Elevations along the trail
- + I just finished three days from Clinton to Jeff City. I know it can't be right; but it seemed like it was uphill most of the way to Rocheport. The elevation map does not agree with me, but I wonder i...
Discussion started 06/08/2008 08:09 PM - 7 replies (last reply by jd at 06/22/2008 10:10 PM)Anonymous from Kansas City on 06/08/2008 08:09 PM
I just finished three days from Clinton to Jeff City. I know it can't be right; but it seemed like it was uphill most of the way to Rocheport. The elevation map does not agree with me, but I wonder if anyone has a map that shows the actual up and down of the trail; mile by mile? This was my first ride; I am old and out of shape; and the trail was kind of wet, so maybe that clouded my perception. I had a great time.
Grandpa Norm from Raymore, MO on 06/08/2008 09:00 PM
I'm an old guy too and have thought the same as you have, that the trail must be all uphill. If your map only had the elevations from town to town that doesn't give you the whole picture. However you can access right here on this website a graph of the elevation ups and downs for the entire trail. Just go back to the home page, click on "search", scroll down and google elevations and it will pop up. You will see you did actually have a little bit of downhill mixed with the climbs.
You may have also been affected to some extent by headwinds, they can make even a slight downhill seem just the opposite.
Good luck and stay with the trail, it gets better as you ride it more.
Ray (webmaster) on 06/09/2008 05:01 AM
Anonymous on 06/09/2008 09:48 AM
When the trail is wet the Clinton to Pilot Grove route is the softest point on the whole trail. Will flat grab your tires. Would travel light and use 32 tires as minimum.
DougK from Troy on 06/12/2008 06:25 AM
I felt the same way when I hiked it. I assumed it was optical illusions but still believe it's uphill
Biker from Farmington on 06/12/2008 04:56 PM
What?! Oh, man! Last year, I did the DNR ride from Clinton to St. Charles. You're telling me it's slightly uphill from St. Chas to Clinton? Hoo boy. I'm praying it doesn't rain all next week during this year's DNR ride. Thanks for the link.
Biker from Farmington, MO on 06/21/2008 12:33 PM
Me again. A word about the elevations graph. I copied this nice little monster for the DNR ride, and tried to use it to anticipate the terrain as we moved, steadily uphill, from St. Chas to Clinton. NOTE: The graph depicts general, overall, sea-level data, but does NOT depict actual terrain. Their were several rolling hills during what appeared to be "downhill" parts of the trail, chiefly in the Sedalia to Clinton area. It might LOOK like it's downhill all the way to Clinton, but it ain't. There are still a few uphills, so don't expect to kick back and coast into town. That said, it was still a useful graphic to keep around.
jd from gkc on 06/22/2008 10:10 PM
You're right. The elevations map is meant for elevations alone, not for terrain. Most of the rolling grades at the western end are about 1% I think.
Burf's Bar and Grill
- + Burf's Bar and Grill - (Owner's last name is Burford)
This is a friendly little place - Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays - Nice breakfasts, great
burgers. Unfortunately, they do allow smoking (I...
Discussion started 06/22/2008 09:34 PM by Beth - 0 repliesBeth from Sedalia on 06/22/2008 09:34 PM
Burf's Bar and Grill - (Owner's last name is Burford)
This is a friendly little place - Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays - Nice breakfasts, great
burgers. Unfortunately, they do allow smoking (It is a bar).
Beth from Sedalia on 06/22/2008 09:34 PM
Burf's Bar and Grill - (Owner's last name is Burford)
This is a friendly little place - Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays - Nice breakfasts, great
burgers. Unfortunately, they do allow smoking (It is a bar).
Wonderful city and people!
- + I am a first time rider of the Katy trail, from Mckitrick to Portland. Only 15 or so miles but it was a hot ride for us newbies. The trail was in great shape, and very hot. I advise taking lots of wat...
Discussion started 06/22/2008 04:48 PM by TSF - 0 repliesTSF from Shawnee,Kansas on 06/22/2008 04:48 PM
I am a first time rider of the Katy trail, from Mckitrick to Portland. Only 15 or so miles but it was a hot ride for us newbies. The trail was in great shape, and very hot. I advise taking lots of water, bug spray and tan lotion! If you stay in Hermann, I highly recommend the Heritage House B&B. Get a room with a jacuzzi too. The beds were comfy and cute. The breakfast was good and the hosts fantastic!!
lees summit
- + Once we board the Amtrak in Kirkwood, can we get off with bikes in Lee's Summit or do we have to get off in Sedalia or KC?
Discussion started 05/25/2008 09:31 PM by caleb - 2 replies (last reply by Paul Toigo at 06/22/2008 03:29 PM)caleb from lees summit on 05/25/2008 09:31 PM
Once we board the Amtrak in Kirkwood, can we get off with bikes in Lee's Summit or do we have to get off in Sedalia or KC?
cunninghamair from O'Fallon, MO on 06/20/2008 07:31 PM
Check Amtrak's website. We got on in Washington and got off in Jeff City. It stops at many
small towns along the way.
Paul Toigo on 06/22/2008 03:29 PM
I have gotten on and off Amtrak in Lee's Summit with my bike. To the best of my knowledge, you can do that on any stop on the StL/KC Mule or Ann Rutledge.
Safe passage from Ofallon to Katy Trail?
- + I live near Hwy K & N, and was curious if there was a preferred route from Ofallon to Katy Trail by bicycle. My main concern is the route south of Hwy 94. Pittman and Kisker are my closest roads, bu...
Discussion started 05/22/2008 07:49 PM by Jason - 4 replies (last reply by Roxann at 06/22/2008 01:15 AM)Jason from Ofallon, MO on 05/22/2008 07:49 PM
I live near Hwy K & N, and was curious if there was a preferred route from Ofallon to Katy Trail by bicycle. My main concern is the route south of Hwy 94. Pittman and Kisker are my closest roads, but probably not the safest. I would love to be able to reach Katy trail without a partial drive.
Thanks in advance,
Jason
cunninghamair from O''Fallon, MO on 06/20/2008 07:55 PM
Closest trail heads are Greens Bottom and Weldon. There isn't much of a shoulder on 94
south of 40--it is a windy road with lots of blind spots. You could probably get to Greens
Bottom by taking O'Fallon road to 94 to Pittman Hill Road. However, we just drive to the
Weldon Spring trail head. On weekends, we park at the Page Bridge and ride to St. Charles.
Ken from St. Charles on 06/20/2008 10:42 PM
This isn't a route without a drive, but it's not too bad.
Go to the 94 & D intersection near Francis Howell HS. Park in the cemetery lot near the west end. Ride through that gate and you're on the Hamburg Trail. Follow it and make sure you take a left after you go under 94. From there it will take you to the KATY at a point between the Weldon Spring trailhead and Defiance. You can east or west from there.
It's about 5 miles from the parking lot to the KATY. Mostly downhill outbound. If you ride west out to Klondike park, climb up into the park and return to the cemetery, it's roughly 26 miles round trip.
Have fun
cunninghamair from O''''Fallon, MO on 06/21/2008 04:41 PM
Thanks Ken! We were just trying to figure out where to pick up the Hamburg Trail.
Roxann from O'Fallon MO on 06/22/2008 01:15 AM
I live in O'Fallon at Bryon Rd & I70...to get to the Katy Trail So...I ride on the shoulder of Hwy K till it dead ends on the service road...left to 94...then right to the Hamburg Trail at the Cemetery. The shoulder on So. 94 is under construction at the present time. It looks like they may be paving it!!!
Holiday Inn Express (Boonville)
- + Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and bicycled to access the Katy Trail? Was the trail easy to find?
Discussion started 01/24/2006 02:17 AM by dn - 7 replies (last reply by Bicycle Guy at 06/21/2008 10:11 PM)dn from manhattan, ks on 01/24/2006 02:17 AM
Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and bicycled to access the Katy Trail? Was the trail easy to find?
dn from manhattan, ks on 01/24/2006 02:17 AM
Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and bicycled to access the Katy Trail? Was the trail easy to find?
Trek Biker from St. Joseph, MO on 01/24/2006 08:56 AM
We have stayed at both the Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn.
It was not the easiest thing to find the trail the first time. Maybe our directions weren't clear or it was early in the morning with little coffee. Trial and error usually wins out though.
Take the road between the truck stop and the Comfort Inn and head westwardly toward the moble home plant. Ride onto their property toward the north to northwest. On the northwest corner of their property, looking toward your left is a small clearing that leads to the Katy. Unfortunately there are no signs guiding you to the Katy. My guess is it's about a mile from the Comfort Inn to the trail. The Holiday Inn is just next door to the south of the Comfort Inn.
Trek Biker from St. Joseph, MO on 01/24/2006 08:56 AM
We have stayed at both the Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn.
It was not the easiest thing to find the trail the first time. Maybe our directions weren't clear or it was early in the morning with little coffee. Trial and error usually wins out though.
Take the road between the truck stop and the Comfort Inn and head westwardly toward the moble home plant. Ride onto their property toward the north to northwest. On the northwest corner of their property, looking toward your left is a small clearing that leads to the Katy. Unfortunately there are no signs guiding you to the Katy. My guess is it's about a mile from the Comfort Inn to the trail. The Holiday Inn is just next door to the south of the Comfort Inn.
Roger from Fort Leavenworth, KS on 04/16/2006 02:51 PM
We spent the night at the Boonville Holiday Inn Express (5 year old property). The owner was friendly and spoke to us while we used the heated indoor pool and hot tub. Well maintained property with a good breakfast and hard to beat for the $60 (weekend) I paid for the room. I know the real MKT experience is in a bed & breakfast, but I wanted a pool for my kid.
Roger from Fort Leavenworth, KS on 04/16/2006 02:51 PM
We spent the night at the Boonville Holiday Inn Express (5 year old property). The owner was friendly and spoke to us while we used the heated indoor pool and hot tub. Well maintained property with a good breakfast and hard to beat for the $60 (weekend) I paid for the room. I know the real MKT experience is in a bed & breakfast, but I wanted a pool for my kid.
dale nimmo from springfield missouri on 04/17/2006 09:55 AM
no matter WHERE you stay in booneville it's easy to find the trail, just ask for the casino, the trail is IMMEDIATELY next to it and in fact runs almost thru the casino parking lot.
dale nimmo from springfield missouri on 04/17/2006 09:55 AM
no matter WHERE you stay in booneville it's easy to find the trail, just ask for the casino, the trail is IMMEDIATELY next to it and in fact runs almost thru the casino parking lot.
Dan from Lee's Summit MO on 04/17/2006 08:55 PM
All true about the casino, but most of the hotels (like the Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn) are near I-70, which is a few miles south. Your access point depends on where you're staying. The directions through the mobile home plant sound about right.
Dan from Lee's Summit MO on 04/17/2006 08:55 PM
All true about the casino, but most of the hotels (like the Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn) are near I-70, which is a few miles south. Your access point depends on where you're staying. The directions through the mobile home plant sound about right.
Paul from St. Clair on 06/07/2007 04:40 PM
If you are going east make sure you get off the trail around mile marker 194 (not exactly sure). There is a new spur trail there, but it's really rough. There is a sign there, but nothing about HIE. The Holiday Inn Express is close to the truck stop. Don't make the mistake of going on into town or you will be sorry because this is one of the few down hill sections on the trail (from west to east that is). Also, there is an Arby's next to the Inn. And the hot tube/Jacuzzi felt great after a 70 mile ride.
Paul from St. Clair on 06/07/2007 04:40 PM
If you are going east make sure you get off the trail around mile marker 194 (not exactly sure). There is a new spur trail there, but it's really rough. There is a sign there, but nothing about HIE. The Holiday Inn Express is close to the truck stop. Don't make the mistake of going on into town or you will be sorry because this is one of the few down hill sections on the trail (from west to east that is). Also, there is an Arby's next to the Inn. And the hot tube/Jacuzzi felt great after a 70 mile ride.
Jack from Los Angeles on 06/09/2007 12:34 AM
if you want to get the bird's eye view go to google earth and set your location to the holiday inn express and go to the katy trail. zoom in as you need to. and print if needed.
Jack from Los Angeles on 06/09/2007 12:34 AM
if you want to get the bird's eye view go to google earth and set your location to the holiday inn express and go to the katy trail. zoom in as you need to. and print if needed.
Bicycle Guy from St. Clair on 06/21/2008 10:11 PM
An update on the trail leading to HIE. It is now much smoother. It has been worked on since last year.
Bicycle Guy from St. Clair on 06/21/2008 10:11 PM
An update on the trail leading to HIE. It is now much smoother. It has been worked on since last year.