Katy Trail Forum

The trail is temporarily closed east of Claysville at mile 147.2 due to a sinkhole in the culvert. Trail users will need to detour around this area by using U.S. Hwy. 63.

Thanks for the info. We were planning a Bville to JC ride this weekend (with reservations in JC already made). Is the detour well marked? Do you know how bike friendly Hwy 63 is?

Thanks so much for the heads up on this.

I called the MO Dept of Natural Resources about this, and they really didn't have much information. She said it should be well marked. No idea how long it will be closed.



Generally when they do this sort of thing, the detour runs from one trailhead to another, which in this case would be from the Claysville trailhead to the North Jefferson trailhead - but she was not certain that the detour ran between these two points.



To get a better idea of the situation, take a look at this interactive map of the trail. Double-click to zoom in on that area - you'll see that 63 actually crosses the trail between Claysville and JC. Click Hybrid at the top of the map to see a photo view. If you zoom in REAL close, you'll see that 63 is a divided hiway and appears to have shoulders. But that traffic is probably going 65+ MPH. It also looks like no trail access where 63 crosses over the trail.



Hopefully somebody out there can chime in with more info. If not, your best bet may be to call some of the bike shops in Jeff City, or businesses in Hartsburg, to see if anyone knows anything. I wish I had more info, but it seems we're all in the dark here - even the DNR folks.

Thanks for the reply. I also called today and the person I spoke to said the detour instructions are posted at Hartsburg and at the JC trailhead. She stated that 63 is a busy 4 lane highway. Also stated she wouldn't recommend it herself due to it being a busy 4 lane highway.

She stated it should be fixed by Monday. I asked if there was anyway to "cut" through the edge of the trail/in the woods for a bit but she said the trail is closed at the Cedar Creek (I think that was the name) bridge because the bridge was also damaged and needed some repair. So.....no way around it at all except for the detour.

Looks like we'll be staying more on the Western end of the trail for this weekend!

63 has a wide shoulder and uphill grades between North Jefferson Trailhead and Claysville Road. You are right Ray, traffic does travel at 65+, that is 65 + 15 MPH. Not very feasable to get on 63 where it crosses Katy Trail. Claysville Road is hilly and winding, about 2 miles from 63 to Katy Trail.

I got the following information from Hartsburg Cycle Depot (they are located in Jeff City but still maintain very close ties to Hartsburg):



"I have a friend/rider out on the trail everyday who updates me from Jeff to Tebbets or from Jeff to Hartsburg. It was not blocked off on Monday but by Tuesday it was, he says it looks pretty bad. It seem that with all the rain that the land has sunk or washed away from a concrete culvert revealing a big hole and loose surroundings.



"The 63 route is unfavorable, from the trail you will need to take the Katy spur to the pavilion that is on 4th street and just a jog down to Cedar City Dr.(Mo-AF)make a right, follow the road to the highway. From the trail head to the highway entrance (at the mobile home sales lot) is about 3 miles, it is then about 5miles up and down hills to Claysville road. Like any highway the shoulders are filled with debris that can cause flats. Claysville road does not have a shoulder and winds a bit up and down hills. I think even the most experienced road rider would shutter at the thought of riding 63 especially with drivers that know bound to the speed limit. This is the easiest way I think to go."



Thanks again to Pam at Hartsburg Cycle Depot for this update. Sounds pretty bad - I hope they fix it quickly!

I didn't think to check the website before I biked from Columbia to Jeff City today, so I didn't know about the closing until I was on it. I think there was a notice I overlooked back at Hartsburg. Anyway, I didn't want to backtrack to Claysville, and go all the way out to 63 and back, and I didn't want to bike on 63 either. So I walked my bike on the ~2 feet of bridge that extend beyond the rail. I'm sure that's terribly unsafe; do it at your own risk.

My buddy and I crossed the area as did Rachel and I found this not to be a problem at all! Ron

Is this fixed? I checked the DNR website, and they report no closures or hazards.

A person can walk a bike across the edge of the bridge. It's no problem if a person is careful. From the way the path was worn, many, many people were doing it. But like one person said, do it at your own risk. Sunday evening was beautiful on the trail!!

This bridge is now open, As stated by Rachel and Ron you were able to bypass the bridge by walking around but according to my calculations this could be done with minimal risk but do not attempt it on a Electra townie!

Good news! We'll be there in a couple weeks and I've been squinting at Google Earth trying to figure out the detour. Now I can just relax and enjoy looking forward to our trip.

Is this section of the trail fixed and ridable? We will be traveling on tandems with children in 2 weeks, just wanna be sure.

I live fairly close to St. Charles. I'll be driving in and registering Monday morning instead of Sunday night. Will I be able to leave my vehicle at St. Charles for 5 days? Do I need to make special arrangements?

Thanks

Yes, week-long parking arrangements have been made in St. Charles. Detailed information will be included in your confirmation packet which should go out next week. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail if you have any additional questions. connie.schmidt@dnr.mo.gov

I have enjoyed my stay at this charming bed and breakfast!The hostess is a warm and wonderfully friendly woman who is a delicious cook. Our breakfast was phenomenal and plentiful. This was our second visit to this B & B and I we look forward to being there in the future. Wll worth every penny.

I have enjoyed my stay at this charming bed and breakfast!The hostess is a warm and wonderfully friendly woman who is a delicious cook. Our breakfast was phenomenal and plentiful. This was our second visit to this B & B and I we look forward to being there in the future. Wll worth every penny.

Some freinds of ours would like to vacation on the Katy in june between us we have 6 kids ages 7 mo to 8yrs. We want to ride no more than twenty miles and would like to find other family freindly things to do with the kids. We have never rode the trail and are looking for suggestions on where to stay (tent or cabin) and what type of stuff we can expect to find to do.

With all the rain, how is the trail to ride? Is it soggy or more difficult? We are planning a ride in a few weeks. Plan on Jefferson City to St CHarles. Thanks!

I did an out and back between Rocheport and Hartsburg this morning. A few places were soggy (and more difficult) from Coopers Landing to Hartsburg...but not horribly so. Can't say for sure for points east of Jeff City. Looks like could be more rain tonight so it could get soggier. The good thing about the Katy though, it does dry out quickly as long as it's not day after day of rain.

Have fun!

My son and I just finished riding portions of the trail this past weekend - Dutzow to Bluffton. Columbia to Sedalia. The trail is in very good condition - no large puddles even when it was raining.

A group of us are riding from the Rocheport Trailhead each direction this upcoming Saturday and we would really like our friends to see the Tile Grain Elevator, but I don't remember how far west it is from Rocheport. Does anyone remember what mile marker it is near?

Believe it's slightly over halfway to New Franklin, about six miles NW from Rocheport.

Can anyone give me the location of the St. Charles Trailhead? Cross-streets or an address would be helpful.

Even better - how about a map? Click on St Charles in the map at the top of this page. Then page down a bit, and you'll see a Google map of St Charles. The red line is the Katy Trail, and the red "pushpin" is the trailhead. Click "Hybrid" at the top right of the map for a satellite photo view.



Enjoy!

... and by the way, the trailhead is actually the smaller parking lot to the southwest of the pushpin. The larger lot to the northeast of the pin is the Lewis and Clark visitor center parking lot.

We like to bike 30-40 miles per day and are interested in the best section to ride and best B&B's in that area for mid September (is that a good time to do?). Thanks!

For a two day ride in the fall Booneville to Jefferson City has to be the best.

Boonvile (Rocheport) to Jefferson City is a pretty ride and gets great reviews here over and over. To tie in the B&B and to keep you away from the Jeff City bridge, I would consider parking in Hartsburg and riding west to Boonville with lodging at a B&B there. I can't recommend one, but I among others would recommend a stay at the Hotel Frederick in Boonville. It sits at the southern foot of the Missouri river bridge and is a very well done 100 year old hotel renovation. They are very bike friendly, have a quality cafe onsite, with a casino within walking distance and other places to eat (Napoli) and shop along Main street to the south.

I personally think the first two weeks in October is the best time to ride the KATY. The leaves are starting to change and the weather is cooler.

I agree with the rest. Booneville to Jefferson.

My wife and I stayed here on the 6th of May. I read one other comment from some folks who weren't satisfied but we thought it was great. Our room, the Attic Room, was very nice. My wife enjoyed the big clawfoot tub and we used the hottub which was clean.

I'll agree that if you are looking for lace doilies and high tea, this is probably not your place. However, if you're looking for a relaxing, private place to spend some time, we highly recommend it. We'll likely return.

Two other notes. This Bistro down the trail is a great place to spend an evening. Also we visited with a couple guys who were in the room next door and that looked like a nice place to stay as well.

We are planning on using the Rocheport trailhead for a day ride in a couple weeks. Perhaps 50 miles round trip. Any recommendations on going east or west with reguard to scenery, towns, food, etc? Thanks..

Rocheport to Hartsburg would be a nice ride for near 50 miles round trip.

I second the advice by Trek. Several years ago my nephew and I took that ride (Rocheport to Hartsburg) on a cool October day and got a surprise when we pulled into Hartsburg .... they were having their annual Pumpkin Festival. It was quite colorful and fun to be there. If you go in a couple of weeks, and are interested in returning to see their fall event you might ask one of the merchants when this years festival will be.

One more vote for going east to Hartsburg. It is far and away the most scenic.

One more vote for east to Hartsburg. The views of the river,the bluffs and same landmarks that Lewis & Clark saw are superb. Start your trip by going just far enough west to see the tunnel, but then do a 180 degree turn and head east!

The votes keep piling up for Rocheport to Hartsburg. I agree that it is about the single most beautiful 25 miles of the Trail....plus if Doty's is open - a great piece of pie at the halfway point.

I agree with all the others: Rocheport to Hartsburg. It's an easy ride and the scenery is great. My wife and I take this ride quite often. We usually start with breakfast at the Trialside Cafe and Bike Shop before the ride and then eat lunch in Hartsburg. We have lunch on the Patio at the Summit Hill Winery and then before we leave town we go to Dotties for a slice of pie. It's a great day trip. Have a fun!

I agree with the others, Rocheport to Hartsburg. My wife and I take that ride quite often. We usually start with breakfast at the Bike Shop in Rocheport and then eat lunch on the patio at Summit Hill Winery. Before we leave town we go over to Dotties and have a slice of her famous pie. It's an easy ride and I think it is one of the most scenic sections of the trail. Have a great ride!

Between New Franklin and Rocheport the Katy is known as "the desert" by many of the locals. Very little shade with nothing but crops on both sides of you for miles. It can be brutal on a hot day.



So another vote for Rocheport to Hartsburg, IMO, its the best part of the Katy.



Paulie

The hills on the north side of the trail between New Franklin and Rocheport are sprackled with every color of green imaginable this time of year..just like they are with color in the fall.

Are there portions of Katy Trail suitable for inline skating?

The surface is made of a small gravel that is crushed limestone-- my inline skates work only

on paved surfaces. I have seen inline skates with "cross-country" wheels, but I have no

experience with those at all. So, the answer is probably not- unless you have wheels that

will go on gravel. Sharon

If you are coming to Missouri from Florida you may want to check out the Great River Trail along the Mississippi in Illinois. It's a paved trail.

Hey Mark and Laura, I like your Web Site of Claysville store. Laura I saw your parents last sunday, boy it brought back old memories. Our church (Midway Baptist) is planting a visit to your store. I can't wait. You guys keep in touch. old friends Dennis...

dennishartley821@hotmail.com

Hey Mark and Laura, I like your Web Site of Claysville store. Laura I saw your parents last sunday, boy it brought back old memories. Our church (Midway Baptist) is planting a visit to your store. I can't wait. You guys keep in touch. old friends Dennis...

dennishartley821@hotmail.com

I want to ride the entire trail from Clinton to St Charles but am having trouble finding information on getting to Amtrak from St Charles. Can anyone help? send info to cricket1215@hotmail.com

Thanks

We are planning on doing a ride with our children on mothers day either starting in Booneville or New Franklin and heading east. My kids are 10 - very good rider, 5 - fairly good, and 3 - will be in a seat. My question is - does this area tend to be crowded with bikes on the weekends. I'm worried about my 5 year old running people off the path, however I think the nice flat ride would be better for us than the trails around OP which tend to be hilly. Any comments would be helpful.



Thanks!

Riding east from Boonville would mean crossing the bridge over the Missouri at Boonville; I would be concerned with your five year old if you met someone coming from the opposite direction on the bike/pedestrian path. Some grown-ups have difficulty navigating the narrow path under those circumstances.



Riding east from New Franklin is fairly flat and has some long stretches of open areas without much shade; if it is hot and sunny water and sunscreen are critical necessities.



The area around Rocheport can be a heavy bike traffic area.



No matter where you are though it is good to remind your children often to stay to the right side of the trail and that others will be passing on the left. They have to learn sometime and most trail riders are mindful of the erratic actions of children and will use extra caution when passing them.

If you take the bridge north out of Boonville and then the first road to your left at the foot of the bridge and proceed about 1/4 mile to the Katy....there is a parking lot there which would then omit any need for you and your kids to ride the bike lane on the bridge.

Thank you for your help - I think we will go with New Franklin and head east - so for anyone out there on Mother's Day keep your eye out for my little one - I'll try my best to keep him to his side of the path :)



Thanks again!

My friend and I set out from Boston to walk/bike the Katy in April. We are women in our late sixties and walk a long walk every year. We choose the Katy because we could walk from town to town where we could get lodging each night. But, the trail is flat and services for walkers are very sparse in some parts. Access to water is very limited in long stretches of the trail. It is definitely more of a biking trail. We opted to rent bikes on the long stretches without service.

We stayed in some great B&B’s and met some great people. We rented bikes in Sedalia, Rocheport and Hermann. It was no problem hiring a shuttle to pick up the bikes and bring them back to the rental shop. We also had the shuttle service drop off our packs when they picked up the bikes.

We started out with 10–12 lb packs. By the time we got to Jefferson City we decided to ship all but the very essential items to St. Charles.

We visited Columbia, Jefferson and St. Louis. Great cities, worth spending time in. St. Charles was a big disappointment. The shops carried the same stuff and had the overwhelming smell of potpourri.

St Louis was worth the time. The City Museum was especially worth while. Great fun!

Augusta was a great place to visit, brewery and wineries. One of the best meals during the entire trip was at Café Bella run by a mother and daughter. Don’t miss this place.

One of the best times we had at a B&B was Rendleman Home in Bluffton. Doug, the innkeeper made dinner and breakfast. The B&B is not on the Missouri list of B&B’s and the place was not decorated beautifully and was not especially clean but the meal was great and he was a real kick. He gets our star for the place to stay on the Katy. Most of the other B&B’s we stayed in were all beautifully decorated and the innkeepers very accommodating. We did start to get a little “over B&B’d” by the end of the trip and looked forward to the autonomy a hotel provides.

Would pick up in Boonville be possible? And if so what would be the cost for 2 riders (with bikes) from Boonville to Clinton?

Would pick up in Boonville be possible? And if so what would be the cost for 2 riders (with bikes) from Boonville to Clinton?

B & L Shuttle (Sedalia, Missouri)



Mile 229



P.O. Box 1973

Sedalia, MO 65301

660-221-4406

B & L Shuttle (Sedalia, Missouri)



Mile 229



P.O. Box 1973

Sedalia, MO 65301

660-221-4406

Mark Wednesday June 4, 2008 on your calendars. The Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza is being dedicated at 5:30PM that day in Jefferson City Missouri. Its a functional green space for cyclists on the state capitol grounds but also remembers the Lewis & Clark bicentennial in Missouri(2003-2006)with greatoutdoor public art. "Google" the sculptor (Sabra Tull Meyer) to see the bronze statues that will be the centerpiece of the trailhead.

The following link explains about the trailhead plaza...what it is, etc.



http://lewisandclarktrailwatch.blogspot.com/

Does anyone have suggestions about which route to take if you get off Amtrak in Hermann?

Take route 19 north across the bridge to get to the Katy.