Katy Trail Forum

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.

Glenn's is nothing like it was in Columbia. The food is still okay, not great, but the service has gone straight downhill since the grand opening. The employees are rude, unclean, and some need lessons in appropriate dress (last time we were there, the hostess was wearing a black bra under a see-through white shirt). The staff polishing wine glasses at the cup board were touching their noses and wiping glasses (yuck). The entire time we had to listen to them gossiping very loudly about who is pregnant and who is sleeping with whom. The menu is limited, and for 1/4 the price we could have real cajun food.

Glenn's is nothing like it was in Columbia. The food is still okay, not great, but the service has gone straight downhill since the grand opening. The employees are rude, unclean, and some need lessons in appropriate dress (last time we were there, the hostess was wearing a black bra under a see-through white shirt). The staff polishing wine glasses at the cup board were touching their noses and wiping glasses (yuck). The entire time we had to listen to them gossiping very loudly about who is pregnant and who is sleeping with whom. The menu is limited, and for 1/4 the price we could have real cajun food.

Our experiences at Glenn's have not at all been like the anonymous posters. I've not noticed anyone being rude or unclean in dress or behavior. My question though is....on our next visit to the Boonville area, where do we go to get real cajun food for $5?

Our experiences at Glenn's have not at all been like the anonymous posters. I've not noticed anyone being rude or unclean in dress or behavior. My question though is....on our next visit to the Boonville area, where do we go to get real cajun food for $5?

Trek,

Good point!

Trek,

Good point!

I also have to agree with Trek. Our expieriences have been great! The entire staff has been polite and well dressed. And I don't believe the anonymous poster was being very 'appropriate' when picking on one certain employee.

I also have to agree with Trek. Our expieriences have been great! The entire staff has been polite and well dressed. And I don't believe the anonymous poster was being very 'appropriate' when picking on one certain employee.

I am looking for a retiree, preferably in his/her 50s or 60s, who regularly rides the Katy Trail to interview for a story I am writing.

Contact me at khstraach@aol.com



Thanks.

Well I was going to volunteer until I saw that you had to be retired. Guess I am just wishing since I am only 55. :(

I am attempting to ride the Katy from Clinton to St. Charles and I'm not sure how long I should plan. Would 40/50 miles a day be reasonable? I'm a 57 year old women in pretty good shape but I just started riding. I ride in Colorado so I tackle some pretty good hills. I understand you need to make overnight res. in advance and I want to make sure I can make it to my destination. Any advise on hotels? Also is the first part of June a pretty good time to rike? I know there has been lots of rain out there.

If you are in pretty good shape, 40/50 sounds reasonable. The trail is a very flat, former rairoad bed, no hills. The only problem I can see is June can be very hot and humid in MO. You will need to be very careful, and drink plenty of fluids in order not to get dehydrated. Go to the Plan a Ride portion of this site for hotels.

The Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia is a nice old historic (renovated) hotel, as well as the Hotel Frederick in Boonville. The Frederick is right across the street from the Katy and has a nice cafe inside as well. There are several B & B's in Hermann that are nice and cater to the biking crowd. It you want to pamper yourself, check out Hermann Hill Inn and Cottages in Hermann.

I agree with the above. Explore this website and you will get most if not all the info you need. I have stayed at both the Hotel Bothwell and Hotel Frederick/Glenn's Cafe and they are both primo.

There are some hills on the west end of the trail. The stretch between Clifton City to Pilot

Grove is a steady climb that I've experienced. Refer to the "elevation chart" under FAQ to get

an idea.

Our fav places to stay-

Sedalia-The Bothwell. Short ride off trail, full of history. Restaurant onsite, check for closed days. Can keep bike in room.

Boonville-We've stayed at the Comfort Inn, short ride off trail. Can keep bike in room. No close eateries (only Arby's and Wendys)but shuttle will take you to Casino OR shuttle to casino and walk few blocks to main street yo find restaurants. Holiday Inn Ex is next to Comfort Inn. Go off the trail at aprox mm 194.

Hartsburg-Stayed multiple times at the Globe B&B. Historic, charming. Jeanette's a great hostess. Very basic (no TV's in rooms, shared baths and basic breakfast), price is reasonable, very clean, comfortable. Again, check restaurant closed days (there's always the Hitching Post bar a few blocks away,they do a pretty good job with microwave/toaster oven food if you're hungry.

Jefferson City-Love Cliff Manor B&B. Will pick you up at JC trailhead for fee. Capital square 1/3-1/2 mile walk from B&B with restaurant options (Arris' Greek Pizza very good).

Rhineland-Doll House B&B directly on trail, very nice with Trailside Bar&Grill across road. Also Loutre Lane B&B, short distance off the trail (hilly) but very nice and will take you back down to the Trailside to eat.

Augusta-Best place we've stayed is Red Brick Inn B&B. Pricy but worth it!

Lots of other places along the way that also get rave reviews depending on where your daily mileage puts you. This message board is a great wealth of info. If the town you're staying in is large enough, don't forget about Pizza delivery if you're really tired.

I second the comment re carrying extra water. On eastern end towards St. Charles, not all trailheads have water avail (may have to search in town for a store etc). Western end pretty much has water every 10-12 miles EXCEPT there no water at the Clifton City trailhead...so it's a 20+ mile section between Sedalia and Pilot Grove without water.

Have fun!