Katy Trail Forum

My husband and I are getting ready to bike the Katy and just learned the trail will be closed around Pilot Grove. Any suggestions regarding a detour? I'd like to stay off the street as much as possible. Any suggestest would be great.

Any suggestions would be great!

I noticed that too. I didn't see anyway not on roads to get around it. I am starting the trail east from Clinton on the 17th of October. I am planning to try: Turn off trail to left on Walker Road to a right on Georgetown Road to a left on Harrison Station Road and back to the trail. It totals 4 miles on roads. I haven't been there before so I don't know what this will be like but it is my plan.

Important information regarding the trail closure! read below:



Tom,



This is a follow-up on our phone conversation. Although the trail is technically closed, per a discussion with the contractor it sounds like the trail will be passable except for a couple of days when they have their cement trucks on the trail to pour concrete. Except during those days, Katy users should be able to walk their bikes through this section. For your upcoming trip, you will see signs warning of the closure and you may also see vehicles on the trail, but as long as they aren't pouring concrete, you should be able to get through. The concrete pour hasn't been scheduled yet but Keith Petersen, who is the section manager for this area, has provided his cell number for Katy users to call for updates: 660-422-2360. Good luck on your trip!



Thanks,



Dawn Fredrickson, Field Operations & Katy Trail Coordinator

Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Div. of State Parks, Northern Parks District

(573) 449-7402, dawn.fredrickson@dnr.mo.gov

That's great news!



A far cry from the previous post by Dawn:

The Katy Trail will be closed west of Pilot Grove, from Harriston Station Rd. (mile marker 206.5) to Ewing Rd. (mile marker 209), for repairs to the Taylor Branch culvert. The trail is estimated to be closed for a month, from Oct. 4 to Nov. 5. There are no safe detour options, so Katy users will need to avoid the area. Signs will be placed at Pilot Grove and Clifton City trailheads announcing the closed section. Signs and barricades will be placed at Harriston Station and Ewing roads to prevent users from accessing this section. For a status update, check our website: http://www.mostateparks.com/katytrail/index.html. Or, email me at dawn.fredrickson@dnr.mo.gov. Thanks.

- posted 9/29/2010 9:10:50 PM by Dawn Fredrickson, Katy Trail Coordinator



When the rubber hits the road there is considerable difference between "so Katy users will need to avoid the area." and "Except during those days, Katy users should be able to walk their bikes through this section."



You dropped the ball DNR (Dawn)!

Sounds to me more like she just had the conversation and relayed new info as soon as she received it. You big whiner! I hope you realize I am smiling as I send this.

I know....I'm a whiner. But why post on here 9/29/2010 9:10:50 PM to avoid the area as there are no safe detour options and then near a week later leave it to someone else to post a private email telling one person that you should be able to walk your bike through the area?



I would have thought DNR Dawn would have posted here telling everyone that the trail was passable. Especially when there have been posters here trying to figure out how to get through.



I'll contend that it is poor timing on Dawns part as well as the MO DNR. October is a busy month for the Katy. Otherwise, someone would not be posting on here about overflow places to stay in October!

I guess because she's a busy girl! Maybe more busy than me even!

Regarding the comments about Dawn. I usually do not inject any comments but had to speak up this time. I know Dawn and she takes the Katy Trail very seriously and the riders safety is a major concern for her. Remember she has a boss too and we do not know the whole story maybe she was told to do the work at this time because of weather conditions and a hope that the trail would be opened back up quickly. Again we do not know the whole story, I feel she and the workers will be working hard to get that trail opened up again as quickly as possible. So give her a break and pass along this last info from her along to other bikers if you see them. We can't change it so we just need to adapt and improvise.

Through Tom's inquiry things did change though Linda. The trail went from no safe detour options with the need to avoid the area to being passable. Sometimes situations are best handled when we lean into them, instead of laying back. I personally think it is in the best interest of the Katy merchants and the state of Missouri that the trail is passable during such a popular riding time. My thanks to Tom.

Yes, thanks to Tom for sharing the information with us. I am inclined to go to that section of the trail and see if we can walk our bikes through the area being worked on and report on what I find here so everyone will know,,, but I won’t. It is good to know that those that have come long distances to ride the trail can get through. I suspect that some trail users walking through may not be a problem but the usual traffic would be a hindrance to the work being done. My speculatory two cents.

I do sincerely apologize for the inconvenience of having a construction project scheduled for October since it is one of the busiest months on the trail. However, this project is weather-dependent; the contractor is trying to take advantage of a short window of opportunity to complete. Additionally, the Mo Dept of Natural Resources did not set the construction schedule, so was unable to avoid having the construction occur during October. The dept takes user safety very seriously, thus the earlier post about avoiding the Pilot Grove area. This is the same message that we've posted on our Katy Trail website. Please note, however, that I included my phone number and email address for status updates in the earlier post. I encourage Katy users to contact me if they have questions about this area. Several Katy users did contact me after the post and I was able to relay information to them that the department had just received from the contractor, indicating that users planning to travel the area this week or weekend could get through the area. However, it is still best to avoid the area, particularly since there aren't any safe detour options. Heavy equipment and other vehicles will be driving on the trail while the project is underway. The steep slopes and drop-offs along both sides of the trail in this section prevent vehicles and heavy equipment from pulling to one side of the trail, so they will be taking up most of the trail surface. Additionally, we don't know when the contractor will be pouring concrete so are unable to anticipate when the concrete trucks will be on the trail. Because of the unknowns, we thought it best just to tell Katy users the trail was closed and to avoid the area. We are trying to accommodate Katy users as much as possible, however, which is why Keith Petersen, the Katy superintendent on the west end of the trail, posted signs in the area with his cell number so that Katy users could call him for immediate updates (660-422-2360). Thanks.

All, sorry, I forgot to include my phone number in either of my two early posts: 573-449-7402. Thanks.

I don't know Trek - no matter how much you lean into a cement truck on the trail - you lose. ;-)

I am not a religious person but all I can say is God Bless the DNR! They are the people that are entrusted to create and maintain our fabulous Missouri state park system and given their limited financial resources and I for one think they do a marvelous job.



Whenever I hop aboard my bicycle I can be sure of one thing. Not everything will go as planned. I have had bunnies, deer, snakes, humans and large vehicles pass unannounced in from of me at all hours of the day and night. To quote Forest Gump "It Happens!"



When I leave Clinton heading for St. Charles if there is a "situation" near Pilot Grove I will have to find a way around it. There will likely be other "situations" along the way.



Keep up the good work Dawn! However I be VERY disappointed if you don't provide perfect weather conditions during the week of Oct. 11-15 and your boss WILL hear all about it!!



Biker Dude

I do enjoy levity. Thanks Dude.

Nate from Maryland:



I rode that section of the trail a couple days ago. Those roads you are talking about are not on the same plane as the trail. The road is about 15' - 18' above the trail where it crosses it. You would have to carry your bike up about a 70 degree embankment through brush, lift it across a 4' fence to get to the road.



My guess is the trail will still be open when you ride it. The work is being done about two or so miles north of where you cross Hwy E/Hwy 135, and the actual work is about 30' below the trail bed. If the trucks are not running you will be fine. If they are running, you could double back to E/135, head NE. Then you have the option of getting on Walker Lane (a gravel country road) there and going to Georgetown until it parallels the trail where you can get back on the trail. If you did not want to do that you could follow 135 (paved highway) into Pilot Grove, then catch the trail again. Google bike map shows 135 heading into Pilot Grove as "A Road".



Enjoy the ride.

Although the Taylor Branch culvert construction project is still underway west of Pilot Grove, the trail is no longer closed from MM 206.5 to 209. Users will still need to exercise caution in this area, as they may encounter parked vehicles on the trail. Signs will be posted at Harriston Station Rd. (mile marker 206.5) and Ewing Rd. (mile marker 209) cautioning users that they are entering a construction zone. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions, at dawn.fredrickson@dnr.mo.gov or 573-449-7402.

That was a short month.

I just completed the ride from Clinton to St. Charles and what a joy it was! Even though Dawn allowed me to get wet a few times the trail was wonderful. In my opinion it is nicer west of Booneville. Better maintained and more scenic although the Hermann area is nice as well. We need to cough up a few more tax dollars so the DNR can smooth it up a bit on the eastern half. Lots of rough spots but nothing life threatening that hasn't been roped off with snow fencing.



If you would like to see photos of my trip cut and paste the link below into your browser. Enjoy!



http://www.pbase.com/jimslug98/katy

I just rode from Sedalia to N jefferson and back, looks like they doing some work but was able to ride by with no problems. Wasnt close and dint see any detours

The Taylor Branch culvert project near Pilot Grove is complete. Trail users no longer need to be on the alert for construction equipment or vehicles on the trail. Thanks for your patience.

We have stopped twice on our way from St. L to K.C.....each time were

treated like welcome visitors. Friendly owners and waitress but also

friendly patrons...feels like the perfect "hang out". We plan to spend

New Years Eve at a B & B in Rocheport because of the General Store.

My son and I, and my friend and her son, rode from St. Charles to Marthasville in October. We had a fantastic day, then stayed at a charming B&B called Monette's Cabin. It was a warm welcome after a long day with a beautiful view of the fields and hills of Missouri. Vicki made us an excellent breakfast and was delightful to talk to. I would highly recommend this B&B.

I wanted to add this under the post about some general store in St. Chuck after Snarkydoodles post, but didn't want to rob the thread.



I think perhaps the comment forum would be more functional if it were by catagory. If someone wanted to know about a specific town or had a specific question, they could go to that catagory. We'd all have to make sure and keep on topic. Hijacking a thread causes misplaced information.



There are questions that seem to come up over and over and over. What is the most scenic part of the trail? What is the best section to do a day ride? Will my road bike work on the trail? For those asking the question, maybe they could find their answer by looking under a relevant topic. As it stands.....the same questions get answered again and again. And there is a wealth of posts about how good/bad a restaurant or B&B is. Lodging, bike shops, etc., as well as Restaurants would all be good catagories.

I plead guilty! I hijacked, robbed, poked with a stick, and raddled the cage of that thread, such as it was. And look, your post popped out.



Have visited other forums that are structured similar to what you have described, they work pretty well. I can't say that I favor them over the way this one is structured. Like them both. The way this one is, all of the new posts are right there, first thing, when you come to the comment forum. For those that come here often, that works out well. But if we want to know about a particular section of the trail or subject, what you describe would absolutely be a better way. Although, it wouldn't necessarily keep a sap like me from hijacking a thread or perpetuating such. But I see your point and appreciate your input.



I did not take a hike or ride my bicycle today. Didn't even read about anyone else riding their bike or taking a hike on the trail,,, yet!



Thanks Trek.

Thanks for the feedback and ideas. I agree that it would be nice to have categories for the forum, and enable web visitors to either view all comments at once, or choose specific categories to read.



I've got some ideas on how to implement this, but realistically it will be a few months before it can be done, because I'll be working on a technical upgrade to the website through the end of the year.



I always appreciate your feedback on how to make BikeKatyTrail.com better - thanks again for sharing your ideas. This is a good one and I look forward to building it. Happy trails!

What a great find, fresh produce, nice to have a market in the neighborhood!!

Me thinks I have to sort through to many hotel and restaurants critics or self promotions to find things about folks ride on the trail..

These tidbits of information can be helpful to grubby hungry trail users at times. :)

Thanks anonymous #1, I didn’t even know there was a “Dorsey’s Corner Store”. I’ll try to remember that next time I’m over that way.



Anonymous #2, I smell what you are cookin’! The critiques are helpful but sometimes it is a little over done. Personally, I prefer more posts like this one. http://www.bikekatytrail.com/talk.aspx?thid=3623¬efmt=1&sortby=0&pg=1



An example; Recently I chatted with a couple of fellows from Madison Wisconsin that were doing an end to end ride. Would like to know about their trip, how it went, the good, the bad, the things they would and would not want to do again.



I talk to many people out on the trail, from all over the country and beyond, it is an interesting part of one of my favorite hobbies. The “Ride/Run/Hike reports” section of this website is a nice feature, wish more people would post about their trips there. The most recent is a link to “Susan and Marks Katy Trail Adventure“. A really well done post, imo. Also, more comments in this section about day trips, weekend overnighters and longer tours would be interesting and fun to read about, even if limited in space.



Anon, finally someone steps up and uses a name to stand behind their words and opinion, how refreshing! :)

Our experience at Glen's Cafe was not good. Overpriced food, lousy service and limited menu. We were with two other couples after riding the Katy Trail. All parties of 6 or more are one check only, and gratuity is automatically added. Therefore, the wait staff doesn't work too hard for their tips. And, don't order the penne pasta, you will surely be disappointed. We won't be returning. Very, very disappointing.

I too have had a bad experience at Glenns Cafe. It seems that the owner, Steve Cupp has had no customer training. No separate checks, no split plates and poor service does not bode well for a cafe located in a historic hotel. Perhaps the owners of the hotel should pay closer attention to their tenants. If you are riding thru Boonville on Wednesday thru Saturday nite, try W. J.s restaurant where you as a guest are appreicated. No use spending your money where you are treated like you are eating at a fast food restaurant.

My wife and also did not have the best eating experience at Glenn's cafe. We also experienced slow service, and a below average meal. We noticed that all of the food items served had an inordinate amount of pepper added. Salting and peppering should be left up to the patron. Signed disappointed

We had some pretty good food but slow service. What we really enjoyed was the bar. Great decor and atmosphere. They had a gal singing in the lobby who was very good. We'll go back for drinks and music but we'll hold off on eating there until we hear they've improved their service.

So, (to paraphrase Trek) how was everyone's ride?

What ever happened to the extension to Pleasant Hill, as part of the Taum Sauk settlement? Are they working on it?

We were recently at the depot in Sedalia and the gal behind the counter said that they have started to work on the trail from Pleasant Hill and that they were still trying to secure some of the land/deeds...so yes they are working on it. It should meet up at Windsor, MO.

Took some friends riding on the Katy Trail in Rocheport on Saturday Nov 6th...hubby and I decided that on the way home we would stop in at the Blind Ref for lunch. Once again, it was amazing! Of course had the fried cheese curds and a great burger! The owner came over and talked to us and gave my husband a sample of some irish stew that was very tasty! Great place to eat with great atmosphere to boot! Hubby can't wait to get his Blind Ref hat.....

I recently hiked a portion of the KATY Trail. I parked my car in Hermann and too Amtrak to the town of Saledia. I then walked the 130 miles back to my car. I did this in six 20 mile days. I was carrying a full backpack and camped out each night except one. That night I spent in a comminity sponsered free hostel in Tebbetts.

I was walking during the last week of October. The leaves were still in full color but falling. The weather was cool (one cold night) and nice for hiking. I was suprised to see no other hikers on the trail. There were only a couple of longer distance bikers. Most people seem to just to day walks or bike rides.

There were tons on wildlife. I saw, fox, deer, turkeys, and even a groundhog. One day I saw a calf being born. The part of the trail I enjoyed most was the cliff lined Missouri. I enjoyed the Lewis and Clark history.

The Missouri communities were wonderful. Each town flew Old Glory proudly and I met several war heros. The women still make wonderful homemade pies like mom did. No Perkins on this trail (thank God).

My only complaint was that the surface was hard on my feet. Perhaps is was because I was doing 20 miles with a pack. I am 60 years old. I lost 10 pounds.

I had great fun. Didn't spend much money, communed with nature and met alot of nice folks.

Cool! Glad you enjoyed your hike Walkabout, sounds like fun. It's a great time to be out on the Katy. I did an out and back ride/campout this past weekend, had a ball just being out there. The weather was great and "the Mother" is in fine form, absolutely beautiful.

Sounds like a wonderful trip!

glad you had fun, lost a pound or two, and enjoyed some good ole missouri hospitality. 20 miles a day with full backpack. i am very impressed.

I was biking across the trail the last few days in October ... we must have missed one another. I'm a backpacker typically. Was trying out touring. After seeing the entire trail ... I'd backpack it. It was excellent.

We just returned from a stay at the Cliff Manor Inn and we highly recommend it! Thom was such a good host and the room was lovely and well stocked with goodies. The view of the river last evening was beautiful and if it wasn't so cold, we would have sat by the fire he makes on the patio. The best part was the breakfast. The service and food were excellent. We weren't there to ride bikes this weekend, but we will return for a Katy trail trip and stay there.

Hope to ride 40-50 west to east this weekend somewhere on the st. Louis of jeff city.

Are any shuttles running that could get me back to wherever I leave my car Saturday

morning? Gary

Click on "Plan a Ride" above, fill out what you want including the shuttles box, click the submit button to get a list of them so you can contact them directly.

Call me at 573 236 4575 and I might be able to move your car up and ride my bike back depending on time.

Stopped here on our way back from Hermann...got some water for our bottles and had an amazing home grown apple! It was so sweet! Sat for a bit at the table and chairs right along the trail.

My buddy enjoyed some excellent pears here on Nov 1st. Would have loved to camp there.

Very warm welcome ... convinced us to sleep at the local campground. Great food. We stayed there on October 31st (Halloween) and loved seeing the local kids come around for candy. Highly recommend.

Great camping area. We stayed here October 30th. They had live music, showers, very friendly staff, and excellent Thai Food + various other options. Perfect stop.

If you have found a pager within the last month on the trail please contact me via e-mail at kevin.watson@va.gov



Thanks in advance

SGT. Kevin Watson

We stayed at the Globe over Halloween weekend. Jenette was a great host. She served a very tasty bicyclist breakfast. The old hotel is a very cool place to check out. And it is right next to the trail. I'd reccommend it to others.

Good Day, All! I just decided that I think I'd like to ride the Katy in a couple of weeks....no preparation or planning...I think I'll just drive down and then SAG myself....ride about 40 miles, turn-around, return to my car, and then "shuttle" myself to where I turn around each day. I guess restrooms and some trail amenities will be closed along the way, but can I count on no-reseration rooms being available wherever I opt to stop each night? Any other suggestions?

Probably, during the week. With a vehicle you'll be able to find lodging somewhere okay.

Hi Greg, If you have no problem with 70/80 miles per day consider this. Park in St. Charles, then ride or shuttle to the Amtrak station in Kirkwood. Catch the train to Sedalia, then take 3 days and ride almost the entire Katy back to your car. With a little planning, you can stay at B&Bs or motels along the way. Just a suggestion.



Paulie

Thanks for the suggestion, Paulie...I thought about doing that very thing....but I don't have Panniers on the bike I'm going to use, and I thought it might make sense to have the truck avail in case the weather takes a nasty turn.....gives me more options. Sounds like you've done the trail....any other lodging/dining/viewing suggestions are welcome!

I think your idea is a good one. The Katy is a good trail to do out-and-backs on. November should be a prime time to do it. One of my favorite times to ride the Katy is in the dead of winter when the ground is frozen. Things look very different than in the summer. Only problem is keeping your water bottles from freezing.

Fellow Cyclists

You have to stop in Pilot Grove for lunch at Becky's... the food is unbelievable and the people are great...you will not leave this place hungry!!!!

Thanks Becky for a great lunch last Friday!!! We WILL be back.