Katy Trail Forum

So far in the last 6 months we've done the Creeper Trail, the New River Trail, The Great Alleghany Passage, the Greenbriar, the Silver Comet, and the Chief Ladiga---on all these trails we have hammocked along the way.
So for those who've actually ridden the Katy what is the potential for hammocking?
Hammocking does not necessarily imply 'stealth' camping-I've even hung between telephone pole and its guy wire in an established campground before.
Our group size is growing daily and we will either do this ride in late April or first of June and we have a potential group size of 12-15 riders, ALL who use hammocks!
What I normally do is use Google maps and scour the intended riding zone for national forests or any area with lots of trees.
So in a general way do previous riders remember large areas of trees along the way--yes even private land owners often will let us 'hang' for money!
Any clues muchly appreciated!

what's the weight and do you have rain protection?

Good timing! When we returned from a ride yesterday we saw someone in a hammock at the JC trailhead. He was suspended between two of the braces on the trailhead shelter.

Don't want to highjack your question or the discussion, but VERY curious as to your experiences and any information/opinions you would like to share about the other trails that you mention. I have the chance to ride 50-100 mile rides on the KATY several times a year and am looking for other adventures. C&O/Allegheny is on my list for 2012, but again, always interested in feedback/experiences of others. Thanks.

Hammocked our way through in June. Between two trees in city park Green Ridge, with at Round House campground. The supports in the park shelter in Marthasville are perfect width. But too many people in your group for the places we went - even the Campground didn't have that many places ! Doubt that you will want to venture out to non-established spot because most of the land adjacent to the trail is low and/or swamp. Remember you are following the river!

howardhughesblues----
the weight of my hammock? Its a Warbonnet Blackbird so around 17 ounces
the weight of my bike? Fargo in Ti, 23 pounds 8 ounces
the weight of me? !! HA! well 3 months ago I was 204, now I'm 189---thanks to biking a lot and eating veggies veggies veggies
Rain protection? For the hammock...Yes I carry a separate fly. It is in cuben fiber, made by hammockgear dot com. It weights 5.6 ounces.
Rain protection for me? Yes, I actually use a Packa made also in cuben fiber and about the same weight as my tarp...it has a long tail making it suitable for biking.

Anonymous-- questions about the other trails...just ask and I'll spill the beans!
I will say my favorite overall so far was the Greenbriar; you really feel remote--NO cell service for 80 miles! The Gov. shuts down all radio in the area--a huge monitoring tower is there, some kind of listening post. The campsites on the Greenbriar were abs. perfect-always by the water, set up with a shelter (kinda like the ones on the Appalachian Trail), water pumps and the river close by. When we did the Greenbriar we saw only 6 other cyclists during the 3 day ride.
For lots of info you can go to youtube and search for MedicineMan4040. I make vids of my trips and you can gleen some info there....and/or ask here :)
Dbk-- perfect response! So it is possible. I've hung my hammock over water (Everglades NP) before so swampy is a non issue. Our current committed size is 5 riders but that is growing almost weekly. Hammockers are used to dispering and being creative....but did anyone notice any large or I should say LARGE tracks of treed land?
On trips like this I've learned to carry a tent too. Just picked up a cuben tent, double wall that weighs 17 ounces; it however uses hiking poles so a work around on that will be needed.
Thanks again everybody for all the responses.

MedicineMan, Click on the trip planner link abouve and select camping. That will show you a couple of Conservation Areas near Rocheport and Hartsburg that allow camping. The camping area in Klondike Park near Augusta is pretty wooded also.

MedicineMan, Its not legal to camp along the trail but with some planning you should'nt have much of a problem finding a campground. It may spread your group out a little finding adequate trees/poles to hang from.

I've riden all the trails you listed except the Greenbriar and also would like more info on that trail. Enjoy the Katy ! Its best rail in the US because of many reasons. Its well maintained, frequent food & lodging, nice scenery, the use of Amtrak, and most of all the people of MO are super friendly and helpful.

Paulie

More awesome responses!
OK considering what has been suggested that leaves the area of Rhineland/Herman/Bluffton for 'hanging' sites and also on the other end Sedalia and Greenbridge!
Speaking of Sedalia, if right in my thinking Amtrak runs there....now how would one get to the actual trail terminus in Clinton?

OK, the Greenbriar. Since you've done the Alleghany Passage you know that if leaving Maryland (which we did) you'll have a 21 mile climb to the highest point. Like most RTTs (rails to trails) it's gradual but still uphill and with camping kit on the bike for us--needless to say slept well that night making it to a stealth hanging spot about 2 miles shy of the top (we didn't get started until 5ish.....There are NO such climbs on the Greenbriar. Comparing and contrasting; on the GAP you'll find many many little towns for food/lodging/repair...on the Greenbriar I only recall one town in the middle (nice bike/coffee shop run by a former distance cyclist/racer) ~she even had a 29 inch tube~. As mentioned in the previous post to ME the Greenbriar was just simply beautiful in scenary and in tread=what my ties actually ride on. Oh, I did say that the Greenbriar has shelters as well as campsites/fire rings/horse tethers (for lack of the real term) BUT that was only in one county (the trail is contained in two counties)...the other county I suppose voted no shelters.
Our challenge on the Greenbriar was keeping our nerve with the shuttle driver--kinda good ol boy types in a huge crew cab pickup. They actually work for the ski slopes in the area and shuttle for extra sheckles...no racks just toss the bikes in the back and pray (silently)...a long shuttle too.
We also had shuttle problems in not being able to find one for the Silver Comet/Chief Ladiga---so just drove two cars down and self shuttled.
LUCK-so far we've ridden 480ish miles since May and not a drop of rain. I bet we won't be so lucky in 5 days of riding the Katy!

Off Topic...I loved the C&O and GAP (including a side trip to Falling Water, a dream come true!).

Hey Medicaneman, I really enjoyed your utube channel. Makes me want to join your group when you ride the Katy. I'm WAY overdue for a Katy fix. I've been to many of the same places in your videos, brought back some good memories. Also I liked you hammock/tarp system. Good way to stay dry on a raining night. Thanks for sharing and happy trails,

Paulie

Just fyi, a ranger at Klondike told me that hammocks are not permitted there.

Thanks for the positives on my feeble youtube attempts!
OK, mental note-no hammocking at Klondike.
Yes Fallingwater is a dream-but NO photography allowed inside.
This past weekend we lived out of kayaks on Lake Marion--a great experience BUT while down there studied the Palmetto Trail for a near future ride when its nothing but snow and ice here. Thinking first of December and wetting our Palmetto appetites by doing the 47 miles 'passage' in the Francis Marion Nat.Forest.
Since I last posted my Fargo has lost some more weight and is down to 22.78 pounds-not bad for a 29er...if I could just divorced myself from the Brooks saddle I could save more :(
If/when we do the Palmetto let me know if you want feedback since this is a Katy Trail forum.

It may be too cold to wet your appetite in December.

read your article so you have also riddent the creeper trail. i got the chance to ride it once. absolutely loved it. had 3 flats from whitetop to damascus. had to walk the last 3 miles. well worth it though. had a blast. good luck on your ride. sounds like fun.

Festus- at least those last 3 miles are flat! The Creeper Trail is visually the most stunning of all the rail-trails I've done; alas it is very close to me and we take it for granted.
For those interested know that this can be a free roll ride in that there are many bicycle shuttlers in Damascus who will take you to White Top (second highest peak in Virginia) and you literally roll down crossing many high trestles (worthy in their own right for inspection). Outside of Damascus you will also be rolling/riding on the Appalachian Trail for a short period-both these trails share common footpath/bike path for a while. If interested in the Appalachian Trail (I've completed 1716 miles of it), Damascus is home to the annual Trail Days so many venues could be had in one trip.
Sorry about your flats!

no problem on the flats. stuff happens. had some cheap tubes in the tires. put thicker tubes in there. no problems since. we stayed in damascus when i rode the trail. beautiful town. actually walked part of the appalachian trail southbound for a mile or so out of town, and again when it met the creeper trail. hope to hike the entire appalachian trail before i die. do the entire katy also.

The Katy is getting closer and closer. I've been active lately but mostly backpacking in Great Smoky Mtn NP and in the Big South Fork but I'm getting in my 2-3 bike rides each week...that will change quickly once real winter gets here and I hate trainers!
One of the women going with us is now up to 18miles/day on a typical road bike so by late spring she should have no problem.
On the camping/hammocking plans we've decided to carry hammocks for when we can and carry VISA for the times we cannot!
I've been to Pompey's Pillar out west and jumped on the Katy opportunity because of Lewis and Clarke....if any here are fans of the Expedition and know of spots along the Katy that a huge admirer of the Lewis and Clarke team should not miss please let me know.

You didn't mention with your list of trails the Cowboy Trail in Nebraska. (www.bikecowboytrail.com) Not used much but a good trail. Doesn't have the amenities that the Katy does. You have to ride the middle of the trail and try to avoid the "Texas goathead sandbur." I got one in my Burley trailer tire. You could probably hammock there several places.

MedicineMan, be sure to see the statues and tribute to Lewis & Clarke at the NE corner of the capitol in Jeff City. There are also several/many comemorative plaques along the trail with info on their expedition.

Attn: Medicine Man. Missouri has alot of Lewis and Clark spots. In 2004 my wife conducted a L & c festival in Hartsburg and had many reenactors here. Fort Osage near KC is a replica of a fort Clark helped build after the expedition returned home. In St Charles there is a Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery that created the three boats of L & C expedition and they followed the trip the entire way to the Pacific. Hartsburg has a large rock that Clark mentioned in his journels and York gathered watercress near here. Jefferson City has the best statues we have seen, just east of the Missouri capital. Welcome to L & C country.

Fantastic replies! Thanks! All serve to fuel the anticipation between now and the beginning of the ride.
My last L/C experience was making it to Fort Klatsop for the 200th aniversay....I think biking in their footsteps will be even better :)

Weather is going to be rather nice for this time of the year, We are going to ride to Hartsburg from North Jefferson leaving around 1:30 if anyone cares to join us should be back by 4:30

Wow. Wish I lived closer, I would be there in hurry. Just thinking about how nice it would be to take a cruise on the KATY today. Enjoy!

I've searched in vain at the Jeff City trail head for directions to the new pedestrian bridge over the MO river. Just a small (but friendly) dig at the state for building it, but not putting directions to it on their trail head. That's beauracracy!

Seriously, though, has anyone biked from the trail head to the new bridge and what route did you use?

During early October, we rode the KATY from east to west and stayed a night in Jefferson City. We followed the trail that leads from the KATY towards the river. There were arrows painted on the ground as well as a couple of signs along the way that led to the bridge. I remember we rode briefly on a road that went by a baseball practice field. What an awesome structure to accomodate bikes and walkers! Years ago, we had to pay for a taxi shuttle so this bridge was such a treat! (I tend to travel by 6th sense and have found that if you trust your instinct, it serves you well.)

The Cliff Manor B&B has directions on their website. Try http://www.cliffmanor.com/katy-trail.htm

SIgns and arrows on the road are posted everywhere if not just look up and view the bridge and I think you can figure it out.

Get off the trail on the Jeff city trail spur. Ride the spur for awhile and then at 4th St. close to the end of the spur by the campground turn right on 4th st. going west. There are signs as the others have said. Take 4th st. across Cedar City Dr first then across Mokane Rd continuing west. Then theres a sign to turn left on Cottonwood/Walnut St. It turns into Walnut which you stay on awhile and you will see the river and parking lot and the fine square pedestrian bridge over the river. I had to find it to get to a hotel by the capital by bike. But for these directions I found on Google Earth. Happy riding.

Is it just a restaurant? The signs they put on the trail promise a good lunch or dinner, but I've checked Yelp and Urbanspoon and they aren't on there. I don't eat at a place if I can't check out there menu on Yelp/Urbanspoon first.

You are kidding right? Yelp and Urbanspoon, come on you must be under 25 or haven't got out much in your life? Right? If you are a katy biker you must know the places along the trail for some have websites but most are good places that bring in good people by word of mouth and this forum. Take a chance in life and try something not found on the internet. It could change your life. Really.

Back in the Pilgram days, those poor folks bout starved to death. With the internet, fat people were conceived. I almost starved until just a few years ago without having yelp or urbanspoon. Now I'm fat and sassy!

The Claysville Store has been written up a few times in regional mags and papers. It's a fried-chicken place open fairly short hours on the weekends: evening dinner on Saturday and lunch-dinner on Sunday.

Their food is reportedly very good, esp their biscuits and desserts. A few Katy users have eaten there by walking-in. However, because the place depends on several locals, they like reservations ahead of time, if possible.

You can find their hours on the interactive map above by first clicking on Hartsburg, and then clicking on Claysville in that upper right corner.

I haven't ate there, so, I don't know much about it, but, it appears to be on urbanspoon: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/116/1480929/restaurant/Columbia/Claysville-Store-Hartsburg

It's also talked about here on the site: http://www.bikekatytrail.com/claysville.aspx

Happy peddling!

If you are an Urbanspoon or Yelp user, wouldn't you want to be the first to review a new spot? Take a chance.

Thanks Hess! I can't believe that I missed the review on Urbanspoon and it's quite popular with 86% liking the food! I hope to try it soon. To the first replier: you don't have an iphone, do you?

Posted from my ipad 2

KTB, I have an iPhone, iPad and mac air. Life is good outside the matrix sometimes. Ask Neo.

You call yourself Katy trail biker, I suggest you do not ride the Katy trail and save yourself the agony of no phone service or internet.

What is it about the internet that brings out the troll in people? If the original poster doesn't want to eat at a place he can't find on yelp or urban spooon why the hell do I care. Yeah...they may be miising some opporitunities but it's no skin off my azz. To each their own.......

Your right KTB and Jim, even though I would have tried the place without checking the web and 86% agreed on the food site, it has good food, an I do have direct access to those sites but not on the trail, I will be more tolerant. How about moving the OWS people to the katy trail? But I digress.
Keep on riding the trail.

What happened to this bar in Steedman? New owner, closed forever?

privv boo kok 445

The hillbillies around Bernheimer(MM 88) and Gore(MM 94) that's who. I was chased coming and going through that area last week. The dogs at Gore even ran on the trail, but were relatively small. The dog at Bernheimer was bigger and seemed a lot more vicious, but at least he kept off the trail. I was glad I was on a bike, so I was a little more of an elusive target. If you are hiking through this area, I would be "prepared" to deal with these animals if you know what I mean.

Stevo, during your rides in StL you have dogs too not on leashes right? No hillbillies live on or around the trail. Food tossed away, different sounds and other distractions works pretty well the dogs and other animals. Stay safe (and thirsty) my friend.

No problem, not sure which planet you just came here from. However, Missouri, like a lot of other states, has an “adequate control” law for animals (Missouri. 578.012 RSMo) . It is for the protection of animals as well as the rest of the population. The dogs I encountered at Gore and Bernheimer, both coming and going, on two different days, I can assure you were not "adequately controlled", thus their owners, hillbilly or not, are potentially criminally liable for their actions. Throwing food, different distractions, etc. as you suggested is for fools with these animals.

Fortunately I've never had a problem with dogs on the trail, even around Bernheimer and Gore, but I do carry some pepper spray that I can grab quickly if needed. I also carry a small air horn that some have said will scare a dog off long enough to get away.

So, don't be a fool. When you encounter dogs on the trail do not try to create a distraction to escape. Do however, use your best city slicker voice and quote Missouri. 578.012 RSMo to the approaching animals, and then perhaps also let them know that their owner is at this very moment being potentially criminally liable for their actions. Problem solved. Thanks stevo!

Stevo, thanks for trying to alert trail users to the dog problem around Bernheimer and Gore. I find it helpful to know there's a problem in an area where I will be biking. Like Murph I carry pepper spray to deal with problems. Somehow I've gotten the impression in the past that DNR staff have helped deal with problem dogs on the trail in the past.

I think he'd have more credibility if he didn't start every comment with an insult. That kind of negative start puts a lot of doubt in my mind about everything said after.

So to play it safe, I will be pedaling like crazy when a dog chases me and when I hear banjo music! Thanks for the headsup Stevo.

The dogs at Bernheimer and at Gore have been trail regulars for a long time. No big deal. But if your attitude toward the people that live along the trail is they are "hillbillies" maybe the trail around Forest Park would be more suitable.

Looks like Stevo the dogs must have sensed your attitude before we did. Forest Park or that Edwardsville trail has some nice neighborhoods as mentioned.

Restrooms along the trail with running water have been winterized and are closed for the season.

When are the facilities re-opened in the Spring?

April 1st. Think I read that somewhere.

Good to see the porta-potty types are still open and the Jefferson City trailhead (the city one, not the state) is still open with running water.

Remember, biking with your bladder full is not good for your blood pressure or kidneys, so...

Anonymous, it is good to use the facilities as much as possible but the woods or high weeds may be your only relief sometimes especially for your blood pressure or kidneys.