Katy Trail Forum

I am looking to plan a romantic/birthday retreat for a female I just met. I was wondering if anybody has any ideas or recommendations to try. I was thinking of a bike ride, winery, and maybe a bed & breakfast. What are some great scenery places to start and end on the trail? First time on the Katy trail. Thanks!

Rocheport. 2-miles off I-70.

The KT thru Rocheport is my favorite part of the trail. We've stayed at the School House B&B in Rocheport twice and I highly recommend it. We ate at the Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport on 6/8 and it was very good (a little expensive). I believe you can also rent bikes in Rocheport.

I agree with Todd - Schoolhouse B&B, ride the trail, end up with dinner that night at Les B. bistro, or if want a bit more casual, do the winery A Frame that is a steep hike up off the trail.

Where would a good spot to start if I wanted to end up in rocheport?

All depends on how long you want to ride. I personally think the 25 miles from Hartsburg to Rocheport are some of the prettiest 25 miles of the Trail. It's about 12-15 miles from Boonville to Rocheport as I recall if you want to come from the west.

Or would it be smart to start in rocheport and ride down the path then head back to rocheport to eat? Are these places good for 23ish year olds?

Columbia to Rocheport is a good 20 mile ride. You can park in the parking garage just east of the Flat Branch trailhead. The spur to the Katy is a pretty ride. Have stayed at the Schoolhouse and it is mediocre at best. The rooms are small for the price. I wouldn't plan a romantic retreat there having stayed there. Hermann is a good option. Stay at Herman Hill or Hermanoff for a first class romantic retreat. Stonehill has a good tour as well as wine and restaurant. Hermanoff has a nice patio to enjoy music and wine. Hermann to Bluffton is a good ride along some pretty bluffs. For a nice side trip drive south west of Hermann and ride the ferry across the Gasconnade to the restaurant. The same folks run the Rivers Edge in Hermann.

I hope I am not too late to vote for you to go to Rochport and stay at the SchoolHouse B & B. Ass others have noted the trail in that are is one of the most beautiful. I think the combination of the river,bluffs, looking out for the faint traces of indian paintings on the bluff all make this area memorable. Eat at Les Bougios (sp?) Winery. Also last year and I think the year before I was in Rochport when a local band played at the General Store. It was a wonderful way to end the evening. There is also a conservation area with a walking path that offered another nice thing to do.

But really, there's so many great places on the trail other than Rochport - Hatsburg, there's been great reviews of I think a B &B cabin - Monette's Cabin near Marthasville, I've stayed at The Little House B & B in Marthasville (but we had a car and could get to places to eat). At The Little House you have the whole house to yourself.

Have a great time whatever you end up doing.

Kathy.....I'm surprised you wouldn't at least mention JC as a possibility. Staying at one of the JC B&Bs and taking an evening stroll around the Capitol grounds and the Governor's Garden can be very romantic.

You are so right! My bad.

The Briar Rose and Cliff House get great reviews on here. Have a lovely dinner at O'Donohue's, or Prison Brews, enjoy live music at The Mission or experience our great Irish Pub, Paddy Malone's, do a prison tour, see the remarkable art in the Capitol.

I enjoy the Katy Trail in either direction from Jeff City. Well, really there is no part of the Katy Trail that I don't enjoy. It's all good!

Try the hermann motel. If she is still with you at dawn, keep her. She is a person of loyalty, adventure, endurance and flexibility. Plus it will give stories to share with the grandkids - guaranteed!

Anonymous, you are obviously joking. I would not wish that place on my ex-wife (well, maybe I would).

Hermann is nice town, but the trail, other than around the Treloar area, is not as interesting as the Rocheport/Jeff City section, in my opinion.

My husband and I biked end to end last summer. Schoolhouse Inn in Rocheport and Apple Gate in in Augusta were the most romantic places that we stayed. Both had the best breakfasts as well. Personally, I think the trail heading east from Rocheport is the best part of the trail. If you go to Rocheport, just know that the town is pretty much closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. At the Apple Gate Inn, we stayed ina room that had a outside entrance via a spiral staircase ... it was very nice. You also get to sign the wall in the breakfast room in the morning. Of course, where you go may depend on the flooding.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the WORLD-CLASS Yates House B&B!!! We have stayed there 2 times and it is the most immaculate, BEAUTIFUL B & B we have EVER stayed at! And the breakfast is to DIE FOR!!! She is a world-class chef and you will NOT be disappointed; trust me! Also, the trail heading east as one person mentioned is the most beautiful part of the Katy Trail. I would however, check with the trail conditions before planning on a ride because it can flood there very easily because the river is so close. But it is definitely one of the highlights of the Katy Trail!!! Also, we have eaten at the Les Bourgeaus several times and it is wonderful. The view of the Missouri River at sunset is outstanding. However, when we plan to return we are heading to Abigail's in Rocheport for a nice dinner; she has GREAT reviews! And yes, there is a nice bike shop to rent bikes right there on the trail. Pet the dog! He is the sweetest!!!!

Sorry to spoil anyone's holiday weekend ride plans, but as of Saturday morning 7/2, we have:

- Trail is flooded between Rocheport and New Franklin. Detour instructions posted at both trailheads.

- Trail is flooded between Hartsburg and McBaine. There is no good detour.

- The trail has been opened to local vehicle traffic between miles 162.7 and 163.4 (Coopers landing/Easley area), due to flooding of other roads. Beware of cars.

- Trail is flooded between St Charles and Machens. There is no good detour.

Wish I had better news, but I guess we'll just have to wait it out.

Reminds me of an old Johnny Cash tune: "How high's the water mama? Five feet high and risin'... eight feet high and risin'... ten feet high and risin'..."

Do you think some of these sections will reopen by Tuesday? We're riding from Sedalia to St.Charles beginning July 4th. What do think would be the best alternative plan if no detour available? Shuttle? or just wait it out?

You should be able to make it to McBaine(MM 169) as the road detour at Rocheport is fairly easy. From McBaine, I'm not sure about the trail condition into Hartsburg(MM 154). However, beyond that, you should be able to make it to St. Charles(MM 40) as the flooding in the St. Charles area is east of St. Charles towards Machens.

We rode from Rocheport to JC today. At Wilton, We took S River Rd/River Rd to Bush Landing Rd to get around the flooding and into Hartsburg. It added 1 mile to the ride and the gravel didn't rattle our teeth too much.

Thanks Paul for the detour route into Hartsburg. My sister and I are riding west-east staring 7-6 and are due to ride through that area on 7-8.I'm keeping my fingers crossed there are no more closures. Will we be missing Easerly and the boathedge?

Wilton is East of Easley. I don't know what a boathedge is.

Boathenge is just west of Coopers Landing and Easley. I could be wrong about this, things change, but I believe Friday or Saturday was to be the high water mark for this area.

Ah, boatheNge. Alla Stonehenge. Since the boats are in a line instead of a ring, the first thing that came to mind was the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.

Just got back from riding JC to the MKT spur into Columbia. There was no water over the trail but it was getting close just east of Wilton. DNR has the trail closed with orange plastic fencing at a few of the crossings but we just went around them. There is a tree down over the trail about 1/2 mile west of Hartsburg. You can portage around it fairly easily.

What are the odds of the trail being open and cleaned up from flood by mid August? We have trip scheduled from Sedalia to St. Charles.

Wrong- St. Charles to Machens is OPEN. There are two small sections that are underwater. If you continue on the levy where the construction fencing blocks the lower route, it is a 3/4 of a mile detour around the black hole. The levy detour takes a bit more effort as it is double track with short thick grass in some sections. I scouted it on July 4th. There is no signs saying you cant use the levy route.

Hey Tony, got any signs on your house saying I can't use the kitchen sink for a urinal? It's not mine and it's not the intended use, but it seems OK by your logic.
http://www.greatrivers.info/DocumentStore/ecd7b9c422494659a1cdfac8e72728aa/PD%20On%20KATY%20Trail%20no%20quick%20fix%20for%20unfinished%20miles%2009.25.05.pdf

My sister and I rode through the Wilton-Hartsburg section at about 9am on Tuesday July 5th. We did go around the closure signs but the trail is completely open between the two trailheads. The water is right at the path's edge just east of Wilton and the ground is pretty damp for about a mile. Other than that, the path is totally fine and the downed tree near Hartsburg has been removed.

I was planning a 3 day ride from Clinton to Hartsburg starting Friday morning. Does anyone know if the section section from New Franklin to Hartsburg has opened up from the flooding. The Mo. State website says the only section closed is at mm 178 to 181.

I rode through the flood between st.charles and machens on Sunday. It was half way up my wheels, but only my feet got wet. Just dodge the floating logs and you're good to go.

The Amtrak guide says long-term parking is free but I wonder if it's wise, say for five days? Any suggestions other than using a motel or B&B?

Of course bad things can happen anywhere, but I don't hesitate to park there and have never had a problem. Then again, I'm not parking a Lexus with $100 bills on the dash and a $2000 laptop on the front seat either.

There's a dead buck by the trail about a mile west of Klondike Park. Looks like it was killed and half-eaten last night. Pretty gross.

Yep, still there, still gross!

I am looking to go on a short ride (7-20ish, not really sure how much we can handle) and was wondering what to bring, if anything, on the trip? I was thinking of a little backpack with water, granola bars, and sun screen. Is it necessary to bring water or are there spots along the way? Random Question...are there any spots to swim along the path...preferably around Rocheport?

Bring sunscreen and water for sure. Depending on where you are riding you may be able to buy lunch, but it's always good to have a snack with you.

There are water fountains at most of the trailheads, but you really need to carry water with you. You'll understand when you have a breakdown 4 miles from the trailhead and have to walk back.

The river is high, so I wouldn't plan to get in the water.

You might want a small bottle of Gatorade, too, if it is hot. You need to keep electrolytes replaced as well as water. I would choose bars that have some good protein in them -- I like Clif bars. Bring your cell phone (although tower can be spotty), a couple spare tubes and a tire pump (I carry a CO2 pump with CO2 cartridges -- fairly inexpensive and easy to carry), your camera, sunscreen, and some money for treats along the way!. Also, use this site to help plan your trip -- find out where there will be water, food, etc along your route. No place to swim along the Trail -- the river is up and flooding and fast, dangerous water.

Have fun!

A tip for those of you looking for new clothing. Always buy extra loose because most things will last several seasons. During that time they will shrink, and you won't. It almost never works the other way around.

Heh -- so true, so true. ;-)

At the end of May/beginning of June, I made a trip from Dutzow to Clinton and back to Dutzow. I made a video of my trip, which can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96WZ4K1lTkQ
Some of the riding video is a little bouncy, but you get a feel for the trip and the trail from it all, I hope.

Good job. Neat watching the interface with your dad. Memory that you two will have forever.

Thanks Rona and Leo for wonderful accomodations and great conversation. Everything was lovely and just what we needed after riding the trail. I wish we had more time to enjoy the place before they shuttled us back to our vehicle but we will definitely be visiting again1

My family and I (mom, dad, 14-year old son, 9 year old daughter) are looking for a bike trip for over Thanksgiving week. What would biking the trail be like in late November be like? Would businesses and campgrounds be open? Would the weather be awful? Just trying to find out a realistic expectation for the Katy Trail. Should we make the trip at this time? Or should we plan to bike the trail during another season?

Susie, if you go to the home page of this site I believe there is a FAQ section that has a question about the best time to bike the trail. I went to a link on there to the average temperature and it looked like in Nov. the average is 44 degress. For me, that's a bit on the cool side for a bike ride. Living in Central Missouri I can tell you that at Thanksgiving is might be ok, or it might be wet and miserable, cold, yukky, unpleasant. Also, I believe DNR turns off the water at the trailheads and locks the bathrooms at the end of the season. I could not find where the date for that is given, but if I recall it is 11/1. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. I think most businesses will be shut down for the season at Thanksgiving.

If it were me, with my two kids (who are grown now, but I have vivid nightmares I mean memories of their teen years) I would not try biking the Katy Trail at Thanksgiving with them.

Find out when DNR turns off the water, etc. Also, I believe that October is a beautiful time of year with the fall colors. There are pleasant temperatures in October. I suspect most of the businesses are still operating during that period.

I do hope you can scheduled a ride on the Katy trail with your kids. They will remember it for the rest of their lives.

Missouri weather is generally cold in late November. As it was said, the average is about 44 degrees, that goes higher and goes lower. On the day I went in that month, the low temperature was about 38 with a high of about 50, and that was one of the better days. I didn't have to be as bundled up that day as I would have some others, but cold weather riding is still something that needs getting used to and will be a stressor on those that aren't used to it.

There's also the potential of cold rain, snow, and ice. Indeed, the state facilities will not be available (they close Nov 1. and open Apr 1) and most of the seasonal businesses will be closed as well.

Then if you're from the Austin in Texas, remember that plants tend to go dormant (as well as a lot of the wild life) when the temperatures get around freezing for a good while, so you will see a lot different Katy trail in November than you would see in the warmer months. I have a picture that is roughly equivalent to the one on the front page (same general location) that looks much different for the differences in plants and the general effect cold has on things.

For planning a time, you would probably have luck considering what you are willing to see, what your goals are for the trip, and what the group (overall) is willing to endure. I definitely recommend going sometime, though.

I often joke it snows in MO on Thanksgiving but not Xmas. Don't let that discourage you. We regularly ride into Oct. However, as with all Katy trips plan well. After a long days ride, there's nothing worse than a closed restaurant or a few stops to find a hotel.

You also might check weather.com for avg temps and winds for that time of year and make sure that fits your comfort level.

A very friendly place. We were fortunate to catch a nice live band too.

Awesome - A friendly place in Rocheport sounds great. I will definitely give it a try next time. (In several trips through Rocheport, I have not found the Trailside Cafe to be particularly friendly.)

Was there on June 14 and ordered the new KATY jersey. Got it the other day - Nice, very Nice! Exceeded all expectations!
Thanks so much for your efforts!

Thank you so much for your comments. We really tried hard on the new Katy Trail jerseys this year. We used all the original Katy Railroad colors, put in the panel with the Rails to Trails Hall of Fame and added the Machens extension. It is pretty popular item right and selling daily.

Sound great. Are they available on-line or via mail order?

Got mine in yellow from Linda. I just called her and gave her my credit card and mailing info. It arrived in the mail sooner that I thought. Really like it.

You can go to www.sedaliakatydepot.com click on the on-line store or call 660-826-2932 either way will work.

We stayed at the Yates House solely because they had the last room in town. Personally, I'm not into B&Bs. However, I must give them credit for their hospitality and out of this world breakfast.