Katy Trail Forum

We're wondering how the Katy 225 BAM run the last week of October impacts public usage on the trail and lodging/camping availability? We're considering a ride from Rocheport to St. Charles starting on the 24th or 25th and we just learned about this event. Maybe another time would be better? Feedback appreciated!

If you start on the 25th it shouldn’t impact you at all. The deadline to reach the Rocheport aid station is 3:00pm on the 24th. The deadline to reach the Turner Shelter aid station in Tebbetts is 12:00pm on the 25th so they will be moving at a pretty good clip.

I was told yesterday (10/12) that this event has been cancelled. Apparently the Department of Natural Resources informed the race directors just this week that the race permit would be denied unless all the runners are pulled from the course at night. Which of course does not work for an ultra footrace.

I can't find any additional information about the cancellation online, and I'm not sure why the DNR would allow this event to be planned for months, only to pull the plug at the 11th hour.

Of course the official park rules are that the trail's closed after dark, but surely nobody expected all the participants to run 225 miles in under 11 hours.

I agree Ray. The fact that they pulled it this late will cost the organizers and participants a substantial amount of money. It is also pretty bad publicity for Missouri and the Katy.

Looking at the race sponsors website, it does not indicate that the race is cancelled.

In the event there was confusion on trail logistics, a discovery could be made at the last minute.

Without knowledge of the sponsor or the DNR planning efforts I’m hard pressed to do anything other than give benefit of doubt and assume positive intent.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2074881649376366/permalink/2291316074399588

This is confusing. Are there two Boonslick Guest Houses--one in New Franklin and one in Boonville? The visitors bureau has a link for a website for the one in Boonville, which is purportedly on the upper level of a business building downtown, but the link does not work. That's a red flag. Anyone know the truth?

Boonslick Guest House

Lodging
Boonville MO
219 Main Street
660-621-1341 / 660-537-5127
http://www.boonslickguesthouse.com/


Boonslick Guest House is located on the Katy Trail, in Boonville MO

Following the link on this website, Boonslick Guest House North is in New Franklin.

I'm sorry for the confusion - we now have the correct address for this listing. New Franklin is correct.

There was a Boonslick Guest House in Boonville at some point in the past, but to my knowledge it's no longer open. I'm guessing we got our wires crossed when the New Franklin location came along with almost the same name.

The Turner Shelter in Tebbetts is proud to be one of the aid/sleep stations for the inaugural Katy 225 run race from 11:00 am Oct 24th to 12:00pm Oct 25th. The shelter will still be available for drop in stays but be aware that there will be a lot of activity in the shelter for that 24 hour period.

Here’s a link to the run’s Facebook page:
https://facebook.com/groups/2074881649376366/

Stayed here September 29, 2023. We camped and there is plenty of room to set up tents. A quiet area outside of town, off the road and quick access from trail located about 1/4 mile off trail on Sacajawea Road. We arrived in the afternoon of a warm day and set our tent up in the shade of the barn and it provided much needed shade after a long ride. We were greeted by the self-proclaimed campground host Andy and he showed us the grounds and how to access everything. New bathhouse with running water with toilet, sink, indoor shower and an amazing outdoor shower with HOT water and lots of pressure. There is a power outlet at the barn and a water spigot with potable water there as well as well as an outhouse and trashcans. The barn also has a covered porch with several chairs, a large round picnic table and a grill available for use. BP gas station a quick <2 mile ride down Sacajawea near 65 Highway with cold drinks and snacks. There are a few full-time camper residents there and they were very friendly and invited us to their weekend campfire. There are also several spots to set up campers with elec/sewer. The owner had me text her when we arrived and she showed up about 15 minutes later and was very nice and accommodating. Very reasonable for camping and the new showerhouse was a welcome surprise. A perfect spot for us after a 62 mile day from Pleasant Hill.

Hello all, the wife and I would like to tackle parts of the MKT Trail. First question is that hopefully e-bikes are allowed? Second for those seasoned MKT Trail riders, what is generally most often considered the beautiful sections of the trail?

Yes, e-bikes are allowed but must be limited to 20mph. Gennerally the section around Rocheport is considered the most scenic but you would miss out if you don’t explore other sections of the trail as well.

We've migrated to Sedalia to Boonville and Rocheport to Hermann.

As Gary mentioned though, Rocheport east along the bluffs is pretty impressive.

Side Note....would you scroll down a few posts and reply to my post about E-bikes. I see one in the future, but am not sure what it is yet.

This was the best B&B experience we have ever had
anywhere in Europe or the US. Immaculately clean,
beautiful room, friendly cat on back patio, delicious
chocolate chip cookies waiting in our room, excellent
breakfast of quiche, fresh muffins, and fruit salad.
This is how to treat guests! Highly recommend.

Rachel brought us a terrific lunch, with fresh fruit and sandwiches to the Turner Shelter in Tebbetts. Food was great and very reasonable price. She also brought us water for our bottles. We highly recommend her catering service. It’s in a great location also, between Hermann and Jefferson City there are not many options.

Does anyone have a phone number for Happy Trail Catering in Tebbetts

Rachel Collins Happy Trails 913-636-8645

Thank you. We're at the Globe Hotel, and Leaia was trying to help us.

Admins: Favor please. Anyway to change the time the emails are sent? Mine comes in about 1:11AM. (East coast here) I can't put my phone to sleep mode in the business I am in. One less "ding" I have to deal with.
Also I'd love to see a like button on some of these posts! LOL
Information here is great and some comebacks are pretty good also.

This may reduce some sounds, but you or others reading may have to modify for your device (android) or apps.
Apple: go to settings, then sounds, then change new mail alert to None. I checked this on my phone and it was already set to none, but I still get a sound with email so that told me the Gmail app I use was telling my phone to alert me.
Gmail app: tap the “hamburger” (the three horizontal lines) then scroll down to settings and change email notifications from All to High Priority or none.
Also on Apple you can customize FOCUS to allow or disable specific notifications (email, text, phone calls, apps) Focus is different than sleep mode because it allows you to choose what disruptions you want. I’m sure you can google or YouTube instructions on how to do this.
What kind of Captain? Fire, Pilot, Kangaroo?

Although Eric gave some good instructions for phone silencing, I also went ahead and switched the time for the digest as well, to 9AM Central. As someone who sleeps with my phone nearby, I can understand the issue (but it didn't bother me because I only get sound alerts for text messages, not emails).

Eric, I also fixed the issue that caused your post to get duplicated yesterday.

Happy trails!

US Coast Guard licensed. Also a Geocacher with that handle. Main reason I like to bike Rail Trails.

Thanks Ray for always being so responsive and taking care of all of us - trail users and trail businesses alike! I appreciate this site so much as the glue that bonds us all ??

Is the Steamboat Campground still open?

Steamboat Junction Campground

Camping
Shower
tent rentals available; snacks & drinks sold on weekends
Bluffton MO
199 Hwy 94
314-831-4807

Steamboat Junction Campground is located on the Katy Trail, in Bluffton MO

There are several types of E-bikes and now a whole bunch of manufacturers....it doesn't seem to just be Specialized and Trek on the E-bike scene.

To help some of us that may be in the market:

Do you ride an E-bike?

Which type did you buy and why?

Is it suited well for the Katy / rail trails?

Are you happy with it....would you buy it again or another type/brand?

What are the pros and cons of the E-bike you ride?

What features would you like to see on an E-bike?

What features are not worth the $$?

After much research into the subject, I bought the Xpedition by Lectric with dual batteries.
Pros:
1) Dual battery makes for extended range (I’ve ridden from my home to Hartsburg and back on my test run, 44 miles plus a steep climb on a private gravel road back to my house). Had 50% battery left.
2) Lots of options available, I bought the panniers and running board supports because I wanted to make runs into Jefferson City for supplies etc.
3) Comes with hydraulic disk brakes, nice for when I go down that steep gravel road to the Katy.
4) Good responsive service, after I purchased they had a special with free options. They sent them to me when I asked about them without any hassles.
5) Excellant manual on how to easily set up power to meet your needs.
6) Even has cruise control.
7) Nice motor cycle type kickstand, holds the bike up without any fear it would tip over.

Cons:
1) It came with cheap thin slime filled tubes. When I aired them up one popped. The rim had a burr inside where the rim was pressed together. I filed the burr down and replaced both tubes with a better quality tubes from a local bike shop.
2) Wish it came with quick release axels, or at least used the same nuts on front and back wheels.
3) Wish the dual battery bike came with two chargers. I ended up buying another charger so I could cut the charge time in half.

The option I chose was to convert a hybrid Giant Sedona 26" to a mid-drive electric. I chose a large battery in a back rack instead of the down tube. Water cages are more important in my case. I have a 750 watt motor. Loaded, peddling and use usually no more than 2 boost I have gone 75 miles and still have enough battery left. (Rail trails) I upgraded the tires, chain and a few other things for touring. Bought the bike on marketplace for $100. (stole it) and the kit was $1200. A factory e bike would be well over a thousand dollars more after setting it up. Standard tires, brakes, components if I have a mechanical breakdown. Fits standard bike racks a big plus. I converted the bike in 4 hours and I am not a bike mechanic by any means. Pushing 600 miles so far. And I can disconnect the throttle on trails like the C&O that don't allow them. This set up work for me.

Jon

Was the kit a Giant kit or by someone else?

Bafang fit mid drive. Fits multiple brands of bikes. Just have to check how wide your crank tube is. YouTube Bafang mid drive installation. A guy named Johnny Nerd Out has great videos.

We have an end-to-end ride planned next week. Checking for any detours, trail condition reports.
Curious about the MO DOT work around Rocheport. Went through last in June 2022 and detour was minimal.
Any other trip precautions to be aware of at present?

I've checked https://mostateparks.com/page/84206/katy-trail-state-park-advisory-map

Thanks

On the KATY now. Started in Sedalia, presently inin Jefferson City tonight. We will ride to Hermann, Washington and end in St Charles.

Trail is in very good condition so far, including Rochport.

Enjoy your trip.

Thanks! hit the trail tomorrow

Finished our ride from Sedalia to St. Charles (September 14-19). The trail is in very good condition. We had a few short patches of loose/powdered trail but all less than 50ft in length.

Highlight lunch spots were MCafe in Rochport and the Red Caboose just before Dutzow.

Enjoy

100% agree about trail conditions. We just finished our girl trip from Clinton to St. Charlies. We stayed on the trail - did not take the highways across the river to the larger towns. I have ridden the Katy several other times over the past 15 years, and if I remember correctly, the conditions right now are the best ever. Kudos to the people in charge of maintenance. They are doing a super job.

Mike, I appreciate that you are trying to build trail use, but don't you think it would be more productive to thank people for coming and enjoying their trip and let them know about the variety of places to stay, eat, visit etc. rather than telling them they did "it" wrong? It makes you seem a bit elitist, which I don't think you are or want to come across as.

I'm told that Doug from Bluffton is a legend on the MKT Trail; even after a driver ran into his house and severly damaged his business.My wife and I have spent countless hours promoting our town of Hartsburg and the MKT Trail. I have even hauled stranded bikers to Jefferson City at no cost. I don't need "to do more to promote our town and the trail". We just need more people like Doug and Cathy who are in it for the long haul and not just a "one time rider' never to be seen again. We live here and see the good and bad every day

Mr. Rodemeyer

If you would like, I would be willing to ride the Katy with you. It always brings a peaceful easy feeling to me. Just let me know when would be a good time for you and how far you would like to ride.

Sorry at age 81, I don't ride anymore, although I have an almost new Giant bike hanging in my garage. In the past I started the "Hartsburg Bike and Social Club" and have pictures of almost everyone in town with a bike. THEN the 1993 flood came. As far as promoting the MKT Trail my wife, Nancy, Cathy from PA, and myself worked our asses off promoting what we called "The Mo. River Bluffs Assn", a five county group designed to promote not only the trail but also the merchants in the area. The problem became the merchants were too busy so we became the worker bees for them. It cost us allot of money to promote this idea. I think the web page is still active if you want to take a peek.
We of course bought into the trail and have spent our own money promoting it but that is a limited amount as we are retired state employees. I would be happy to meet with the rider but I'm done as a rider.

Sorry to hear you no longer ride the Katy. Approaching 70 myself, I’ve turned to e-bike pedal assist to remain on the trail.

I did look up the web site you referenced, unfortunately it appears it is no longer active. The last post was in April 2016.

I guess my point is, I believe everybody is entitled to enjoy the trail in any manner they choose. I made it a point to stop in at Dotty’s when passing through Hartsburg on my rides from home to Rocheport and back.

Gary, next time you are in Hsrtsburg look me up and we will discuss the trail as we know it.

Mr Rodemeyer
Thanks for the invite. Currently I am cleaning out my gutters and have to call a “lid” at noon due the heat. I don’t do well in the heat. I did ride up a few weeks ago and noticed “The Berg” was doing well with live music being played on the porch. Unfortunately I was not able to stay long because it was getting late and I needed to get back home before sunset. I’ll need to plan better next time although it is generally not in my nature to plan anything. ;-)

The $20 $50 and $100 bills that some people spend on a single trip look exactly like the ones people spend on several trips. As one of the business owners trying to get by on the Katy I'm happy for them. Sure I like my repeat customers but I still benefit from the one time riders as well. Making them welcome and appreciated is the best way to get them to return. After all, the repeat customers came once first.

Enjoyed a memorable end-to-end ride on September 20-22. Stayed with Jerry at the Katy B&B in Pilot Grave (second stay) and Joey at the Victorian house in McKittrick. Both great lodging choices and each have a great breakfast available. We also learned once again you need to plan ahead for finding food in that stretch between Booneville and McKittrick. Seems there are fewer businesses open each year (sad). We were fortunate to have someone give us some fruit in Hartsburg. Saw plenty of wildlife. More snakes this year which I really enjoy seeing. Even saw 2 copperheads.
Looking forward to coming back. This was my 7th trip since 2012. We live 3 hours south of Clinton in Arkansas so it is a bit of a drive and always challenging to plan shuttle or Amtrak options.

You might not have heard about "Happy Trails", a new enterprise run be Rachel Collins in Tebbets. They don't have a facility, but will leave a wonderful sack lunch or dinner in a frig inside the Turner Katy Trail Shelter. The key is available to get inside. We had a great lunch, and there was so much food that we were able to share with other folks sitting around the picnic table at the Tebbets Trailhead.

Hi, I am planning an RV camping trip and e-bike ride on the Katy trail mid Oct. 2023. I need some local knowledge re: where to camp. I am thinking of spending 4 nights at River's edge in Boonville, 4 nights in Herman City park in Herman, and 3 nights at Sandemier RV park in St. Charles. Does this seem like a good plan to ride most of the Katy Trail? Thanks in advance!

One thing to keep in mind as you plane your trip, depending on your E-Bike and charging capabilities, you need to take into account the west of Booneville stretch will require more juice due to the long inclines than the east of Booneville stretch which is mostly flat. Also since it is mostly a pea gravel trail, it will take more juice than paved roads will. All falling into the disclaimer of your mileage may vary from the stated range of your e-bike.

Thanks Gary!

My wife and I just did Clinton to Machens on our Rad Rovers. It was a blast!
First timers, we packed too much but the bikes did fine. We stayed in Sedalia the first night and did notice the slight grade. I actually rode the first ten miles on zero assist, wasn’t too bad. We are used to riding in a hilly area where we live and it will use some battery for sure.
We were not sure how far we could go on the Katy, not having the same terrain as we were used to, but they performed well. The next day, Sedalia to Boonville was better, I rode with more assist and finished with plenty of battery life remaining.
Boonville to Jefferson City over 50 miles we rolled in with roughly a third of our battery life, we were more comfortable and did use more assist power.
Being the weekend, our next planned stop was to be Hermann, however we could not get accommodations there. So decided to hang out in Jefferson City an extra day and see the sites. Well worth it!
Our next section was the longest, Jefferson City to Marthasville , ended up being a 69 1/2 mile day! Not really what we wanted to do, but again no accommodations available in Hermann, so we decided we would drive back and visit Hermann after we finished the ride.
This day was long but good, we actually stopped in Portland at the Holzhauser’s bar for lunch and some beers, and charged our batteries. They had no problem letting us plug them in.
The remaining stretch to Marthasville went well, and had roughly a third of battery life remaining.
We did Marthasville to St. Charles the next day 43 miles, no problem. And did the round trip to Machens and back to St.Charles! Ready to do it again!
E-bikes are definitely harder to pedal than a regular bicycle when the battery is dead, but it is doable on the Katy.

If you want to ride some of our beautiful west end Windsor is a great place to stay and ride out three directions - toward Clinton, toward Sedalia, and into Amish country on the new Rock Island Trail State Park toward Pleasant Hill. Full servie RV spots at our beautiful Farrington Park

Hello Kimtus!

There is nothing like the Katy! You will love it!

For the southern/western/end of your ride (and anyone else), I would consider a town a little further down the trail for the last section. Windsor is where the Katy and Rock Island cross. There’s a couple of really nice places there.

Clinton is the end on this side. One could even take the Rock Island from Windsor to Lee’s Summit to the trail station.

Thank you for coming this way to enjoy this wonderful resource for bikes.

Spread the news!

Happy Trails!

Be the first to post that you found the railroad crossing that lights up and makes noise.

Clue: somewhere Between
Windsor and Boonville

(locals to the area excluded)

Give location, pic, or upload video with link.

Winner gets….to be the one who wins!!!

Have fun and enjoy!

Ate at Mona’s today in Green Ridge. Right off the trail in Green Ridge.

Great cheeseburger. Prices great.

Very friendly staff!

Stop by there and give them some service.

Trail is getting real pretty between Green Ridge and Sedalia.

See ya out there!

Tammy @tammyonthetrail.com

Transportation – We rode from Clinton to St. Charles and found 3 options for our return trip to the starting point. Amtrack – cheapest but most difficult to plan. The trains only allow 2 -4 bikes per run, and the times are limited. It’s really fun though if you can pull it off. I have done this on previous trips. Shuttle – St Charles for sure has a business – connected with bike shop - that will shuttle you and your bikes back to your starting place. Other towns may do so as well. Car Shuttle – this is what we did. They went to pick up our car and brought it back to our ending point. That worked great for us, and was a little cheaper than the shuttle.

By using the Forum’s planning features it is easy to find available food and lodging. But you must make the calls and reservations for lodging or you could easily find yourself without a place to stay. We spent 5 nights along the Trail: Clinton was start for 2 of us, Sedalia for the other 2, Pilot Grove, Hartsburg, Rhineland, and Defiance).
Lodging & Food – Every place we stayed provided comfortable beds and pillows, clean rooms and nice bathrooms with plenty of hot shower water. A refrigerator and microwave were always available, but not always a coffee maker. The hosts were all accommodating and kind, and our bikes were always secure. Breakfast and dinner were either provided or available except Rhineland, but a quick Uber took us in to Hermann. I don’t think you can go wrong with any place you chose – you just have to make sure to have the reservations, and confirm the eating establishments are open. Now that Happy Trails is in Tebbets, we didn’t find any “food deserts” where we were unable to find food. Favorites for me were Sedalia Bothwell Hotel, and Rhineland Doll House. Least favorite was the Bunkhouse in Defiance. We were warm and dry, and the Bunkhouse bed was comfortable and rooms were clean, so check all those boxes. But it was pricier than the Bed and Breakfasts that gave us so much more, so it ranks lower.

We spent 5 nights along the Trail: Clinton was start for 2 of us, Sedalia for the other 2, Pilot Grove, Hartsburg, Rhineland, and Defiance).
The Trail – Oh my gosh! We were all so impressed. The conditions were perfect for nearly the entire trail. Just a few sandy patches mostly east of Sedalia, and a few here and there along the way. A handful of shallow ruts, mostly between Defiance and St. Charles. Maintenance does an excellent job of keeping the weeds off the trial and the surface compacted down. Please note there are really no bike shops or available bike maintenance that we could find between Sedalia and Defiance.

Can so send room rates. Can you have a small anxiety pet

You’ll do much better to contact any business directly with your questions, as most probably do not monitor this forum for inquiries such as yours. ;-)

We just stayed here a couple weeks ago, great place and highly recommended!