Katy Trail Forum

Stayed inside one night each way on our end to end to end Katy Trail ride with our human powered fat tire bikes. It was a good break from camping since it rained each night. Shared with 3 others one the way out and just one on the way back. An unexpected plus on the return trip was a trail angel dropping off bbq and potato salad and baked beans...Thank You!

More than likely the trail angels were members of the Tebbetts Community Club and/or the Tebbetts Odd Fellows lodge. The folks in Tebbetts have always been great supporters of the Turner Shelter.

Good timing on your part, sounds like you hit Tebbetts during the annual picknic.

I think it was the 1st Friday of the month supper. They sometimes take a couple of leftover plates to the shelter.

This is now Research Inn hotel and web link to reserve room doesn't work. Main number to call from this website goes to a central reservation desk that does the same thing - desk person goes to the website to reserve the room for you. Person I spoke to was very nice and helpful but also thought hotel was sold out. Call hotel directly 636-442-2368 and negotiate. They are under construction and other than showing up only way to reserve a room.

From Katy Trail there is a sign that says Busch Greenway that is a beautiful paved bike path that will take you most of the way to the hotel (long climb at the end) which is probably 1 1/2 from the trail and about .7 miles from where the Busch Greenway ends.

I have been reading that there are several detours along the trail. Are they clearly marked along off trail routes.

I have not looked for myself, but I would definitely say "no".

What about the Salt creek detour? is that clearly marked?

The two major closures at Salt Creek (flooded/broken bridge) and 1.75 miles west of Portland (rock slide next to Logan Creek) do not have signed detours. Go to Google Maps, change the view to satellite view and enter Davisdale, MO for Salt Creek and Portland, MO for the rock slide. The rock slide west of Portland has a very easy detour that you can clearly see from the satellite map and you can actually zoom into the rock slide...Hwy. 94 is lightly traveled in this area and the road is almost flat for the one mile that you will be on it between Schmid Way and the gravel road that loops back to the Katy Trail. The satellite image at Salt Creek (near Davisdale) clearly shows the low water creek crossing route but it is an old satellite image with the levee blown out...there isn't a water pit anymore south of the broken bridge. You can see also the highway and county roads that you will have to use if the creek crossing is too muddy. Unfortunately this route is not signed and it takes up the bluffs before you can loop back along the county roads to Rocheport. The Fans of the Katy Trail Group on Facebook includes multiple videos of this low water crossing in their media section. The Katy Trail is definitely worth it, but you need to be prepared for these detours.

It's best to have the frame of mind that the state park department just maintains as much trail as they feel like maintaining, and that they care nothing about your trip, its timing, your ability to complete it, etc. Navigation, detours, etc are all up to you. Don't count on there being any signage anywhere ever.

That's a bit of an exaggeration, because you might see one or two signs that help direct you. But if you go in being independent and not expecting anything, you will be able to cope with whatever happens.

The state park department really just thinks about local users, who can just turn around, or who can just drive to a different trailhead. Which makes a certain amount of sense to me.

I’m sure several years of record floods, the virus shutting down much of the country and shutting down the annual trail rides had nothing to do with the ability of the DNR to repair these major damages.

The DNR Katy Trail people are good people and do not deserve to be characterized as uncaring or lazy.

Gary I fully agree with you, however I have met Bill and I doubt seriously if his intention was to denigrate MoDNR. I took it more as an affirmation of our independence and "we can take care of ourselves, thank you very much" attitude, which I believe he counts as a strength.

Which direction are you riding? I think West to East is better marked than other direction.

I am planning on doing a round trip.

Yeah, sorry, I knew it would come out wrong. They do a great job, and from the condition of the trail, you can tell that they care. Riders just need to be prepared and independent.

We just finished our full Katy Trail round trip and encountered the 2 trail blockages...twice.

Going west we made our way through the rock slide at miles 117.x. It was not easy and took about an hour. Minimally loaded bikes would be easier.

Our experience:
Unload bikes, lift everything over rocks.
Load up bikes.
Walk a 1/4 mi. path to the opposite side of the slide.
Unload bikes again.
Lift everything over another set of rocks.
Reload bikes.
A short distance down the trail a large tree is down.
Lift loaded bikes over the tree.
At the far end it is necessary to scout around a blocked bridge through a small creek.

On the return trip we took the road:
Ride to the where the trail is blocked.
Take the gravel road on the right.
At the paved highway, turn left.
Ride the hilly lightly trafficked highway to Portland
Turn right to the trail.

Again going west, at Rockland, a bridge is out 3 miles ahead.
We heard from many that the nearby highway was very hilly, rumble strips required riding in the traffic lane and there is plenty of traffic.
So we took the trail each way.
Crossing the creek was relatively easy since the bottom is cement, farmers driving their tractors across.
One way 3” of water, on return 5” of water. Your experience may vary.

Camped one night on our end to end to end Katy Trail ride on our human powered fat tire bikes. It was great camping and everything was clean and as expected. Showers and the camp kitchen were a plus. Quite deserted on a weekday night in early May.

Stayed in one of Dales cabin a few nights on our end to end to end Katy Trail ride on our human powered fat tire bikes. It was a great break from camping and everything was clean and as expected. We also got a shuttle from Dale to Pleasant Hill to ride the Rock Island Spur back to Windsor.

Stayed in one of Dales cabin a few nights on our end to end to end Katy Trail ride on our human powered fat tire bikes. It was a great break from camping and everything was clean and as expected. We also got a shuttle from Dale to Pleasant Hill to ride the Rock Island Spur back to Windsor.

Any tips on viewing this?

If anybody replies to your thread, please keep me in mind using ping1@hargray.com, because I want to see the Pierced Rocks too. All I can gather is that there are two of them around 166.9.

John

https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm9VCM_Pierced_Rock_Landmark_near_McBaine_Missouri

Hi, I am planning on riding the Katy next week but as of now it looks like it will be a week of scattered thunderstorms. I'm OK with a little stop-and-go to wait out passing storms, and will ride though rain if it's not too heavy, but I'd like to know what the trail is like during and after the rain. Does it get messy and slow you down a lot?

It gets softer and does slow you down some. You end up with plenty of trail silt and grit on your bike, and on your legs and back. It's not sticky mud, and it washed off easily, but it does get on you and your eqt.

One word: Fenders. I put them on all three bikes that I used on the Katy. I've been stuck riding in some heavy rain and my fellow riders had the "skunk stripe" up their backs. One guy even had about an inch of mud in his center cycling jersey pocket. However it usually isn't all that bad where the trail is packed down like around Columbia and St. Charles.

One year it hadn't rained in quite a while and the trail was really dusty. I think my bike picked up a static charge as there was a pretty thick coating all over the frame. That was during the first 2 days of the trip. Then it rained. That limestone dust stuck like concrete and I had trouble getting the stuff off after the trip. That's when I started putting fenders on my bikes.

As far as speed when wet, I used 700x32 tires minimum and don't have any real problems except where the trail has been repaired or in one case where there had been a mudslide recently.

Thanks for the suggestions -- and fenders sound like a great idea.

I just finished my West to East ride on May 2, 2021. YTour best bet is not to ride if thunder storm is in forecast as there are very limited places where you can seek refuge once you are on your way until you get to the next old train station.

As for the trail condition when it rains, most places are not paved, but the trail drains very quickly. One day it rained a lot over night but in the morning it was ok to ride without problem. I didn't see puddles or muddy parts on the trail.
I have a hybrid bike.

I'm riding the trail east to west next month and plan to be self sufficient and go to no stores/b&bs (camping obviously).

I plan on packing no water bottles and simply using my 3L Camelback bladder for my water. Just making sure that there will be water availability on the trail to refill if I need to, right? They're not tuned off because of covid or some such right?

(oh, by the way, I've never done this before so am garnering LOTS of information from this site and from the completely valuable forum. Thank you all so much who regularly participate in answering rookie (like me) questions. You don't understand how completely valuable it is. So thanks SO MUCH.

I just finished from West to East ride from Sedalia to St.Charles on May 2, 2021. In my opinion your 3 liter camelback should be sufficient. All water fountains (some are inside the restroom) are functional at the old train stations. As a matter of fact, water and flush toilets are very good and clean. I see people camping at the old stations instead of camp grounds where flush toilet may not be available.
I hope you are riding with other person because most B&Bs are not cheap. Splitting between two will help.
My impression is food and lodging are not enough, but I survived. As you go further West, there are less places for eating or sleeping.
It's a very good trail. Enjoy it. Thanks to Ted and Patricia Edwards who funded the project.

I'm sitting here on the coast of South Carolina - fat, dumb, and happy - with a plan to do the Katy in July. Then I just read about closures near Portland and Rocheport. What's going on? Are there good detours around them?

The "closure" at Rocheport does have two possible alternatives. The easiest is (if it hasn't rained in a bit) crossing the creek just south about 75 feet of the washed out bridge (which will not be replaced any time soon). There is a farmers path to get through the creek there. It has a concrete base, but you will definitely get your feet wet. but, if that is possible (again, if it hasn't rained in a bit), it beats out the second alternative of taking the highway bridge IMO, because that bridge is a long two lane (one lane each way) highway with zero shoulder. It was scary for me, and I have ridden road bikes a third of my life. I'm 60 :).

As for the rock slide closure, I watched a youtube video of someone crossing it on foot. If you have a lot of gear, it might take a few trips (pun intended) but, I think it is possible to cross that too. I would watch the video(s?) and decide for yourself.

You could ride out to 94 around the rock slide and back to the trail a WHOLE lot faster and easier than you can pack your stuff around the closure. It's less than a mile of riding on 94.

I agree with Doug. I hate riding on roads but the rockslide detour is short and easy.

Where exactly on the Katy Trail is the rock slide and downed trees? I know it's near Portland, but can you narrow that down a bit?

If I want to pedal 94 around the rock slide and downed trees, where do I catch 94?

If I want to pedal 94 around the rock slide and downed trees, where do I catch 94?

Coming from the west you turn right on gravel drive (Schmidt lane) that is just before the rock slide out to 94 and turn left. Take that less than a mile when it goes over the Katy take first drive to left and loop down onto the trail and then left and on to Portland. Coming from the east just reverse that.

Coming from the West - are both of these detours clearly marked? Based on what others have said, we will probably check out the low water crossing at Salt Creek to see if it is navigable but I don't want to miss the detour for the rock slide and have to try to trek our bikes over that.

I don't think Schmidt lane is marked at the trail but it's only 100 yards or so before the rock slide so easy to go back to. From the east it does have a sign at hwy 94. and would be your first drive on the right once you get on hwy 94 at the bridge over the trail.

I second Doug’s recommendation for the rock slide detour. Two more pieces of info: if you’re okay with pushing your bike through roadside grass and weeds and giving up some time, you can completely avoid riding on 94 itself for that relatively short section; and, the rock slide is visible on Google Map’ overhead view.

Wow, you really can see the rock slide on Google's satellite view. That's pretty cool. Makes it easy to find Schmid Lane.

The first time I went through that area after the rockslide, I was stubborn and decided to go through it. Because I was hauling camping gear, etc., I had to break apart my equipment and portage it separately. Ended up taking 45 minutes for that one-mile closure.

The next time I went through (same equipment), I just took the Hwy 94 detour and felt so smug when I got to the other side and saw a party of 4 struggling with trying to get through the slide!

My advice: just go around it.

Google maps appears to show a foot bridge off the Katy, near Weldon Springs, to get to this island, then across to the other side of river. Is there really a bridge there and is it bikeable?

Thanks!

I think I see what you are seeing. If you have just the right zoom setting on google maps, there is a dashed line across the river going NW from Howell Island to the Katy trail. That is NOT a trail/bridge. Looking at the satellite view, you can more clearly see that there is nothing there at the dashed line (besides muddy water).

Having said that, one can access Howell Island from the Chesterfield side, but only when the flow in the channel between the island and the mainland is low. I have parked at the conservation area parking lot (off Eatherton Road) and biked across and around Howell Island once. It was nice, but quite rough compared to the Katie (more of a hiking or hunting access trail).

Thanks Dave. I'm returning to Katy trail from south, around that location and it looked sort of interesting. I know I can just ride a little further and cross the bridge to get to the Katy trail.

I have searched all over Hell's half-acre and can't find campground layout maps of Steamboat Junction and River's Edge. Help, anybody????????

I don't know of any sites with layout maps for them but a Google overhead view shows them. Riversedge is the area between trail and bar. Steamboat is the area in the woods behind entrance. Has several sites.

Staying at the Katy Junction was a welcome reprieve after a long day in the saddle. Jerry welcomed me with a cold drink after locking my bike in the garage for the night, and then made me his famous chocolate -banana pudding with a cherry on top.
The Katy Junction is very very clean and comfortable, and beautifully decorated. Jerry is a wealth of information on the house, the Booneslick area and the Katy Trail. After a great nights sleep my stay was capped off with a delicious breakfast
Just a superb stay!!

Hello all,

I know 2019 was crazy with flooding and closures. Are there any issues with starting (and completing) the whole trail in July? My plan is to bike the whole trail, backtrack back to Boonville, then pickup the Lewis and Clark to head towards Le Mars, Iowa (for RAGBRAI!).

Thanks a bunch!

John, the Trail Conditions page was just updated by Ray so that's where you can start. Mid-July riding is often difficult due to the heat and humidity. I have taken two end-to-end Katy rides in July with heat indices of 105F to 110F and they were not pleasant. Most of the B&Bs along the trail recognize this and will accommodate you with an earlier or lighter breakfast. You can be out on the trail as early as 5:15 AM in July to beat the heat.

First time on the Katy and don't want to go it alone? We have a group riding the Katy from Rocheport to St. Charles on Memorial Day weekend, May 28 - June 2. Our plan is 150 miles total, 35-48 miles per day, with two nights in Hermann for winery tours. All lodging and most meals included. We will pick you up, you don't have to plan anything. There are six spots available, and it's a fun group. Want to join us?

I am planning a day trip from Jefferson City to Coopers landing in June before it gets to hot and humid, does anyone know how many miles to Coopers landing?

Using the Mileage Chart available at the top of the screen:

https://bikekatytrail.com/mileage-chart.aspx?cid=7

It says 19 miles from Jeff City to Easley, where you find Cooper's Landing.

Not a big difference but its 19 miles to Easley - Cooper’s is about a mile past Easley.

Ok. You read it on the site and I’ve ridden that section about a hundred times. I’ll defer to you.

Does anyone know about parking at the Lee's Summit Amtrak Station? I saw a post from last year saying that there is a parking garage 3 blocks away. Is the area where the Amtrak station is located safe? Given that the train comes in at almost 9pm I don't want to be trekking loaded bikes around in the dark if it's not safe. The Amtrak website says there is long term parking at the station - again - safety? Thanks.

Since you're from Topeka, you probably are familiar with Johnson County. Think of Lee's Summit as the Overland Park of the Missouri suburbs. For the rest of you, it's a "nice" suburb.....low crime. That being said, crimes can happen...be smart and don't leave stuff visible in your car. Follow the link below to the City of Lees Summit parking information. Click on the individual lots for info....most are limited to 48 hours per the website. Click on the west one, located at roughly 204 SW Market and it identifies that particular lot as available for long term Amtrak parking. If you use google street view and stand in front of the Amtrak station, looking west between the two buildings across the street (bank and museum) you can see the free lot one block west.
https://downtownls.org/parking/