Katy Trail Forum

I am planning to sign up for an organized family bike tour from St. Charles to Sedalia, June 25-July 1(traveling with two kids, 7 and 13). I got concerned about the potential flooding. Can anyone comment on whether the flooding is a real threat to the trail at this point? Thanks!

On 6-8-11, the news stated that major flooding would be at Saint Charles on the Missouri River. So, there might be parts of the trail affected. Historically, the MKT railroad had many problems with flooding on the railbed and had to rebuild several times in it's history. That's why they abandoned the railway. So, there are a few areas that probably will be flooded over, as they are right on the river and have a history of doing so when the water is high.

I should have said major flooding in Saint Charles within one week of today. So, by June 15th, major flooding. Sorry for the mistake in my first post.

If you click on "trail advisories..." on this site's homepage, then "caution advised...", there is good information on flooding conditions on the path and predictions for possible flood conditions on the path.

The organizers of the KATY Trail ride won't let you get wet. In years past they have bussed riders around unsafe or flooded parts of the trail. I believe we have had word that they will probably do so from Rocheport to Hartsburg. Its still a great experience.

Does anyone know how high the water has to get to stop the amtrak train? I am going to ride the train Saturday 6/18/11 to Sedalia from Kansas City and ride the trail east from there if I can I may have to ride the roads part of the way.

I don't think Amtrak gets anywhere close to river before Sedalia.

Yes I know the the Amtrak track are ok up to Sedalia but if the tracks on down by the water flood the train will stop and and I will not be able to get back from St. Louis

Greg, you can look at NOAA's projections for the Missouri river levels for early next week and they are showing no flooding for any parts of the Katy Trail. If the trail is not flooded, then the Amtrak tracks on the south side of the river are not going to be flooded either(as they are a good 5 feet higher than the Katy Trail). However, always good to have a plan B when traveling on the Katy trail and there are a lot of shuttle services out there that will take you back to KC if Amtrack can't.

Thank you for all the help

I read in a biking book that you can wrap a tube around your bike seat, partially inflate it, and it will add extra cush....anyone ever tried this?

We thought about it but think it is pretty funny but I bet it would work.

Extra padding is good. But you might want to invest in a better seat prior to the trip. Also, bike shorts are a huge plus as they reduce the chance of rash and chafing.

i have read about the same thing numerous times. sounds like it would work. air is always better than an old hard seat.

How does the trail look from Hermann to St. Charles? Does anyone know if there are flooded areas of the trail?

Thanks.

KT Caboose is now open from Fri to Mon as of last weekend!!

K.T. Caboose is now open Wednesday thru Monday. We open 10:30 a.m.

I was at the wineries in Hermann last weekend and talked to one of the locals who was in Hermann for the 1993 flood. I am planning to ride the katy from Sedalia to st charles on July 1, 2011 and will be taking the Amtrak from Kirkwood to get there. The lady I talked to basically said there's no way the trip will happen due to the predictions of flooding from releasing water from the dams up north. Does anyone who lives around the katy or lived in the area of the katy during the 93 flood know if this is actually true? And if it does flood will there be any stretches of the trail worth riding? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I would say that chances are probably 95% that the Trail will be flooded or inaccessible. I read in the Columbia Tribune that they will be using the Katy Trail to build levees to protect Rocheport. I would check the NOAA website to check on the river levels before you come. Clinton to Boonville will be fine, but Boonville to St. Charles will be iffy for a lot of the way, in my opinion, but until the water shows up nobody really knows.

The Columbia article says that the Boonville guage will be at 27 to 33 feet on Sun. June 19, but right now NOAA's website still has projected levels at around 22 feet on Sat. June 18. So, something not quite right there. If it does get to the 27 to 33 feet range, yes that will shut down areas around Rocheport, Hartsburg, and Portland, MO I believe. In addition, if the trail floods, it will also take awhile to open these areas back up when the river receeds.

However, the trail is generally higher from Hermann to St. Charles, relative to those other areas, so that is another section that could remain open in addition to the Clinton to Boonville leg.

Thank you Sharonbikes, and SteveK for your input, it was extremely helpful. Guess I won't be riding the trail for quite some time. Hopefully the flood won't be too bad for the small towns near the river, we'll have to wait and see.

I would keep tabs on the state parks website for closure notices and call ahead to the areas where you plan to be. We rode the Trail between Augusta and St. Charles over Memorial Day weekend and parts of the highway along the Trail (92) were closed due to local flooding, so you just never know. I hate to discourage riding on the Trail as I want to support the local businesses. Of course, the Trail west of Boonville to Sedalia should not be affected at all since it is not close to the river.

sharonbikes indicates that sections Hwy 92, that paralell the Katy Trail, between Augusta and St Charles were closed due to local flooding Memorial Day weekend. Could you be more specific with the Hwy 92 closures locations? Or could anyone reading this direct me to a website that lists road closures due to flooding along the Katy Trail? I'm familiar with the trail from Sedalia to St. Charles and need this information to determine if I will be running a vehicle supported bike tour between St Charles and Boonville the last week of June. Thanks!

The State's website will be your best place to start. Http: www.mo.gov. Road closures are posted on a map at http://www.modot.mo.gov. Possible closures of the Trail will be posted at http://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park or go to http://www.dnr.mo.gov for lots of info on the flooding situation including hydrology maps from NOAA. Hope you have fun!

Thanks for state website on road conditions/closures. I have all the other links this was the missing one. Safe, waterless, cycling to all!

We tent camped here Friday, June 10, 2011. It was a nice stay. The little shower/bathroom house was basic but clean. In fact, the owner cleaned it for us when we arrived. (Although it wasn't bad before that!) We were glad to have the little blue shower house as potential shelter, since we were barely missed by a severe storm with hail. We didn't need it, but we were prepared to duck in there if the storm had hit us. The owners were friendly and keep a nice little campground. I would guess there are about 5-6 RV spots with electricity and I believe also water/waste hookups. There were about 5 tent spots with fire rings. Some spots had nice blue picnic tables. It was us and an RV the night we were there. The grounds were clean and neat. It seems like they are trying to work on the landscaping.
The owners work during the day, so be patient trying to reach them. We couldn't call them when we got there, since we didn't have strong enough cell reception, but we had called in advance (although somehow we were down for the wrong day... didn't matter). When we got there, we set up our tent and they stopped by when they got home from work.
We didn't visit the nearby bar, but we did hear their music until about 4-5am. It wasn't loud enough to keep us awake. I guess Portland likes to party Friday nights!
All in all, I would recommend the Rivers Edge RV Park and Campground!

It's a good place to camp with a basic shower/bathroom building. I camped there in Oct 2009 and sept 2010. Would do it again someday.

We ate here for lunch June 10, 2011. This is definitely a BAR and grill. Despite the random unsavory word floating to our table from the bar patrons, we had no problems eating with our young kids here. The staff was friendly.
The food was yummy and not greasy like bar food often is. The Philly sandwich was delicious. They refilled our many water bottles and even rinsed off the dust from the trail, which was very appreciated. Definitely stop at the Mokane Bar and Grill if you have a chance!

We had a great meal. While enjoying a few beers with the locals we ask about camping in the shelters down by the ball diamonds. They said no problem but we made shoot some fireworks at you, do not be scared, it is just what we do for fun around here, not much else around there to do. We laughed at them but got no fireworks.

While riding the trail for a few days in Oct 2009, I stopped for lunch at Mokane. Would recommend it to other riders to stop for a sandwich.

A friend and I went out for our first ride and decided to make Rocheport our stop, rest, and turn around point. I was a little leary of going to Abigails because of some of the negative feedback I had read on here, but we decided to save judgement for our own experience. Are we glad we did!!! Wonderful food, friendly staff and great service. Loved the menu! Our only regret was that we only got to try two of the choices. We will certainly be back anytime we go through the area. Thanks for a great meal.

Congratulations, you have discovered the secret to enjoying the Katy. Reserve judgment of the various establishments along the trail based on your own experience. Katy users are a diverse group and not everyone will agree on what constitutes a good or bad experience.

If you are planning a trip that is near the river, check the site below for river prediction levels. This site also lists areas that begin to flood at specific levels.

http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/index.cfm

Thanks Trek, looks like it may not get as bad as it has sounded the last couple of weeks.

As of 6-12-11 NOAA is still predicting the Missouri River will be at 27 foot thru August and if it rains it could go to 35 foot. The 1995 level was 35 foot and the 1993 level was 38 foot. The big release from Gavens Point should hit us around Thursday, June 16.

I rode the Katy in 2008 and the river was pretty high, had to divert at Rocheport and rode through a couple inches of water about 4 miles west of Hartsburg. The river was fairly high during the whole ride and came close to the katy in other spots. To put the the numbers just posted in context, will the river be much higher than in 2008 and what areas of the katy will be effected?

If the predictions of NOAA are correct the water will be the highest since 1993 which was the greatest ever. Levees around Hartsburg are generally 28 to 32 foot BUT the KATY Trail is often right next to the river and those portions will be under water. Please call ahead before starting out and stay off the levees.

Also, note that it appears that in Rocheport and maybe some other places along the way, they will be building levees on the Trail to keep the water out of the towns. I expect that DNR will do a decent job of keeping those types of notices up to date on the state parks website -- http://www.dnr.mo.gov.

Sharon

We stayed here last weekend for our anniversary and to ride the Katy Trail. This B & B is so unique and peaceful. You have the historic cabin to yourself in a pretty setting in the woods. It's filled with antiques and a jacuzzi tub for two overlooking the woods. The breakfast in the morning delivered in a picnic basket was so delicious. We sat on the porch and listened to the birds and watched the critters. We would love to see it in the fall.

Great place to stay! We were there on the 11th of June! Stayed in the Katy View Room. Real nice.... Kitchen was stocked, had a place to store the bikes, and would recommend it to anyone visiting Rocheport..

We rode from St. Charles to Sedalia from 6/8 thru 6/12. Had no mishaps, but water was far and few between. Be prepared, take extra water and also power drinks! They really make a difference. Some of the trailheads said they had water, but didn't. Trashcans were also needed at each stop. Lastly, I would think there should be some recycle containers somewhere with all the plastic bottles that riders get rid of.

Raveena met us at the trail on 6/9! We were tired and hungry after a long day's ride. Raveena cooked a great meal, and made us feel right at home. We slept great and then had a wonderful breakfast the next morning! Would recommend visiting the Lazy Brush in Steedman!

Raveena met us at the trail on 6/9! We were tired and hungry after a long day's ride. Raveena cooked a great meal, and made us feel right at home. We slept great and then had a wonderful breakfast the next morning! Would recommend visiting the Lazy Brush in Steedman!

We rode from St. Charles to just the other side of Marthasville our first day out. Had a wonderful stay at the Concord Hill! Maggie met us at the trail and took us up the hill. We had a wonderful bottle of wine in the wine cellar before retiring for the day! The next morning Maggie made us an outstanding breakfast! We had pancakes (oatmeal, yogurt, and different flours), sausage and fruit! Was great! Would recommend the Concord!

I loved it! We camped @ Klondike Park on a Saturday night and ate dinner @ the brewery. I had the salmon and my husband had the clam pasta. We were expecting to have to eat a burger but were pleasantly surprised!

I have not tried the food there, but the beer was excellent! It reminded me of being in Europe.

This is one of our favorite stops on the KATY. We love the beer and the food. It's a great spot to sit outside and relax after ride. We also take out of town friends there and everyone loves it. The beer sampler is a hit. We've had great shrimp, sandwiches, burgers, stuffed mushrooms and more.

I like this place, but you cannot depend on it. We've ridden the Katy twice now, the first time they closed early because it was slow (2pm) The second time he was getting ready to close..again early afternoon and we begged him to stay open a while longer, sign says open til 7. He did stay open for us and 9 more people came while we were there.

This B & B has it all! Great hospitality and food. The best stop for weary bike riders and golfers. We even had an evening of sitting by the fire, thanks to Lynn's ability to read our minds.

just so everyone knows the katy trail t-shirts that are sold on this website are iron on designs. meaning it is NOT screen printed. it looks cheesy and cheap. unfortunately this is the only shirt i could find (via internet, clinton, and st charles stores). if anyone knows where to find a better shirt let me know. i could have made this shirt myself using iron on designs and saved quite a bit of cash. also the sticker was all bent up when it arrived. it had no hard backing to protect it. a 3 cent piece of cardboard would have done the job.

Thanks for the heads up. Was rolling around the

the idea of ordering a couple. probably won't now, thanks.

I got the t-shirt from this site a couple years ago -- I just looked at the site & it looks like the exact same shirt -- and I have been very satisfied with it. The art seems high-quality, it's not "slick" like iron-ons, and the shirt has survived many washings & still looks pretty new. Maybe there's a new supplier now, but I just wanted to say I've been very happy with my shirt.

Check out katydepotsedalia.com for items

Years ago we were on a week long bike ride and the shirts they issued for the riders were the iron on type. Wearing these on the trail was brief. As the sun comes out, the iron on becomes a solar panel pulling in the heat. Surprised this is still done anywhere.

Enjoyed our stay at Lindenhof. The beds are the best on the Katy and Debbie serves a fantastic breakfast!

Had a great stay at the Dollhouse Bed and Breakfast. Very comfortable, and Amanda is a most welcoming hostess.

The sign says Murph's now, and the service is just as friendly. Will stop here again.

The Sunday Brunch at the Ivory Grille is great!

This was our first trip to the Katy Trail. The first leg of our trip ended with Jenette at the Globe Hotel B&B. It was right on the trail and it was a great stay. Jennette was very welcoming and helpful on things to do. Breakfast was great and she sent goodies on the trail with us. We hated to leave and we are already planning our trip back.

Jeanette is one of our true gems in Hartsburg. She really goes out of her way to make your stay a memorable experience. We're glad when we see a note like yours. Please come again.

My friend, Wes, and I spent 5 days on the Katy Trail this past week and we also stayed at the Globe. We enjoyed meeting Janette and staying at the Globe Hotel. She does a great job of making you feel welcome. She gave us some of the history of the house built in 1893 for the railroad as a hotel. Still in great shape with all the improvements she has made. Loved all her cats! Great breakfast and she packed us lots of goodies to snack on later. We would be glad to visit again!

We also enjoyed our visit with Jeanette at the Globe Hotel. She met us with cold lemonade and sent us off with warm muffins!

Love Dotty's, and wanted chicken fried steak special with cobbler, but her hours vary from this website posting. We were just there, 6/11/11, hours are 7-2, no dinner, Bummer. Eating dinner at Muddy's is just not the same.

Planning on biking the trail in mid July. We are starting near Sedalia and biking to St.
Charles or Machens. Not sure how long it will take us to complete, Wondering if it is possible to get on the Amtrak back to Sedalia without a reservation or should we reserve a head of time.

Reservation are required with an extra fee per bike. They only allow 4 bikes per train.

Please be aware that the Missouri River basin is flooding... we are coming down next weekend (June 17) to try to beat the waters, which are now hitting us in the Iowa/Missouri area. Boonville, I think, is five days behind us on the flood, and I hope to beat the river for a Thursday/Friday ride. I will write back next Monday about the western river area, Boonville to Huntsdale. Our Steamboat Trace up here in Nebraska is shut down. The water is projected to stay for through the end of August at least. If the river shuts out the trail in MO, we will ride south from Boonville to Clinton, and I will post the shuttle prices. But, anyway, we were going to ride from Sedalia to Hermann and take the Amtrak train back, with advice to reserve with the bike (but the water up here is scary crazy so we know it is going down there). Just google and call Amtrak to make sure about the bike space, and check here for flood updates.

Instead of starting in Sedalia and returning via Amtrak could you take the train first then ride back to Sedalia? Because of the uncertainty of how long it will take you to ride, you have more control of when you're departing than finishing, then you don't have to worry about getting to Sedalia at a certain time to catch the train or taking a chance that there won't be space on it for your bike.

We rode from Sedalia to Hermann this week (6/8 to 6/10) and rode the amtrak back to Sedalia on 6/11. We had 4 bikes with reservations. They allowed another biker to board the train in Hermann without reservations including this bike, so I think it is possible, but I would recommend reservations.

I lost a black handle bar pack with binoculars and camera with great Katy Trail pictures on it. Lost in St Charles on S, Main near the Country Inn. If anyone finds them, please contact me by email at : lars@realtec.com.Thanks