Katy Trail Forum

Two of us stayed there in June 2008. The store was closed. I think it was a Sunday or Monday night but we had eaten at a town before getting there so we were o.k. It's best to have a little emergency food. Four others were staying there and they were hiking across the US to Oregon. It rained that night so we were glad we were there. I read a book and it was clean.

Thats good as they do not allow reading dirty books in Tebbetts.

I see a lot of comments about camping along the trail. My question - how best to secure a tent and a sleeping to my bike? I have a rack on the back. Should I get a front rack and move my pannier/pack to the front, and then secure the tent and sleeping back to the back rack? Any other suggestions?

If money is no object, then a Bob Gear Yak Trailer is another option. It is a one wheeled trailer, carries up to 70 lbs. by itself. They can cost anywhere from $280 on up depending on what type of accesories you get.



"KoolMule" is another one wheeled trailer that was suggested on here previously.

Hey Top Shelf....there are many ways to go. If you're going to travel in warm weather, consider ditching the sleeping bag and take a thermarest pad to sleep on instead. To check out how tourist travel, their gear, etc., check out crazyguyonabike.com. There are forums, reviews, classifieds, and many, many tour journals with loads of pictures. It's a great resource to see whats going on in the bike travel world.

Distributing the weight between a front rack and a rear is a good option, particularly if you're going to carry more than 20 lbs. As mentioned above, a trailer is a good alternative. In addition to the BOB, Nashbar has their own branded trailer that runs about $150. They also have a low-rider front rack for less than $20.

I am sorry to be disagreeable but I dislike one wheel trailers. The "Bob" can sway side to

side at high speeds and become very unstable at low speeds unless everything is packed

just so.



I much prefer a two wheeled trailer like the Burley Flatbed or Nomad.



FWIW,



I ride about 5,000 miles per year and about half of that is pulling a trailer. I have pulled a

bob, burley's and a bikes at work trailer with 300# loads quite often.



The only downside to the burleys is that you have an extra tire that could go flat but thats

a non issue for me.



IF you get the flatbed you can put a 10 dollar rubbermaid tub on it and have a nice

container for all of your stuff.



Everyone is different though and many people LOVE the Bob. I dont know if those people

have ever used another trailer or not but they still love it.

Robert raises a very appropriate point. BoB's give the impression that one just hooks it up

and goes...not the way to go. The owners manual is great...no one follows it though. The

maximum IS 70# but I wouldn't go there. Once at 50 or so pounds BoB's tend to "push &

steer" you and if you haven't really practiced handling those nuances its a whole new

world. That same Rubbermaid tube goes on a BoB well enough as well. I've had my BoB

since '93 and it does work for me, but I would agree with Robert that its not the magic

panacea trailer. Can't go wrong with a Burly flat bed. The orginal idea for the BoB was

basically beach riding in CA. with ones picnic supplies, even surf boards. It works well for

single track riding with intent for camping. Regards....Mark

My bike can't hold saddlebags, so I used a backpack for my first trip camping. Big mistake. Once the weather got warm I couldn't keep cool with my back covered. I have a rack that clamps on to my seat post that holds 25 lbs. For future rides if I'll take less gear. A previous poster had a good idea for the summer, don't take your sleeping bag.

My husband and I had quite possibly the best fried chicken I have ever eaten, besides my mom's of course. The people were wonderful as was the food. I will spread the word far and near about your great food and atmosphere. Thanks for being in Claysville!!!

The Gathering Place is currently open. It was closed two years ago, but the ownership has changed hands and it is open! Visit www.gatheringplacebedandbreakfast.com for more information.

The Gathering Place is currently open. It was closed two years ago, but the ownership has changed hands and it is open! Visit www.gatheringplacebedandbreakfast.com for more information.

My sisters and I have recently returned from our first adventure riding the Katy Trail from St. Charles to Clinton. What fun!! We planned our trip based on comments and suggestions found on bikekatytrail.com which we found very helpful. Our only disappointment was our stay at the Acorn B&B. One of the first things I did after arriving home was to check their web-site to see how in the world we were so deceived. For those of you considering this place allow me to translate: The photo of the inn shows a nice brick home with a cute sign out front. You aren't staying there. You are staying in the "lower level" of their home.....AKA their BASEMENT. It looks, smells, and feels like a basement. I have no idea where the "flagstone terraces" are that other folks had their breakfast served on. We had ours in their CARPORT. The carport was so rickety that I had a hard time finding a structure stable enough to lock up our bikes. The Acorn advertises their "natural bath products." These consisted of a container of Softsoap brand hand wash in the bathroom, and a container of Wal-Mart body wash in the tub. How natural. (continued)

My sisters and I have recently returned from our first adventure riding the Katy Trail from St. Charles to Clinton. What fun!! We planned our trip based on comments and suggestions found on bikekatytrail.com which we found very helpful. Our only disappointment was our stay at the Acorn B&B. One of the first things I did after arriving home was to check their web-site to see how in the world we were so deceived. For those of you considering this place allow me to translate: The photo of the inn shows a nice brick home with a cute sign out front. You aren't staying there. You are staying in the "lower level" of their home.....AKA their BASEMENT. It looks, smells, and feels like a basement. I have no idea where the "flagstone terraces" are that other folks had their breakfast served on. We had ours in their CARPORT. The carport was so rickety that I had a hard time finding a structure stable enough to lock up our bikes. The Acorn advertises their "natural bath products." These consisted of a container of Softsoap brand hand wash in the bathroom, and a container of Wal-Mart body wash in the tub. How natural. (continued)

Acorn B&B has been sold and is now a private residence. It is no longer a lodging place.

Acorn B&B has been sold and is now a private residence. It is no longer a lodging place.

I was hoping to stay here on my Katy trail trip this summer. Does anyone know if this place

is open anymore, and what the quality of the campgrounds are like?



Thanks!

I was hoping to stay here on my Katy trail trip this summer. Does anyone know if this place

is open anymore, and what the quality of the campgrounds are like?



Thanks!

Its not really a campground last I was there ('02), but more about asking the previous owner

if one could camp on the lawn. Give it a try and ask the waitstaff/owners. The grass was soft,

and the previous owner even got my brothers and I up and opened up the grill and cooked us

breakfast...awesome memory...hope yours is as good. I always try to "buy local" when asking

for anything. The bar in Steedman (formerly known as the S.O.B. for Steedmans Only Bar) was

at then end of the day for us and we "carbed up" on beer and burgers purchased and it just

got better from there. Regards....Mark

Its not really a campground last I was there ('02), but more about asking the previous owner

if one could camp on the lawn. Give it a try and ask the waitstaff/owners. The grass was soft,

and the previous owner even got my brothers and I up and opened up the grill and cooked us

breakfast...awesome memory...hope yours is as good. I always try to "buy local" when asking

for anything. The bar in Steedman (formerly known as the S.O.B. for Steedmans Only Bar) was

at then end of the day for us and we "carbed up" on beer and burgers purchased and it just

got better from there. Regards....Mark

I drive by this place all the time and its always packed. I stoped and had to try it. the omlets from them is to die for and the lunch is grate also. I had to eat their 2x in one day. thanks for the good food.

I drive by this place all the time and its always packed. I stoped and had to try it. the omlets from them is to die for and the lunch is grate also. I had to eat their 2x in one day. thanks for the good food.

I've been checking out the campgrounds on the east end of the trail that take travel trailers that doesn't cost me a fortune and the only one I found was the Sundermeier in St. Charles and that cost $50. to $55. a night. The next one is in Augusta and they don't take campers. Anyone know of any campgrounds near the trail on the east end?

I believe that Babler State Park in St. Louis County allows trailer or RV camping. It is managed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, who would have more info. However, from there, you still would have about a 10 mile commute to the nearest Katy TrailHead. It is still about $20 for a camping spot with an electric hookup.



I have also seen an occasional RV at the Matson Trailhead. It is a very large parking area, and it has maybe a half a dozen vehicles on a busy weekend. Camping is not allowed at Trailheads, but as long as you don't do something to draw attention to yourself, I doubt anyone would bother you there.

Under the "Kirkwood Station to Katy Trail Directions" the Route 5 suggestion provides a route from Grant's Trail to Katy Trail. I am having difficulty understanding. Is that out of date? It looks like it separates from GT too soon, am I wrong? Does anyone have a good suggestion for a route from Grant's Trail to Katy (via the Page Extension)? Vice-versa (Katy to Grant's) would be fine, too.



Thanks in advance.

The “Route 5” suggestion is dated to 2004. Grants Trail has since been extended to the North to the Holmes Ave /Hwy 44 area in south Kirkwood.



The Route 5 suggestion should (or could) be modified to stay on Grants Trail to Holmes and follow it to the North to East Adams.



I have not attempted this myself, but it would seem okay to try to this early (ie. 6 a.m) on a weekend morning, other times you are going to have to deal with some significant traffic.

My son drove me to this monster today 11-06-08.I am 59 yrs old ,live on a farm on chariton river north of novinger and never have i ever saw a tree in missouri of this size .We measured six feet from the ground across our best guess and she was at least 8 feet across! I WILL RETURN! with camera and love for the sight of this majestic wonder!

My son drove me to this monster today 11-06-08.I am 59 yrs old ,live on a farm on chariton river north of novinger and never have i ever saw a tree in missouri of this size .We measured six feet from the ground across our best guess and she was at least 8 feet across! I WILL RETURN! with camera and love for the sight of this majestic wonder!

i miss stopping by this majestic tree... you have to admit... she has earned way more than just respect....

i miss stopping by this majestic tree... you have to admit... she has earned way more than just respect....

i know this has been answered numerous times. i also know where the mcbaine trailhead is. so the question is, where is the tree at mcbaine. thanx in advance.

i know this has been answered numerous times. i also know where the mcbaine trailhead is. so the question is, where is the tree at mcbaine. thanx in advance.

Traveling east from Huntsdale towards McBaine....approx. 8 tenths of a mile east of Huntsdale, the Katy crosses a blacktop highway. Looking south down the highway, you can see the tree standing right next to the road a quarter to a half mile from the trail. We've all been told this before....but you can't miss it. As a side note: The Katy Trail Guidebook directions are to continue an extra 1.3 miles to McBaine and then backtrack 1.7 miles to the tree....or just turn south at the highway and ride a half mile.

Traveling east from Huntsdale towards McBaine....approx. 8 tenths of a mile east of Huntsdale, the Katy crosses a blacktop highway. Looking south down the highway, you can see the tree standing right next to the road a quarter to a half mile from the trail. We've all been told this before....but you can't miss it. As a side note: The Katy Trail Guidebook directions are to continue an extra 1.3 miles to McBaine and then backtrack 1.7 miles to the tree....or just turn south at the highway and ride a half mile.

Do you know how to get to the Lewis & Clark Trails (specifically the Lewis 8.5 mi. trail) from the KATY Trail? I heard there is a sign spomewhere in or near the Weldon Springs area & there is a sign. But I am unsure where exactly the sign & the hike thru the woods to the Lewis Trail is exactly. I would love to bicycle from Weldon Springs KATY Trail lot to the spot where I can get on the Lewis hiking trail & hike it & then return to bike back out to my car parket at the Weldon Springs KATY Trail lot. Can anyone help??

Thanks!

Robin

bettween weldon springs and aguasta the katie trail crosses the main road twice. the conection to the lewis and clark trail is right after you cross the main road the second time if you are going west on the trail from weldon prings to agusta. the conection to the lewis and clarck trail about 25 yards down the trail on the right habd side after you scross the road and to the left there is a parking lot with a boat ramp to the river. sry i cant be more spesific i hope this helps you.

The Lewis and Clark Trails are actually in the Weldon Springs Conservation area. If you parked at the Weldon Springs trail head, you would ride towards St.Charles. The actually spur that leads from the Lewis and Clark trails is not marked. It hard to find any time other than winter because of the overgrowth. The first sign that you are getting close is the quarry. About 1 mile and half from the trail head, you will see the quarry on the left behind a fence marked no trespassing. I recommend ignoring the sign and walking along outside of the fence until you get to the second opening. Follow the path up to the overlook where you can admire the beauty of the man made "cliffs." If you stay on the trail along the outside of the fence, you can hike up to hwy 94. Once you're back on the Katy, the Lewis and Clark Trails will be running on top of the bluffs you see on the left. A map of Weldon Springs Conservation Area will help this explanation make more sense. If you keep an eye on the bluffs, you will see where they start to decline back down to the level of the trail. Here, there is a creek bed, small stream and a small wooden bridge in the woods to the left. This is where you can walk back into the woods and meet up with the Lewis and Clark trails. The Lewis and Clark trail itself is not visible from the Katy because it is just a small dirt trail, but if you follow that creek bed up into the woods for a couple hundred yards, you can't miss the Lewis and Clark. Get a map of Weldon Springs and wait for a mild winter day and you will have no problems. Another easy way is to park at the parking lot on 94 at the start of the Lewis and Clark trails and then follow that trail until you reach the spur. Its much easier to find the Katy trail from the Lewis and Clark than it is to find the Lewis and Clark from the Katy.

There is now a sign on the Katy Trail which marks the spur trail connecting the Katy Trail with The Lewis and Clark Trails. The sign says Weldon Springs Hallow, and it is located about two miles east of the Weldon Springs trail head.

What is the best shuttle service for transporting bicyclists from St. Louis to Clinton? Any recommendations?

We are Lococo House ll B&B, we shuttle to Clinton ------ you can call 636-946-0619 or e-mail us a Rhonaloc@charter.net for prices and availabity

I am not seeing this ride listed for 2009. What's up?

Thanks for pointing that out - I have added it.

On Oct 28 I inquired at the bank about the location of the B&B and Flower Shop and was told it was out of business.

On Oct 28 I inquired at the bank about the location of the B&B and Flower Shop and was told it was out of business.

The Pilot Grove B&B is open for the 2009 season. Only the flower shop has been closed. I apologize for any misunderstanding about closing.There are 3 rooms available at $60.00/room/night. I would enjoy hearing from you.

The Pilot Grove B&B is open for the 2009 season. Only the flower shop has been closed. I apologize for any misunderstanding about closing.There are 3 rooms available at $60.00/room/night. I would enjoy hearing from you.

Machens to Alton - Any word on a connection?

I don't know if it's a dream or a plan, but The Confluence has a word or two on the matter.

http://www.confluencegreenway.org/

information on the 2009 MS Life ride has changed- please look the next event entered below this one thanks- James Hodshon

Any Questions contact me at: lopfoot88@yahoo.com or 573-434-1195

What ride is it that you keep posting here about? Is it a National MS Society’s Bike MS ride? Is it something other than that?



Is the ride on the Katy Trail? Why do we need to be informed about it without an explanation of what it even is?

Trek, The MS Life Ride is a national Multiple Sclerosis Society bike ride on the katy Trail from Jefferson City to Rochport - 71 miles (round- trip) if you want more information contact me @ lopfoot88@yahoo.com or call 573-434-1195 thanks, sorry for the missunderstanding

Okay....thanks, but if you explain it here or on the events page (is there a website?) then others will know whats going on too. Or you can just tell me. Thanks....

My wife and I biked the Katy this past fall and stayed a night in Rocheport at the Girls Night Inn. They were extremely friendly and went above and beyond to make our stay in Rocheport very memorable! The house is gorgous and so comfortable to unwind in after a long day out on the trail! Great Job guys and keep up the great work! You made our stay in Rocheport so much fun!

I am thinking of staying in St. Charles the night of July 21 and spending the next three days

riding the length of the Katy Trail. Do the various lodgings (B&Bs and the like) along the trail

tend to be booked in advance? I'd like to make reservations, but I'd also like to not

necessarily be committed to certain distances each day if I find myself feeling I can go more

or less distance between stops.

In general, you probably will be able to find a room in some of the bigger towns (ie. Sedalia, Boonville, Hermann, etc.). I would guess that if you work the phones the evening before you start out to your next destination that you will find a place to stay. However, you have to keep in mind that some B&B’s and most hotels will want Credit Card deposits anyway, so if you don’t make it there it will still be your loss.



In addition, there are some shuttle services available if you get in a bind. I suppose you could also contact the various County police agencies http://www.bikekatytrail.com/emergency.asp), as they would probably let you spend a night in jail rather than sleeping on a park bench somewhere.

There is a motel in Hermann and there are motel/hotels in Jefferson City, Columbia, Boonville, and Sedalia. The hostel in Tebbetts is always an option too. Columbia has loding options too, if you are up for a ride across town. For all of the B&B's along the way, use the Plan a Ride feature of this website to discover options that may be in your distance range and give them a call about availability.

Although I haven't tried it myself, may I suggest another alternative? There are a lot of people commenting on the harrowing aspect of Marine and I would totally concur. Instead of taking Marine, go to Olive after getting to Creve Coeur Park. The ride is reasonable and short. Then go right instead of left and approach 141/WoodsMill Road. True, it's hard to take a left there. But it is possible. If you want to go even farther out of your way (!), keep going on Olive until you reach Ladue. Then take a left. That is safer. After you have taken a left on 141/Woodsmill Road, then go all the way to Ladue or Conway and take a left. If you want to get to Clayton instead of staying north on Ladue, go right at Ballas, as the Spoede overpass is now being destroyed! Don't try to go right on Spoede to get to Clayton anymore! I found this out in my car a couple of days ago on my way west.



After you go right on Ballas, take a left on Clayton. Or, if you prefer, go all the way to Lindbergh and take a right on Clayton. Spoede was much more civil and I hope they redo that overpass.



As for the other suggestion of going to Ladue from Olive, just bike down Ladue as long as you want and follow the suggestions from the other routes.



Take care,

Ruth

The Spoede Road bridge has been completed and is now open.

I took a hike west out of Hartsburg today, the trail is a little wet in a few spots, and a little soft overall, as you would expect for a 65 degree day in February, but certainly ridable. I saw several riders and walkers. I topped off a beautiful day on the trail with a stop at Dotty's Cafe for a late lunch. As always, it was excellent. Dotty told me the cafe is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the winter months.

Great photos We would to visit someday, to research why the name for the town. We would just like to say we have been there. Thanks for

the photos

The town of McKittrick was named after Thomas H. McKittrick. He was a St. Louisan who helped finance the building of the Katy during the early 1890s. The tower in the photo is (or was) a grain elevator.

First visit last weekend. Food was wonderful, service superb,and the sherbet/champagne was a nice finish. Can't wait to go back! Beef tips with horseradish sauce was to dream of... We were there 3+ hours and it seemed like minutes.

First visit last weekend. Food was wonderful, service superb,and the sherbet/champagne was a nice finish. Can't wait to go back! Beef tips with horseradish sauce was to dream of... We were there 3+ hours and it seemed like minutes.

Is the katy open all the way or are some spots closed for repair?

From the DNR website 2/5:



Trail Conditions

No closures to report.



Thats a good thing with these nice winter days ahead....time to hit it!

I plan on riding tommorow afernoon from Jeff City to Hartsburg and back hopefully trail conditions are OK!

I plan on riding tommorow afternoon from Jeff City to Hartsburg and back hopefully trail conditions are OK!

I've never been on the Katy Trail but plan to ride it this spring.

Can anyone tell me if it has a lot of hills, especially around the

Hermann area. Also, are there bike trails leading to the different wineries in that area.



Thanks!!

Ruth

The Katy is what was once rail bed, so for all practical purpose it is flat. Hermann on the other hand has some hills, but is very doable on bike. Hermannoff and Stone Hill can both be reached in absence of hills that would prevent the novice from visiting. There are also several B&B's that can be reached by bike. To my knowledge there are no bike trails, but the Hermann streets are quiet and easy to ride with little traffic.

Adam Puchta Winery is a short ride past Hermann and well worth the trip http://www.adampuchtawine.com/

Puchta's Vignoles and Adam's Choice are worth seeking out. While you are in the area, Swiss Meats in Swiss is worth the drive for some good sausage and cheese to go with the wine. The best wine deals seem to be at Loutre's Market just south of McKittrick. Swiss brats cost less there too actually....but the store in Swiss is worth the drive.