), (2) take the Amtrak (around $30, including the bike and AAA discount) to the closest stop to Clinton, which is Warrensburg, and (3) hire a shuttle to pick me up from the depot in Warrensburg to take me to the Clinton trailhead ($45).

Things went smoothly until I arrived at the Warrensburg depot and my shuttle (which I'd booked several weeks in advance, and confirmed via email and phone) wasn't there. I called, and the guy answering said they had no record of me on the schedule for the day, so it was going to be about 3 hours before they could get there. I was a little annoyed, but at least it gave me time to rearrange my gear and find a local grocery store to stock up with a few final things before getting on the trail.

But after 3 1/2 hours, I still hadn't heard anything from them. When I called, the guy said, "Oh yeah, I was just about to look for your number. Sorry, it's probably going to be at least another 2-3 hours." Obviously I didn't wait around any longer - I found the number of a local cab company on the wall of the station, and they were there within 3 minutes. They charged the same amount ($45) for the trip to Clinton as the other guy, and the driver was also friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to talk to -- I'd highly recommend them: Central Cab in Warrensburg, 660-429-5523.

The funny thing was that the Central driver, when I told him about why half my day had already been wasted and who was responsible for it, said that they hear stories about that other company all the time from customers left abandon

Too bad about your shuttle Boston, and thanks for the info on both companies, bad and good duly noted. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip on the Katy!

The original post got cut off; here is the rest:
...they hear stories about that other company all the time from customers left abandoned. I won't go into all the stories he told me, but I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND AGAINST a company called Victory Shuttle & Taxi, based in Sedalia and owned by a guy named Jerry Grable. Victory also goes by the names "B & L", "Spirit", and "A+", among others. A company that has so many aliases indicates to me either (1) they have to keep changing because with every new entity, they quickly establish a terrible reputation for themselves, or (2) they're unlicensed, and are working some sort of tax evasion scam. Either way, it's shady behavior. I noticed that "B & L" and "Victory" are both listed in the Trip Planner section of this website, so just be careful.Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can say that the rest of the trip was awesome -- weather was mostly 70s in the days, 50s at night. Beautiful scenery, interesting history, and really friendly people. I did have to make one side trip into Columbia for a mechanical issue that couldn't be fixed on the Trail, but the guys at Tryathletics took care of it for me right away, and hardly charged anything at all. When I got to St. Louis, the only issue was how to get across the river from St. Charles back to the city, since the 370 route is no longer open to bicycles or pedestrians. Google recommended taking 374, but that was way out of the way for my somewhat tight time schedule, so I ended up just getting a ride from one of the local bike shops. The guys at the 2nd Street shop said they couldn't take me, but they called Lococo for me and set it up. Again, the people at both places were awesome, and the fee to go into town from there with the bike and gear was $20 - well worth the cost given my situation.So I guess the moral is that there are a ton of friendly, helpful people along the trail, but a few sketchy ones as well - so just be sure to do your research before

When the parking is available shown by the "P" at a trailhead such as Dutzow, can the auto be left over night?

Yes you can leave your car overnight at the park trailheads.

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Happy trails!

I searched this site for a shuttle company to take us from St. Charles to Kirkwood Station. No luck. Any suggestions?

Using the Trip Planner there are several listed for the St. Charles and St. Louis area. Are none of those still in business?

Thank you for your reply. Who is in business and who will transport a bike are both unanswered questions after visiting several of the listed shuttle service sites. The best info I found was on the Show me MO Tours Shuttle site. I hope they will tranport bikes too. There are several cab companies listed, but I'm having a hard time trusting that a cab is going to have room for one bike let alone two. Based on your experience, please let me know if I'm missing something? Thanks again!

I used a cab company out of Boonville when I had to do a shuttle during the flood two years ago. He had a bike rack, no problem transporting two bikes and a BOB trailer. Sorry, can't recall the name of the company.

Last year we stayed at a great B&B, Lococo House in St. Charles, and found that they shuttled their guests. We used a different shuttle service getting into St. Charles, but after the experience we had, we will definitely use Lococo on our next Katy trip. Check out their website and consider a stay there and arrange for their shuttle.

I used a St. Charles cab company to transport me and my bike to the Kirkwood Station. They brought a ford mini van, my bike fit inside fully assembled. It was 42.00. Worked out very well.

Good food. Good beer. Great service. I won't ride the Katy again without stopping here.

I have a 6 day trip planned from May 14-19 if anyone would like to ride along. Plan to camp each night unless the weather changes my mind.

Sedalia > Huntsdale = 57.3 miles
Huntsdale > Portland = 55.8 miles
Portland > Augusta = 49.5 miles
Augusta > Portland = 49.5 miles
Portland > Huntsdale = 55.8 miles
Huntsdale > Sedalia = 57.3 miles

I ate a pretty good breakfast at the tavern next to the market in 2008. Is it defunct?

We had a great lunch on Saturday at Terry & Kathy's Tavern in Defiance! In fact, I had the best grilled turkey burger I've ever had! Who knew you could find such a great turkey burger in a tavern? They were busy and the waitress told us she couldn't serve us outside. So we ordered at the bar and waited for the food to come out of the kitchen. Then walked it outside to sit on a picnic table. Great spot for lunch! There is alot more options on the menu than what is listed above. My friend had a BLT sandwich, others had regular burgers. The toasted buns were a great addition! We will stop here again on our next Katy Trail trip!

I'm considering staying here in late May. Is this campground still open? What are the facilities like? Do you feel it's safe?

You didn't mention which campground??

riverport bar is the best place to eat on the trail, tell tony and darlene hello. they own the bar. the campground is safer than any place you would ever camp

Do you offer shuttle from Hermann to St. Charles and what is latest pm pick up time available?

Kara, I think you will get a better response if you contact the various Shuttle providers directly by phone. There are variables that will need to be discussed before they can quote you a price, such as number in your party, number and type of bikes, day of week, time of day, etc.

Regarding bridge access: The JC bridge has a separate bike lane that does not require the cyclist to share the road with motorized traffic.

Old news.

Just wanted to let you wonderful riders know, the High Street Victorian B&B, in Boonville, is running a special for the remainder of April and through May!
15% off a one night stay, Friday or Saturday
30% off a one night stay, Sunday - Thursday
30% off two nights stay, Friday & Saturday
40% off two nights stay, Sunday - Thursday
Visit our webiste, or give us a call!
Have a great and safe ride!
Your Innkeepers, Gene & Kriss at the High Street Victorian Bed & Breakfast!

We had a great weekend of riding on the Katy Trail! Our group of 15 overnighted in Washington, MO both Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday we rode east from Dutzow to Weldon Springs and returned. We enjoyed a stop at Augusta Brewing on the way back! A perfect afternoon for a few beers and pretzels! Sunday was a little chilly, and rain was threatening, but we rode west from Dutzow to a point past Treloar. Really enjoyed the bridges! The Super 8 in Washington worked out great for our group. The rooms are not fancy, but they are clean and the rooms have refrigerators and microwaves. The continental breakfast is standard fare, but can be healthy (Raisin Bran and yogurt!). Even though we had some seasoned road riders in our group, we decided against riding across the bridge to Washington. Once you see it, you will know why! Much safer for everyone to just drive your car to the trailhead in Dutzow! Hopefully, when they have to replace that brige they will do it right and add a protected bike lane! We are looking forward to the next trip on the Katy -- we will definitely do it again!

How much do you charge for shuttle from Hermann to St. Charles in the evening and what is latest pick up time?

Was hiking the trail with a buddy. Got here in a rain storm. They were awesome and really helped us out. Good music to boot from Univibe. Definite worth a stop. Very good people. Good vibes

Thanks, Lonnie. We're glad you enjoyed your visit. Come back soon!

Do you shuttle from Hermann to St. Charles? We would leave st. charles and need service back at the end of our long day. Also what type of cost is involved?

My husband and I are going to ride the Katy over Memorial Day weekend and will end in Sedalia where we are taking Amtrak to Jeff City. Where would be the safest place to park our car for 2 nights near Jeff City? I saw someone mention Hartsburg, but I was wondering about Tebbetts trailhead also. How is the parking in Tebbetts?

Near the Jeff City bike bridge (north side) they have a big parking lot.

The lot at the North Jefferson trailhead is kind of remote and has not got good reviews. I would not leave my car there other than for an out and back for the day.

I have left my car several times at both Hartsburg and Tebbetts for several nights and never had any problems doing so.

There are more than one place in Jeff City to park your car. Like the above post says,I have heard complaints about the parking area by the North Jefferson Trail head that is on the north side of the river, and directly on the Katy Trail. I have not heard good or bad reports about the parking lot by the Jeff City bike bridge (north side)that DSD mentioned. But, I think there may be safer parking by the Amtrak Station, which is on the south side of the river. The Amtrak website shows 5 long-term parking spaces available for overnight parking. I think I used that once. It's free and in a lot that is just west of the station. It's possible the Capitol Police patrol the area (drive in the area 2-4 times a day) since it is so close to the Capitol, and there is a parking garage right there for staff that work at the Capitol. I don't know how you can confirm that or make sure there's a spot for your car. I don't see a phone number for the station. It is run by volunteers that probably are only there from 30 minutes or so before to 30 minutes after trains are scheduled. But, if you don't need to be near the train station, Hartsburg seems very safe (in the heart of the village) and the Tebbetts lot is also in the heart of "greater downtown Tebbetts" so it should be safe also. Enjoy your ride.

Everyone on this post seems to have the "Perfect Katy Bike". Lots of opinions out there, so it sounds like it would be fun to hear why yours is perfect. I'd love to hear about your "Perfect Katy bike" and why it is so perfect for your Katy experience.

My perfect Katy bike is a hardtail aluminum mountain bike with a rigid steel fork. To that I added drop handlbars and 8 speed Sora road bike shifters (Shimano's most reliable combo shifter). It has a high quality 26" sealed bearing wheelset and 1.5" wide semi-slick Specialized Nimbus flak jacket tires that have large grooves in the tread pattern, but pick up very little dirt, and have no place for the little limestone shards to get stuck in the tread. I run them at about 60# for smooth, but fast riding. There is also a good rear rack for my panniers.

I started out with this bike because it was either that or the road bike. I have since come to realize that it is the perfect Katy bike for me. The 26's a) have never gone flat, b) give me great standover height (important when rack and panniers are full of camping gear), c) gives me a lower profile in the wind, d) are lighter than 29er or even touring wheel/tires. New this year is fenders: We'll see how that works out.

I've thought about touring bikes, and Cyclocross bikes, but what I have is the perfect Katy bike (for me). What makes your bike exactly what you need?

My dream bike would be a Titanum mountain bike frame with 700c wheels. Shimano XTR drivetrain and lightweight componets all around. It would probably cost around 4-5 G when complete. But my budget for my rail trail bike was only about a $1000 so I purchased a Gary Fisher Montaire and made a few modifications. New seat, riser bar, cyclo-cross tires and a rear cargo rack. I absolutely love this bike !

Have two bikes that are perfect for the Katy Trail. If I plan to ride 20, 30, 40 or so miles my perfect bike is a ten year old Raleigh hybrid, love that bike! But if going longer distances and loaded for camping, it's the Fuji Touring, love that bike too.

But really, in my opinion, "the perfect" bike for the Katy is the one you're riding!

Having difficulty contacting someone at the MO State fair grounds for camping reservation on May 27 any ideas?

I wouldn't worry about reservations. It is a big area and north of the National Guard Armory. Exit at the Katy West Trail head, turn left on the road for a few hundred yards+/-, then enter the campground. If you set your tent at the lower part of the hill, the restrooms are the red and white buildings through the gate. Someone will collect $10 for camping.

We're planning to go West to East. Where is the train station on the east end of the trail? How far west (on the trail) will it take us?

The site has great Amtrak linked from the home page: http://www.bikekatytrail.com/amtrak-katy-trail.aspx. Good luck on your trip!

Because of my love of the Katy, I did an out and back on the 35 mile Frisco Highline Trail (FHT)from Springfield, Mo to Bolivar, Mo and back today. It was nice. Parts of it are a little rough, but if you are looking for a change, try it. Katy is still my #1.

I'm glad you were able to experience the FHT. I ride the paved section and part of the gravel quite often. I have only ridden the entire trail once. You are indeed lucky to ride the Katy as much as you do. I love that trail. BTW, I see alot of your posts. Thanks for all of the information you provide folks.

Happy trails!!

I ride the Frisco almost every Saturday and Sunday and love the rougher up section on my mountain bike. Will be spending a week on the Katy in May and my wife and I will be up for the Pedaler's Jamboree over Memorial day weekend.

Does anyone have any recommendations on B&Bs in Jefferson City, Herman, and Augusta? I'd love for them to have a laundry room as we'll be packing light.

In Jefferson City the Briar Rose inn on Dunklin St. and The Cliff Manor which I think is on Cliff St. get very good reviews on this site. I live in Jefferson City so I have never stayed ar either, but I have good reports on both. I don't know about laundry facilities.

Rendleman Home at Bluffton has w/d in camping shower house and will let you run a load or throw something in with a load of clothers. Bluffton is about 10 miles west of Hermann. B&B and camping available.

Does anyone know if the ride is filled yet? They take 300 right?

I'm sorry that no one has commented on your post. I don't know the answer. You might check with the DNR. I know that I'm signed up and looking forward to it.

Interested in doing the entire trail. Any suggestions on where to leave your car in Clinton & Machens?

We've ridden the trail a number of times and have found that leaving a car at the Clinton rec center worked very well. They ask you to leave a vehicle plate number so that they can keep track of folks. Nice to have a shower at the end of the trip too if you get a shuttle and start at the east end.

Previous post says park at the Rec Center in Clnton: I know it as the Community Center. In any case, it's only a block or so from the trailhead and I've found it to be safe. Machens really doesn't have an easy way or place to park your car. If you want to park east and go west, in St. Charles on the river, there is a Lewis and Clark museum on the river with a big parking lot there, and I've left my car there several times and not had any problem. From there, you can do an out and back to Machens just to say you did the whole trail. You should also consider riding the train part of the way to or coming home from your destination. Techinically "Downhill" is west to easy, but it really doesn't matter much because the whole thing is flat--that can be negated by winds, but generally, they are from the southwest: If I am only going one way, I prefer to go west to east, and usually park in Clinton, and ride the train back to Sedalia so I can enjoy the rough and rugged (not really, just not very many people) west side of the trail.

Thank you for your posts and help.

had a good night of camping. Good view of river. Hot showers. Store had limited resources but it was enough.

Have to see it to believe it. Definitely interesting and worth a stop for a drink. Relax. It's an experience.

had a great night here even though we called at the very last minute. Good place to rest up after a long day of hiking.