Katy Trail Forum

Hi, We are riding from Rocheport to St. Charles stopping overnight in Jeff City, Hermann & Augusta so 35-40 miles a day. I have never gone this far and it's been a long time. We have road bikes. How is the trail? Are there stops that are open? Ok, probably stupid question but can you make a wrong turn or miss a turn to get to your next destination?
I really think we will be fine but just wondering.
Oh, and The Bike Stop Cafe in St. Charles does transport if needed. We won't need it as we have someone picking us up.
Thanks for any info.

How the trail is can depend a lot on how much rain has recently fallen. I rode it during a rainy week & was glad to have my mountain bike with the 1.5 in wide tires instead of my road bike with the skinnier tires. The trail can be quite soft when it rains & some parts get muddy. If it were a dry week, it would be fine with narrower tires.

You ask a lot of questions, so here are some general replies.

Not sure what you mean by not going so far and been a long time (since you rode a bike anywhere??), but it would be a good idea to do a long-ish day ride of 30-40 miles to make sure you and your bike are comfortable. Drive to Pleasant Hill and ride 20 miles out (and back) to make sure you feel ready.

As Kate says, the trail should be fine for road bikes unless there has been LOTS of rain. It drains very well, and plants suck up water during the summer to prevent excessive sogginess.

As for stops, it is best to call ahead (now) to make sure key stops for restaurants are going to be open, especially on weekdays. Some places have unusual hours or are still recovering from pandemic closures.

Finally, you should not be able to get lost - just stay on the obvious trail heading east (across numerous road crossings and avoiding side trails that are usually marked).

Thanks Kate and Dave. I meant I have ridden the Katy Trail but not to St. Charles. We ride 40-50 miles on a weekend but on streets so I didn't know about the trail. Thanks again!

Karlie
Your 35-40 miles a day sounds a really good choice. You need to allow for the odd detour (we got a bit lost here and there), punctures, and just enjoying the ride. It is not the Tour de France! Take several spare tubes, and a good toolkit and pump; we got through several tubes and were rescued by a lovely couple who drove to Walmart and bought us some more.

The only place you might get sort of lost is in the towns, but with a google maps on a phone you're pretty safe. Do be prepared for HILLS though, when you go across the river into the towns. We (There were 3 of us) did gravel bikes this year with 38mm tires, with no flats. We did Katy Trail a few years ago on road bikes (I recommend gravel bike if possible) and we used some sort of a protective liner inside the tire, between the tire and the tube. No flats eitehr time.

In two weeks I'll be driving from coastal South Carolina out to Saint Charles, and then doing the Katy to Sedalia. Are there any last minute things that I need to know? I'm aware of the two trail closures. Thanks.

John

Staying home would be good. It's supposed to be over 90 degrees and that means bad news to be outside.

My son and I tried riding the trail and camping last July. It was in the 90s. That was the only time he had off. We made it from Clinton to Hartsburg over 3 days. We couldnt drink enough water or gatorade to keep us hydrated even though we carried plenty. We both had light headedness and dizzy spells and knew that was not a good sign. I live in Florida where temps are routinely in 90s with high humidity. Try it if you must but I would wait for cooler weather.

I have a friend that said the second most humid and hottest place he had been was Bombay India. I asked him what was number 1. He said his home town, Columbia SC, so you are probably used to it. Gatorade, water and shade are your friends. The nice thing about later in the summer is that when the temps go over 100 the humidity goes away.

It's like most physical challenges - if you are pretty well trained and aclimated you can do it. And if you call ahead to every place you plan to stop and make sure they are going to be open on the day you will be there. Do those things and you will be fine. Myself, my husband, and adult son did abot half the trail in 2007 - in August, and then Sedalia to St. Charles last month. Both times were fine but we took those precautions.

Regarding the heat, this is obvious but I'll say it anyway... start early in the morning. The afternoon high might be in the 90s, but its still in the 70s or low 80s at 8am, 9am, 10am.... You can get in a lot of miles before noon and then just lay low somewhere through the peak afternoon heat.

Also needless to say but bears repeating... Bring as much water as you think you'll need... and then double that amount.

And remember to drink. My problem is that I bring enough water but forget to keep drinking through the ride.

And one non weather issue to keep in mind: many of the small local restaurants are not open early in the week. If you're riding on a Monday/Tuesday, you may need to rely on convenience stores. Bet bet, call ahead if you're counting on any particular business.

Good luck and have fun!

I endorse all that good advice; we cycled the trail in October and it was HOT; but not too humid. We also found quite a bit of it was exposed with no tree cover either which really fried us. We did have plenty of water and only ran out once, just as we got to a Gaterade dispenser. It tasted soooo good, but don't bother reading the ingredients - you don't want to know.

We will be on the rock island spur on the 25th dropping into Windsor and then down the KATY to saint Louis. We were curious if the cicada's are busy doing those cicada business?? If so, any real problem areas?? I know they are just bugs but my gosh, they are big and creepy!!


Can't wait to see Missouri.

Joe& Colleen

Usually they stay in the trees. Seems like they don't start singing until around August 1. Then you know that summer is almost over.

I see that bikes can be added to the train ticket per previous comments. I am not seeing a way to add the bike at the Amtrak website. Did those of you who have done this recently call the general Amtrak number to buy tickets and add the bike(s)?

We have a group of three coming from KC and riding Clinton to St. Charles. We plan to take the train back to KC, but need to get from STC to the train station. Does anyone have a recommendation for shuttle service? Thanks in advance!

The Bike Stop Cafe (I think that's the name) does shuttles to the train station. Go to their website and it gives the cost.

On my recent trip on the Katy, On the first segment I rode rom St Charles to Machens. When I got there I notice some one had mounted a little bell on the information shelter. I thought it only right to ring the bell to indicate the start of a great journey.

When I got to Clinton I hoped to find a bell on that information shelter. I was disappointed to find that there was no bell there. It sure would been nice to have rung the bell when I completed the trail.

What is the chance of having one there as well?

Looks like about a 50/50 chance.

I think that is a good idea. Why don't you follow through with it? I bet it would be popular.

Doug
other than the fact that it is about a 1300 mile drive from where I live I just might.

Well just put up a REALLY BIG bell! I'd even brew up something special for the occasion! I know you want to come back

A couple of weeks ago while riding on the trail I passed through Pilot Grove, the first time I camped at the city park. On my return trip, I opted to stay at the Katy Junction B&B. While I could have kept on riding that day I had decided to stay there because I had had several long conversations with Jerry Selbach the owner. He is a very pleasant person and always ready to help users of the Katy Trail.

We had a lot of time to talk that afternoon, we traded stories about the history of this section of MO, and about VA where I come from.

I would definitely stay at the B&B again.

Thumbs up to Doug and the Bluffton Barn. I took advantage of his hospitality earlier in March while I was on a solo ride from Machens to Clinton and back. He offers a wide range of options on how you stay with him. He offered me a warm bed, shower, dinner, and breakfast. He also gave me the option of setting up my tent and camping out. I took him up on a warm shower, but camped and made my own meals. I figured that if I was going to bother carrying a tent sleeping gear and food I should at least use them. Or, that would have been a useless weight on the trail.
Doug is very friendly and offers a campfire with singing and adult refreshments. I had a very good time and enjoyed our conversations.

Our 90lb 2.5 year old Hound mix got away from us on 6/3/2021 by the Rocheport Tunnel. His name is Luca, he's mostly black with a white belly & his legs and snout are golden. My husband has been searching on foot all around the area and I've been getting the word out online.

Just left Marthasville, A tree is blocking trail couple hundred feet east of trailheCarried iur trikes over ad station. 6/7/21. 8AM

My sister and I are planning to ride the Katy Trail in late June. She will be riding a trike w/ no shock absorption and bumps get really jarring (headache causing). I am guessing there will be bumps along the way, but can anyone speak to the overall smoothness or how much bumpy to expect?

Thank you

I have ridden half of the Katy(there and back), on a trike with no suspension. Not a problem, not a headache, try to avoid driving in tire tracks made by tractors in some areas. That was the worst I felt. Going slower on a trike lets you see the bumps coming up easily. It was most enjoyable to not have a sore butt daily and no nerve damage in my hands from the bikes. You could probably push your trike through the little river crossing, take gear across first. I would not want to ride my trike on those roads with no shoulders. Too dangerous. Good luck, it's fun.

Rode KATY trail from Clinton to Hartsburg on a trike. Loaded down with camping gear so going was slow. Had no issues except for July heat. Have fun.

Hi all, I'm hoping to ride the Katy trail this summer and wanted to take Amtrak from Chicago to the trail. TI want to start at Machens riding east to west, and I have a few questions:

1- Are there any shuttle services from St. Louis to the trail?

2- In case there are no shuttles from St. Louis to the trail I think my best option will be taking a train from Chicago to Washington, MO. Are there shuttle services from Washington, MO to Machens?

3- Anybody has a better suggestion for me to get to Machens from Chicago? FYI: I don't drive.

Thanks!

There is a trail network from the Downtown Amtrak station that runs along the Mississippi River and gets you very close to Machens. It is a paved trail network for most of the way, but you will have to ride a few county roads in order to reach the Machens trailhead. The issue is where to find a hotel after your train arrives in Downtown St. Louis...there are really no options close to the trail until you reach St. Charles...so your best bet is to get a hotel in Downtown St. Louis after your Amtrak train arrives and then leave first thing in the morning so you can ride the Mississippi River Trail, cross the Old Route 66 Chain of Rocks bike/ped bridge, take the Illinois Madison County Trail to Alton, cross the Mississippi River again on the US-67 river bridge (there is a wide bike lane striped off), and then take county roads to reach the Machens trail head...then spend the night in St. Charles. The Mississippi River Trail and Illinois Madison County Trail are a great experience along with crossing the Old Route 66 Chain of Rocks bike/ped bridge. It is a great way to start your Katy Trail adventure! Get some Mississippi River travel in before you put in lots of Katy miles next to the Missouri River.

Looks like Katfish Katy’s is temporarily closed.
https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/katfish-katys-occupancy-license-revoked-after-sewage-issue-noise-levels/article_c012e268-9225-52da-af2e-1c4d6c21d6bf.html

The article specifically says that:

"The Station House at Katfish Katy’s is currently open without an occupancy license. Its occupancy license was revoked June 1 by the Huntsdale Building Code Commissioner , Ana Lopez."

"...the health department allowed Katfish Katy's to remain open since there was no prior warning."

Later the article says the sewage issue was repaired by contractors.

They updated the story after the original posting. The original story made no mention of the health department allowing them to stay open. My apologies.

Kate’s is no longer open.

6/5 looking for afternoon pickup n Sedalia to Green Ridge
6/6 looking for midday pickup n Sedalia to Clifton City

pls email jackfrost1234@hotmail.com

THANKS!!!

Amtrak has announced they are adding back an additional round trip River Runner service starting July 19th. Tickets purchases are expected to available starting this weekend (June 5th).

I am so happy to hear this. Now if they just allow more than 4 bikes per trip, they will have a little more business!

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/mo-river-runner-returns-to-two-trips-a-day

Broke spokes on 2 different wheels, and arrived at 4:45pm at J&D.
Don stayed 2 hrs late to get us back on the trail. It's an older shoo, with tons of resources for various repairs, and Don knows his stuff. Highly recommended.

My daughter (10) and I are planning to ride the trail on our tandem bike in June. Here is our planned route. We are both planning to use our camping hammocks. I would love any feedback/ideas that you have!

Machens to Marthasville
51 Miles; Camp at Marthasville Community Club; Hammock in Pavilion

Marthasville to Mokane
47 Miles; Camp at Lions Club Park

Mokane to New Franklin
63 Miles; Camp at Katy Round House

New Franklin to Sedalia
45 Miles--Stay at Lazy Liz Campground (I found out that Sedalia Fair Grounds will not allow hammocks and I heard that it is noisy there)

Sedalia to Clinton
35.5 Miles

What size tires on the tandem? My wife and I did the Katy last year on a tandem with 26x2.125 tires with no issues. We stayed in hotels and B&Bs though.

You might want to consider starting in Clinton as it's slightly more downhill that direction plus more likely to have a tail wind. The only real downside is having the sun in your eyes if you start riding early in the morning.

Ticks and mosquitoes can be an issue so be prepared.

You might consider starting in St Charles rather than Machens. Many people consider St Charles to be the actual eastern terminus of the trail, since there is nothing at Machens (unless something has been added recently).

Same about Clinton...not much between Sedalia and Clinton. Many omit Clinton to Sedalia because of.

700 x 28 works fine on the Santana. Most folks work their way into riding a tandem and it's not a first bike for them. Ride what you got for tires, but you probably know that.

The trail disappears betwenn Machens and St Charles in several places, doesn't it? I heard that the floods destroyed a few parts in that section.

My wife and I have ridden the St Charles to Machens section a couple times since the 2019 flooding. First, while there is nothing more than a pavilion and outhouse at Machens (the same for Black Walnut), the route from St Charles to Machens is unlike the rest of the trail. More like riding through Iowa. Huge flat farmland all around. For us, it is a nice change of scenery that marks the official end of the trail (even if many folks to stop at St Charles).

Right after the flood there was a short impassible section with no known detours just outside of St Charles. That has since dried out and has been repaired. To the best of our knowledge there is still one open section of the trail just a couple miles from the end. However, there is a well worn path that skirts around the 10 yards of washed out trail. You might have to walk your bike 100yds (we have always been able to ride it).

A quick check with Google Earth (imagery from 7/13/2020) shows the section in question just south by southwest from Machens trailhead. Check it out and decide for yourself. Seems a shame to ride all that trail and miss out on the unique views the last section offers :-)

The flood damage near Machens was repaired last summer. We rode it on our tandem. It was a little mushy but not bad. There is one area near mile 35 that is very close to the river. If there's flooding or recent flooding, then it can be impassible. This little section near mile 35 is rather unique for the Katy Trail as it's not flat. It's a little technical even.

Since you live in Cottleville, my recommendation is to ride St. Charles to Machens and back a few days before your tour. It's about 25 miles total and could be a good shakedown ride to make sure that your bike and you are ready. That's what my wife and I did last year. That would make a first day of St. Charles to Marthasville more like 38 miles.

I'd ride past Mokane to Tebbitts and stay at the Turner Shelter. Evens out the days rides a bit and gives you a place to stay where you can get a shower for an inexpensive donation.

Thank you for the update, Jerry and Deron.

Thank you to each of you!

Hello all! I am coming back to let the community know that my daughter (10) and I will be starting out on our Tandem bike a week from tomorrow, on June 10. If you see us on our blue tandem, please send some encouragement. It will be my daughter's first long ride. Thanks!

Three of us are wanting to drive to Saint Charles and get a shuttle to Kansas City. Anyone know of a bike shuttle that goes to KC? I’ve seen folks mention that there are various trails/roads to take to ride from KC to Lee’s Summit/pleasant Hill but is there a good source for that info?

Bluffton barn is Bluffton with Doug its owner and gracious host. By the time we arrived at the barn, it had been a long rainy day biking on the Katy Trail. Doug took us under his wing providing for us and our bikes. We were given warm comfortable beds in the old farm house. Enjoyment was added to our stay from the evening conversations with Doug where we learned of the history surrounding Bluffton and the workings of the Missouri river. It’s obvious Doug really delights in his guests. You would miss a wonderful evening by not spending time with Doug and all the stories laced with wisdom gained by a long life next to the Missouri River.

I also spent a night at the "Barn" in Bluffton. I agree with Dr. Kyle that Doug is a great man who takes very good care of over-night staying bikers. He had a few options of dinner or breakfast if you just show up, or contact him in advance if you want to eat specific food. We spent hours talking about a lot of stuff. Plan to stop over at the "Barn"

Thank you very much Kyle and Tom but my point of view is 180 opposite. It's the guests like you guys that make evenings and the conversations so enjoyable. Travel is places, life is people.

Just thought we'd add that we met Doug on our ride in October 2020 -- he helped us with shuttling. He's a great guy. When we return to the KATY Trail for a future ride, Doug and the Bluffton Barn are on our itinerary.