Katy Trail Forum

I have ride the trail with my toddler that will only handle about 15-20 miles of bike riding

at a time. What segments of the trail are your favorites? So far our favorite has been

McBaine to Rocheport, but I want to get out and see more country as I'm new to Missouri. I

would appreciate some recommendations.

mlb, my personla favorite is rocheport then east. HOWEVER, we are from festus, mo so me and wifey ususally ride from st. charles then west as far as the road crossing west of green bottoms road. we have also rode from defiance to augusta and back. i have rode from boonville to north jefferson and sedialia to 8 miles east. other than rocheport then east, once i got out of town in sedialia, it was an enjoyable ride, and defiance to augusta was an enjoyable ride. i did not care for the rocheport to new franklin ride, but enjoyed the ride on to boonville, except for the bridge crossing over the missouri river (scared of heights) even though there was a good guard rail on the bridge. hope this helps on your rides. happy bikin.

The section of trail that goes along the Weldon Spring conservation area is very pretty and VERY SHADY. Another beautiful section is Portland to Bluffton--good river views.

McBain to Jeff is also great/lots of good places to stop.

We however do spend the night in Jeff when we do this, and ride back the next day. We like to take our time and "play" along the way.

McBain to Jeff is also great/lots of good places to stop.

We however do spend the night in Jeff when we do this, and ride back the next day. We like to take our time and "play" along the way.

I am planning a trip with my wife and kids (11 and 13)in early June. We will be starting in Sedalia and going to St Charles. We are planning on 40 to 50 miles a day. Looks like first night would be in Rocheport, second in Jeff City, after that not sure where I can stay with children as B&Bs are not always family friendly. Any suggestions on family friendly places to stay or other advice for riding with kids?

You probably won't have any problem. Rather than going all the way to Jeff City, you might

consider staying in Hartsburg. The trail head in Jeff City is out in the middle of nowhere and

to get into town will most likely require a shuttle as I would not want my kids riding across

the bridge into town with 70 mph traffic. But, I think a number of the motels in Jeff City will

shuttle you, but it something to check on. For the most part, the Trail is very kid friendly.

You should have a great time!

In Rocheport, the best family-friendly place is the Katy Trail B & B. The Globe, in Hartsburg is excellent for families--you can get two connecting rooms, 1 with a double bed and 1 with twin beds. Rendelman House in Bluffton is also family friendly--but dont' expect elegance in your accommodations there. The Doll House, near Rhineland, welcomes kids, and we had good luck at Das Gast Haus Nadler in Augusta (or is it Defiance?). Also, if you want to stop earlier than Rocheport, The Officers Club in Boonville is really great for kids, but on the pricey side. Lots of games, movies, interesting stuff, and great food. You will have a terrific time with your kids--we've been doing this with ours since they were 4 and 6, and we have a great time every year (they're 9 and 11 now).

The Officers Club B&B there in Boonville is amazingly kid and adult friendly and actually the prices were about the same or better then the other ones we have stayed in on the trail. The hospitality and food alone was well worth the stay!

Here are a couple more of my thoughts on riding with kids. First of all, mine are younger than yours, so use your judgement, but I would say 40-50 miles is doable, but ambitious. I would think 30-40 would be better, but you know your kids. Just bear in mind that you shouldn't expect the same mileage as you would on roads or paved trails. It pays to be willing to take spontaneous stops, to look at turtles, to pick mulberries, whatever. Brett Dufur publishes a nature guide to the Katy Trail which is fairly good for identifying some of the common birds, flowers, reptiles and amphibians that you are likely to see. Unfortunately, the drawings are black and white, but at least it's a single book--it gets heavy to carry several! Carry lots of snacks; I get grumpy if I'm hungry and the next food place is 10 miles away, but you can double that for the kids. Carry swimsuits--they take very little room, and several B & Bs have hot tubs, plus there is a public pool in Pilot Grove, a public swim area in Columbia just off the spur (it's about 5 miles from McBaine, so it's a significant detour unless you're going to Columbia anyway), and probably other towns, but I'm not sure where. I would not plan on Jeff City--we have done it twice--once we took a taxi across the bridge, which worked, but wasn't great. We had arranged it in advance, but their vehicle with bike racks was out of commission, so they showed up with two cabs, and we had to dismantle everything and stick it in the trunks (and pay for two cabs); the second time we pushed our bikes across the northbound bike lane. NO WAY would I allow my kids to ride that, although I would do it myself. That bridge is a lot longer than you realize when you drive across it! Even when you get across, there's a bit of riding on access roads that we weren't too keen on.

I forgot to list one other family-friendly B&B, which is The Little House in Marthasville-you get the whole place to yourself, with, as I recall 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and living room, plus front porch that overlooks the trail. This doesn't apply to your trip, but for anyone else planning a family trip, you should also consider Croose's Cabooses--a pretty fun stop for kids.

Diddo on the miles to cover each day. Last July 4th, my family and I did well to cover 15 miles a day in the killer heat and humidity. While my 17 year old is fairly new to riding, my 11 year old has been riding parts of the trail with me since he was 3 and on tricycles. Heat and saddle soreness slowed even him down. The trip was still great because we planned for minimum miles, and then did extra miles if we felt up to it.

Do take care with your ride and allow break times for snacks and lots of fluids it was in the high 90's this memorial weekend. Saw a family of 12 on the trail, the plan was for them to do at least 30 miles a day. They did not make it in the heat. Three children were exhausted and could not make the last 10 miles. From Rochport to Hartsburg, which is 25 miles, was all they could do. It is not easy to find a shuttle around Hartsburg, let alone one that can take 12 riders and not cost a fortune, even the shuttle from the Ramada(where they were staying)would not come to Hartsburg to pick them up. They paid a local to take them to Jeff city where the hotel shuttle would then pick them up.

All I am saying is not to push so hard that everyone is exhausted and dreads riding the next day and I stress lots of fluid, chocolate milk or bananna's for cramps (calcium & potassium) just enjoy the ride and time together.

I did 22 miles today (Sunday) in the Marthasville area between 11 am and 2 pm, it was tough in the heat and the last few miles were the toughest. Luck for me I was able to get a snack at the Peers Store so I didn't look too bedraggled as I pulled into Marthsaville.

Ditto caution with the kids. Get them out and riding before the trail ride and make sure they

are physically up to it. And, make sure their bikes are up to it as well. Kiddie bikes with tiny

tires and heavy frames just aren't designed for distance riding. Lots of those kiddie bikes are

far heavier than adult bikes. Plus, I know of at least one adult rider this weekend who was

taken to the hospital via ambulance for heat related problems. It is so easy for grown ups

and more so for kids, to get dehydrated and lose too many electrolytes. People

underestimate the impact of heat...be careful out there!

We just returned from a weekend ride on the Eastern end of the trail, and I thought it had a lot more dangerous road crossings than I remembered--probably because last time we did it the kids were on trail-a-bikes, and hence completely under our control. We always have a rule that they have to wait for us at road crossings, and this trip really emphasized that for me. The crossings are all indicated by gates across the trail and stop signs or yield signs, so they will know when they get to them.

My DD's and I ride have ridden from McBaine to Jeff with an easy/lots of stops ride before. Stayed the night in Jeff. The Ramada will come get you and your bikes, and let you take the bikes right into your room. They also have a pool and a second run movie theatre.

I would recommmend this.

I have been riding the KT lately with my Ipod, using the earbuds. I love listening to Dave Matthews Band while cruising down the trail! I'm having problems with the earbuds falling out or getting tangled up with my helmet straps. Does anyone here have any suggestions for an alternative to the earbuds? Does anyone have bike helmet speakers?

Push the ear buds deep and tightly in your ear then put the helmet on. The extensions of the bud and cord will be under the straps. The straps of the helmet should hold the buds in place.



Then turn up the volume to max. (Hearing loss not an issue)



Get some!

I have an older version of the Sony MDR-J11G. Great fit, high sensitivity (don't turn up the volume to max). I'd recommend only using the right ear bud to hear those calling out, "On your left" and applying a little bit of Body Glide to prevent ear chaffing.

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=MDRJ11G&Dept=audio&CategoryName=pa_Headphones_LightweightSportVertical

Doll House Bread and Breakfast.....What a wonderful experience. Amanda and her family treat you better than just a guest. I was so impressed with everything from the greeting to the breakfast that was fit for a king. You can't go wrong making this a stop on any trip down the trail.

Doll House Bread and Breakfast.....What a wonderful experience. Amanda and her family treat you better than just a guest. I was so impressed with everything from the greeting to the breakfast that was fit for a king. You can't go wrong making this a stop on any trip down the trail.

We would like to explore the trail but have 3 small children who will be riding along with us. Are there any suggestions for a short trip (half-day) with some beautiful scenery a 7 year old and two 5 year olds can handle?

You might want to access the Katy Trail along Greens bottom road in Saint Charles. Where Greens bottom turns into Pittman Hill road is an access area that eventually runs along the bluffs. The Missouri river is close as well, I'd say 2 or 3 miles in and around mile marker 50, or 51 on the trail there is a path (by a set of benches) that goes all the way down to the rivers edge. I've taken my 5 and 9 year old on this ride and they did well.

Rocheport would be a good place to start. The tunnel is way cool and it is right along the

river with gorgeous bluffs. And, when you are done riding for the day, there are a couple of

restaurants to have dinner and you have a full day.

what sbikes and mm said, plus the trip from defiance to augusta is also nice. happy bikin.

It comes out on Providence...just a short trek from Broadway and all of the businesses. We ate at a restaurant that featured Kosavo cuisine...very good...Try the Opa...it's fun to watch it as she lights it up.



The spur is 8.8 miles, curves a bit, can be hot but it has shade in some places. The grade may be a bit more than what you experience on the Katy because I don't think it is a former railway. Help me out here, ya all, what do you think of the MKT spur?

It comes out on Providence...just a short trek from Broadway and all of the businesses. We ate at a restaurant that featured Kosavo cuisine...very good...Try the Opa...it's fun to watch it as she lights it up.



The spur is 8.8 miles, curves a bit, can be hot but it has shade in some places. The grade may be a bit more than what you experience on the Katy because I don't think it is a former railway. Help me out here, ya all, what do you think of the MKT spur?

It comes out on Providence...just a short trek from Broadway and all of the businesses. We ate at a restaurant that featured Kosavo cuisine...very good...Try the Opa...it's fun to watch it as she lights it up.



The spur is 8.8 miles, curves a bit, can be hot but it has shade in some places. The grade may be a bit more than what you experience on the Katy because I don't think it is a former railway. Help me out here, ya all, what do you think of the MKT spur?

Actually, it is an old railroad bed, except for the very end, out by the Katy, where a landowner didn't want to sell. That's the reason for the big curve. Since then, he sold to the city to create the wetlands that are there now, and you can use the access roads instead of the trail--more direct, but rougher, and can be a bit smelly (the wetlands treat the effluent from the Columbia sewer system so that they are much cleaner before they hit Eagle Bluffs and the Missouri River). It's the only way in high water, as the official trail route tends to flood. The railroad was the MKT spur into Columbia, and ended at the old station, which is now a sports bar and restaurant--you can see it from the trailhead at Flat Branch Park.

Actually, it is an old railroad bed, except for the very end, out by the Katy, where a landowner didn't want to sell. That's the reason for the big curve. Since then, he sold to the city to create the wetlands that are there now, and you can use the access roads instead of the trail--more direct, but rougher, and can be a bit smelly (the wetlands treat the effluent from the Columbia sewer system so that they are much cleaner before they hit Eagle Bluffs and the Missouri River). It's the only way in high water, as the official trail route tends to flood. The railroad was the MKT spur into Columbia, and ended at the old station, which is now a sports bar and restaurant--you can see it from the trailhead at Flat Branch Park.

Actually, it is an old railroad bed, except for the very end, out by the Katy, where a landowner didn't want to sell. That's the reason for the big curve. Since then, he sold to the city to create the wetlands that are there now, and you can use the access roads instead of the trail--more direct, but rougher, and can be a bit smelly (the wetlands treat the effluent from the Columbia sewer system so that they are much cleaner before they hit Eagle Bluffs and the Missouri River). It's the only way in high water, as the official trail route tends to flood. The railroad was the MKT spur into Columbia, and ended at the old station, which is now a sports bar and restaurant--you can see it from the trailhead at Flat Branch Park.

rode the mkt fitness trail once. truly enjoyed it. grade is not that bad and enjoyed most of the scenery. didn't care for the end next to the katy where we went around the setiment ponds, but oh well, stuff happens, no pun intended. it was a nice ride overall.

rode the mkt fitness trail once. truly enjoyed it. grade is not that bad and enjoyed most of the scenery. didn't care for the end next to the katy where we went around the setiment ponds, but oh well, stuff happens, no pun intended. it was a nice ride overall.

rode the mkt fitness trail once. truly enjoyed it. grade is not that bad and enjoyed most of the scenery. didn't care for the end next to the katy where we went around the setiment ponds, but oh well, stuff happens, no pun intended. it was a nice ride overall.

Love the MKT spur. I try to walk it a few times a week. Since I am planning to hike the whole Katy Trail this fall, I should be walking it every day. I guess it won't get any cooler! lol



On a side note, if you get bored with the full MKT spur, the MU fitness trail cuts off to the east at about Mile Marker 2 on the MKT. It takes you south of the main MU campus, and hooks up to the Hinkson Creek trail in Columbia and eventually ends at the Grindstone trailhead on old Highway 63 on the city's southeast side. There are plans to further extend that trail to the north, but it will take some time to do it. All in all, its a nice walk/ride.

Love the MKT spur. I try to walk it a few times a week. Since I am planning to hike the whole Katy Trail this fall, I should be walking it every day. I guess it won't get any cooler! lol



On a side note, if you get bored with the full MKT spur, the MU fitness trail cuts off to the east at about Mile Marker 2 on the MKT. It takes you south of the main MU campus, and hooks up to the Hinkson Creek trail in Columbia and eventually ends at the Grindstone trailhead on old Highway 63 on the city's southeast side. There are plans to further extend that trail to the north, but it will take some time to do it. All in all, its a nice walk/ride.

Love the MKT spur. I try to walk it a few times a week. Since I am planning to hike the whole Katy Trail this fall, I should be walking it every day. I guess it won't get any cooler! lol



On a side note, if you get bored with the full MKT spur, the MU fitness trail cuts off to the east at about Mile Marker 2 on the MKT. It takes you south of the main MU campus, and hooks up to the Hinkson Creek trail in Columbia and eventually ends at the Grindstone trailhead on old Highway 63 on the city's southeast side. There are plans to further extend that trail to the north, but it will take some time to do it. All in all, its a nice walk/ride.

Adventure Cycling Association website.... click on photo of the week...look familiar? Its why we ride. Regards....Mark of the Dalton Boys

Definitely the COOLEST PLACE to hang out this past Memorial Day weekend.

Definitely the COOLEST PLACE to hang out this past Memorial Day weekend.

drew and karen, you are so right bouts the rocheport tunnel. mw nad wifey have walked through it and i have ridden through it a couple of times. it's great.

drew and karen, you are so right bouts the rocheport tunnel. mw nad wifey have walked through it and i have ridden through it a couple of times. it's great.

I was a bit unnerved by a dude shooting into the woods from just off the trail between Huntsdale and Rocheport. Is that legal? What should a person do if one hears shots and/or sees a shooter firing off into the woods? Can't those bullets ricochet or something. Pretty scary.

I was a bit unnerved by a dude shooting into the woods from just off the trail between Huntsdale and Rocheport. Is that legal? What should a person do if one hears shots and/or sees a shooter firing off into the woods? Can't those bullets ricochet or something. Pretty scary.

All good questions but the shooter may or may not have been discharging their firearm in a legal manner depending on where they were. Land owners like the farmers adjacent to the trail may be perfectly in their rights to shoot varmints or engage in sport shooting. There is a gun club on the opposite side of the KT and Rt. 94 near Matson so shooting is frequently heard. Nothing to worry about. You also don't mention what kind of firearm was being used, rifle bullets can ricochet and travel great distances and would cause more concern. If people were hunting with .22 rifles (squirrels?) near the KT that might a problem but if shotguns, the pellets don't travel too far. All in all, with the trail going through rural MO I wouldn't be too alarmed. That said, someone firing on the trail or firing across the trail is not a good thing and is probably not legal. Wearing bright colored clothes might also help people seeing you, especially during deer season. I have seen 20 gauge shotgun shells near Weldon Spring but that abuts Busch Wildlife where hunting is allowed. I hope this helps a little.

All good questions but the shooter may or may not have been discharging their firearm in a legal manner depending on where they were. Land owners like the farmers adjacent to the trail may be perfectly in their rights to shoot varmints or engage in sport shooting. There is a gun club on the opposite side of the KT and Rt. 94 near Matson so shooting is frequently heard. Nothing to worry about. You also don't mention what kind of firearm was being used, rifle bullets can ricochet and travel great distances and would cause more concern. If people were hunting with .22 rifles (squirrels?) near the KT that might a problem but if shotguns, the pellets don't travel too far. All in all, with the trail going through rural MO I wouldn't be too alarmed. That said, someone firing on the trail or firing across the trail is not a good thing and is probably not legal. Wearing bright colored clothes might also help people seeing you, especially during deer season. I have seen 20 gauge shotgun shells near Weldon Spring but that abuts Busch Wildlife where hunting is allowed. I hope this helps a little.

Not sure how close Busch Wildlife's boarders are to the Katy Trail but from the MO DNR site regarding the Katy Trail:



BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. The trail passes through some remote areas and adjoins private property. Adjoining property may be used for commercial or business opportunities, quarrying, farming operations or hunting. Animals or structures located on adjoining private property may impact your use of the trail.

Not sure how close Busch Wildlife's boarders are to the Katy Trail but from the MO DNR site regarding the Katy Trail:



BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS. The trail passes through some remote areas and adjoins private property. Adjoining property may be used for commercial or business opportunities, quarrying, farming operations or hunting. Animals or structures located on adjoining private property may impact your use of the trail.

Hunting is prohibited on the Trail, but keep in mind, that is only about a 12 ft path. The land

adjoining that strip is all fair game. So, yes, be alert. And, during deer season, avoid that

helmet with the antlers sticking out! If the deer had any sense they would just huddle on the

trail during hunting season.

Hunting is prohibited on the Trail, but keep in mind, that is only about a 12 ft path. The land

adjoining that strip is all fair game. So, yes, be alert. And, during deer season, avoid that

helmet with the antlers sticking out! If the deer had any sense they would just huddle on the

trail during hunting season.

Since we went from Rocheport to Easley one day and Easley to North Jefferson another, we had an opportunity to try the THAI food as well as the bbq. It was good! The two choices of sauces were very different. One was sort of like a very spicy tomatillo sauce. You can add some red pepper flakes if you need it even hotter. The other one was a salty....yummy...well I can't describe it, but if you can't take much heat this sauce adds FLAVOR without the heat. The dish we had was delicious!

Since we went from Rocheport to Easley one day and Easley to North Jefferson another, we had an opportunity to try the THAI food as well as the bbq. It was good! The two choices of sauces were very different. One was sort of like a very spicy tomatillo sauce. You can add some red pepper flakes if you need it even hotter. The other one was a salty....yummy...well I can't describe it, but if you can't take much heat this sauce adds FLAVOR without the heat. The dish we had was delicious!

As you go east, look down the paved road to your right or you will miss it. It looks A BUNCH bigger close up. Thanks to the Joe/Jane for the tip as to where it was. Good photo op.

As you go east, look down the paved road to your right or you will miss it. It looks A BUNCH bigger close up. Thanks to the Joe/Jane for the tip as to where it was. Good photo op.

Good place to grab a cool drink. The camping was busy this Memorial Day. We may try to camp next time. Had a place to stay in nearby Columbia this time...thanks to our daughter and her husband. Take advantage of the photo ops sitting at the table on a "horse" stool...no not THAT kind of stool...! Also the swing benches made of horseshoes are cool. Sit near the trail in the shade and sip a gatorade.

Good place to grab a cool drink. The camping was busy this Memorial Day. We may try to camp next time. Had a place to stay in nearby Columbia this time...thanks to our daughter and her husband. Take advantage of the photo ops sitting at the table on a "horse" stool...no not THAT kind of stool...! Also the swing benches made of horseshoes are cool. Sit near the trail in the shade and sip a gatorade.

I want to thank you and all of the folks that send their comments in. My wife and I did the whole trail last week and if your webpage hadn't been available, I don't know think our trip would have been as enjoyable as it was. I'm turning 50 this year and this was our big adventure. We trained, kept up to date on the conditions of the trail and read what your readers had to say about the business' on the trail. It was such a tremendous help.

Again I want to thank you.

What a nice place to stay. Cookies waiting for us and yogart, juice and water in the fridge. The town was so friendly.

What a nice place to stay. Cookies waiting for us and yogart, juice and water in the fridge. The town was so friendly.

We visited Dotty's while staying at the Hartsburg Inn. The food was very good and the service was great. The locals were friendly and the entire town was very nice. Everyone we saw waved or spoke. A great experience.

We visited Dotty's while staying at the Hartsburg Inn. The food was very good and the service was great. The locals were friendly and the entire town was very nice. Everyone we saw waved or spoke. A great experience.

hAD A GREAT LUNCH AFTER FININSHING OUR 5 DAY RIDE SATURDAY. STAFF VERY CYCLIST FRIENDLY.

hAD A GREAT LUNCH AFTER FININSHING OUR 5 DAY RIDE SATURDAY. STAFF VERY CYCLIST FRIENDLY.

Is anyone just riding the St. Charles-Marthesville-St. Charles overnight trip? I am planning to camp June 19 in Marthesville and then ride back to St. Charles on Tuesday, June 20--anyone else?

Thank Goodness Mark & Pam's bike shop is doing great!!!!! We would all miss the "Queen's English!!!!"

Ain't that the truth! : )

My son's bike had tire problems on our ride from Jeff City to Hartsburg on Memorial Day. We made it to the Hartsburge bike shop and Mark was extremely helpful and courteous. He was nice enough to not ask why we hadn't replaced the tires earlier (which we should have) and showed us all the options he had in stock from low to high price. He recommended the Hutchinson Acrobat 700x37 for my son's bike since we ride Katy Trail almost exclusively and he very quickly replaced both tires. The price for the tires was very reasonable (yes, slightly more than ordering online - but comparable to any bike store I'm sure) and the labor charge was also very reasonable - especially since we were stranded and could hardly argue!



I'm glad to hear his store is doing well and I will visit it again soon. Thank you Mark for being there when we needed help.

This was a very nice bed and breakfast--great food and service--a touch of class.

This was a very nice bed and breakfast--great food and service--a touch of class.

Our Sunday ride was our longest ever-46 miles, and with the heat it was all we would want to do--the kids (9 & 11) were good sports, though, and followed the "no whining until we are at least halfway there" rule! I had forgotten how many times the trail crosses highway 94 in this section--and I thought some of the crossing are potentially fairly dangerous, right on big bends in the road. We stopped at the Peers store for lunch and had a look at the room she rents for a very reasonable price ($45 or so, including breakfast, depending on number in the party). Definitely an option when watching the budget. We stayed that night at the Doll House in Rhineland, where we were greeted with homemade chocolate chip cookies and lemonade. For dinner, we had pre-arranged a meal cooked by Amanda, and it was wonderful--pasta, salad, homemade bread, sugarsnap peas and onions straight out of the garden, and chocolate cake garnished with home-grown strawberries, and she provided a bottle of wine from a Hermann winery. Our room opened onto the upstairs porch, where the porch swing was a shady, comfortable place to spend the evening until we collapsed early. Breakfast was again huge and excellent, featuring home-grown strawberries, eggs, bacon and french toast. We then met up with some friends from Columbia, who, with their 4 children travelling by bike, trail-a-bike, and trailer, rode with us to Mokane. Shaved ice at Bluffton was a big hit, and we were very glad to find the bar in Portland open for lunch. As we rode through Steedman, the woman from the house next to the bar offered us water and emerged from her house with a big pitcher of ice water. That kept us going to Mokane, where we managed to shuttle our cars and load up before the rain hit us on our way back to Columbia. We thought the trail was fairly busy Saturday, about average on Sunday, and very empty on Monday --possibly due to the 90-plus degree temps!

Another Memorial Weekend, another great ride. We started in St Charles this year, shuttled by Gary Creason of Creason shuttles. He will talk you ear off, but is full of good information about trail businesses, and goes out of his way to be helpful. We thought we had done all of the trail over the years, but had not actually made it to the place where it becomes an overgrown railroad bed, so that''s where we started this time. We had a good lunch at The Canoe (?) in St Charles, then rode to Das Gast Haus Nadler in Defiance--boy, were we glad to spend some time in the hot tub! This is a great place, where all of the rooms open onto a big shady porch with wicker furniture. We had supper there of sausage, bread and cheese that we had brought with us, plus Jacquie had a complimentary bottle of wine for us from a local winery. She generously put our children into separate rooms for no extra charge as there were no other guests. We have had several similar experiences of generosity from B&B owners over the years. Breakfast was fabulous--individual egg casseroles, fresh-squeezed orange juice, strawberries and cream, homemade blackberry coffee cake and sticky buns, and more! Then she sent the extra baked goods with us! We were glad to have a lot of water (we bought another camelback and water bottles in Defiance), as there are long stretches at the Eastern end without water at the trailhead, and it was HOT.

We stayed at this bed and breakfast and it is somewhat run down and definately not worth the fee of 160 plus tax for the Miss Evelyn room.

We stayed at this bed and breakfast and it is somewhat run down and definately not worth the fee of 160 plus tax for the Miss Evelyn room.

Can someone make recommendations as to the best place to stay in Clinton that is near the trailhead and a good breakfast place to eat at prior to beginning a trip?



Thanks,



Ken

Try the Best Western - a little over a mile from the trailhead, and room includes continental breakfast. If that's not heavy enough for you, there's a Country Kitchen restaurant right there.

Rates at some of these Motels-Hotels are ridiculous for a one night stay, combined with the price of gas I see a great decline coming if they don't start charging a decent price for a room. I think anything over $40.00 a night for one of these rooms is outrageous!

How about the Hampton in Clinton? How hard is it to get to the trailhead from there?



Thanks,



Ken