Katy Trail Forum

myself and 2 friends (early 50's - fair to good bike shape) are planning a first time Katy trip - your comments/suggeations are appreciated. Our emphasis is having time to check out small towns, some nice lodging, good places to eat, and the Hermann Octoberfest. Here is our tenitive itinerary.

First, 2nd or 3rd week in Oct to spend weekend in Hermann for Octoberfest



Tue - fly from Denver to St Louis - taxi to St Charles - pick up rental bike Tue or early Wed - Tue night in St Charles



Wed - to Treloar 44 miles - Wed night in Treloar



Thur - to Tebbetts 47 miles - Thur night in Tebbetts



Fri - To Hermann - 30 miles - Fri & Sat nights in Hermann (Octoberfest)



Sun - back to Dutzow - 27 miles - Sun night in Dutzow



Mon - to St Charles - 34 miles - return bikes - fly home Mon even or Tue am

Please define fair to good bike shape?

Is the formula for travel distance per day equal to 1 beer per 10 miles?

Seems pretty good....are you all camping or B&Bing it? Your best bet is to scroll through the pages on this site and through other KATY riders you will probably get a comprehensive picture. above all....enjoy the voyage Mark of the Dalton Boys

Looks like a good plan. I assume you're planning for Oct 2006, since you mentioned Oktoberfest. Be sure to make all your reservations early, because Hermann gets booked up far in advance during Oktoberfest. Also October in general is a busy time on the trail, so many B&Bs will be full. Also consider how you plan to cross the bridge at Hermann - does your B&B offer rides to & from the trail? You might want to save some time at the beginning or end of your trip to stroll around St Charles Main Street - very charming and historic area.

I think this is a very good itinerary if you are interested in having time to explore, and leisurely mornings and/or evenings at your overnight spots.

You should be able to cover more ground than that in 6 days....

Gary, If you are planning to spend a night at the Turner Katy Trail Shelter in Tebbetts please be aware that the mattresses on the bunks consist of a large piece of foam covered with plastic. As far as I know visitors need to bring their own pillow & bedding. It is a great place to stay and a wonderful asset for the Katy Trail. Just want to make sure you are aware of this.

Two of us are going to ride from Clinton to St. Charles in late April. Planning on riding about 50 miles a day. Would appreciate any comments or helpful hints as this will be our 1st time riding the entire Katy Trail. Even minor suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

jy, contact the businesses (food, lodging, etc) along the trail for business hours. some places are closed on mondays, if even open at all this early in the season. might also check with the state parks to see if the water is turned on at each town. other than that, have fun, enjoy the ride. frank

The incorrect tire choice can eventuate in punctures, making the trip unpleasant. Make certain you have kevlar-belted tires such as Continental Travelcontacts, Hutchinson Acrobats, or one of several Specialized Armadillo models. If you would like more advice regarding equipment in particular, feel free to email me at haaghead@kc.rr.com

You should carry your friends pack, it builds your muscles. Always ride in the rear so all dust is on you. Take plenty of money so you can pay for anything the two of you need. Have a GREAT TIME and ride aprox. 60-70 miles per day. Any other help just email me.

Last missive.....I know the correct answer, and I'm NOT the sharpest pencil in the box......yes- (supply your own term of endearment). Regards........Mark of the Dalton Boys

I stopped by Dotty's last summer while riding most of the Katy Trail. Dotty's (and Hartsburg) was the best place along the route. Friendly, generous people and very tasty food with generous serving sizes. And it's so close to the trail!

I stopped by Dotty's last summer while riding most of the Katy Trail. Dotty's (and Hartsburg) was the best place along the route. Friendly, generous people and very tasty food with generous serving sizes. And it's so close to the trail!

Good evening,

I am planning a trip this summer from TX to WI and thought this would be a good way to break up the travel time and enjoy a trail ride.



If you only had a few days and ride for recreation only, what section of this trail would you recommend? And which direction? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.



Thank you.



herewer

From where in Texas??? If it was me, planning from my home in Austin I would try to plan something that would take me to the western terminus of the KATY in Clinton, MO. go east and pick up the St. Louis Confluence Greenway, go to Illinois and then go East, or North from there. Go to Adventure Cycling website if you haven't already and peruse their maps that are some of the most "Bike Friendly" available with the only caveat being that one must join Adventure Cycling to get somewhat cheaper prices. Enjoy the Voyage......Mark of the Dalton Boys

Mark, What is the St. Louis Confluence Greeway? How is the ride in Illinois and how far east or north does it go?



I will check out the website you referred to and see what they have. Thank you.

herewer, The way I read your post, you are driving to Wisconsin but want to stop and bicycle on your trip. You are NOT riding the bicycle from Texas to Wisconsin. Is this correct?



Depending on where you are in TX, I would take I-35 to Kansas City and I-70 accross MO stopping at Boonville or Rocheport. From Rocheport east is one of the most scenic sections of the trail.



Where are you going in Wisconsin? That state has some really nice trails. I spent four days riding the Sparta - Elroy and other trails a few years ago and can't wait to get back there!

Too easy - Traillink.com click on Missouri, click on the site that has "Confluence" in the trail title. This system goes from the "Arch" in St. Louis northward taking on other names but ending up at Pere Marquette State Park in Illinois. On the way you will bike across the Chain of Rocks Bridge which is about 1 mile long and is the longest Hike/Bike only bridge in the Continental U.S. and some claim in the world. These trails are either paved or comprised of "pug" which is crushed limestone and when dry is as hard as concrete. Missouri has a very active Cycling community unbeknownst to some, and their efforts are praiseworthy! Echoing another respondent I would also recommend the Elroy-Sparta Rail/Trail in Wisconsin as this is the "granddaddy" of all Rail/Trails in the U.S. This was the first. Regards Mark of the Dalton Boys

Savage has the right idea...if you only have a few days of recreational riding to do. Booneville to Columbia is a good ride.....Booneville to Jefferson City....Rocheport to Jefferson City...etc. I would also recommend planning in a visit to the Les Bourgeois bistro in Rocheport for lunch and some time to enjoy the view over the trail, river, and river bottom land from the bluffs. The food and wine are very good and the beautiful view is free.

If you plan to travel the Boonville, Rocheport Area, traveling East through that area is very scenic. The bluffs in Rocheport are beautiful. Morning rides may be best going West however as it would be away from the sun. There's a little bookstore in Rocheport where they carry a guidebook to the Katy Trail - Pebble Publishing - they may have a website too for preordering. The guide is handy and has maps and loads of info. Enjoy your visit to Missouri! Lunch at the winery was a great suggestion if that's where you end up!

any day biking, i would suggest rocheport east. it is the most scenic of the trail i have ridden. the book store in rocheport, peeble publishing is hard to catch open. i have stopped off there at all hours of the week and weekend, never can catch them open, however, their website, pebblepublishing.com has a book on the katy tril that is well worth buying and reading. i truly enjoyed readin it. happy bikin.

My experience of a morning ride east from Rocheport was that the sun was not a problem as the bluffs and then trees blocked the sun until it was high enough not to be a problem. This was in June. It might be different in spring or fall with a different sun angle.



If getting on at Rocheport, be sure to go a bit west of the trailhead to ride through the train tunnel.

Last year we rode 70 miles of the trail one weekend. We are going back in March to ride 90 miles. What is the best section of trail to ride if we only have 2 days? Last time we rode from Boonville to Mokane staying in Hartsburg. If you know a better section let me know! We want to do about 50 miles a day. We really loved the Globe Hotel... its hard to pick another section of trail to ride for fear that it wont be as good.

Mokane, go east....many B&B's to chose from. Marthasville for the end of the two days. Regards..........Mark of the Dalton Boys

I have ridden the Katy from Sedalia to St. Charles. I like the Rocheport area and also the magnificent views along the Missouri River hugging the bluffs between Treloar and Marthasville. I'm planning a ride east from Dutzow to Augusta early tomorrow morning (unless I find the trail too soggy) and then walking up to the Immaculate Conception Church for their parish breakfast. The Katy isn't only for the summer.

You've already ridden what most folks consider to be the prettiest part of the trail. So, I agree with Mark, go east and see the rest of the trail. I found parts of the eastern section almost as attractive as the Rocheport area.

I'm planning on biking the trail in May with 3-4 friends. We biked the Natchez Trace last year and averaged about 50 miles per day. Can we expect to do more per day on this trail since the Trace was hilly? I didn't know if the surface would tend to slow us down.

I did 60 on the day we went and i don't consider myself as fit as i would like to be...besides, missouri is a pretty flat state so you shouldnt have any problem doing more:)

We rode from Sedalia to Agusta in June of 2005. It was beautiful and a true adventure. It rained a lot last Spring and the trail was very mushy. We peddled the entire time, no coasting. We had to pick up our bike (a tandum recumbent) 3 times to carry is over downed trees and mud slides. One day we rode 77 miles and it was too long. Our 50 mile day was just about right.

50 miles a day is about right. You can do more, because the trail is extremely flat, but you'll want to take the time to enjoy the scenery, it's beautiful !! When dry, the surface is very hard, but a little mushy when wet.

Hello, we are thinking of a Katy trail trip in late April. Is there a company that does luggage transfer? I noticed that Independent Tourist has a 7 day package, but we would prefer to book our own accomodations, etc. as we are thinking we would want to complete the ride in less than 7 days. Thanks!

The trail shuttle services are also happy to transport luggage, bikes, or whatever. Here's a recent discussion of shuttle services, and a comprehensive list of shuttle services.

Thanks for the tip!

I'm a newbie that's considering a long KATY ride in the spring, and since I've never visited, I'm wondering if some of you can share some more details about the composition & condition of the trail. From reading these forums, I've gotten the following impressions. Are they true or false?



- The trail is very dusty and you & your bike will be, too.

- The trail has a couple of major ruts (one for each direction) and getting in & out of them is a challenge for your balance.

- The trail is pretty hard-packed, but soft enough to slow you down a lot (compared to a paved trail or road).

- The trail is not very crowded, even at peak seasons.



Can anyone comment on any or all of these assumptions? THANKS!

Very dusty - no, some dust yes, but no more than any non-paved surface unless its a plainly dirt trail. Pug (crushed limestone) is the surface on the KATY and when dry is hard as concrete. If its wet (not just moist) it will get slow going and will "mung" up your shoes and bicycle drivetrain but again its got to be wet, or soaked. While there are ruts on the trail there aren't a huge proliferate amount of them, be wary after heavy rains as there will be wash-outs and ruts normally will be found only on the sides of the KATY. Minor exceptions do exist, but then again its not paved. Again, when the trail is bone dry, the surface is hard as concrete. Density of use depends mostly on ones proximity to population centers with easy access to the KATY. Starting about 40 miles out from St. Louis/St. Charles and on week-ends, it may well be crowded but it won't be like a mass start at the Tour de Tucson, or Ride for the Roses...you will be able to navigate easy enough. Other populations centers where you may encounter "crowded" conditions: Columbia and 30 miles on either side of its access to the KATY, Sedalia (kinda), Boonville. If its Wichita Kansas you're from (is there any other Wichita?), then you know that in the summer it can be oppresively hot and humid. Autumn on the KATY will be a bit more crowded as its cooler, and of course colorful. Hope this helps...Regards....Mark of the Dalton boys

brian, i rode the KATY 3 yrs ago the day after a regular toad strangler of a rain storm. not one problem, and that includes no dust obviously. experienced a few soft spots east of hartsburg bout 3-4 miles last yr when i rode, but other wisegreat biking. never have i experienced the ruts that you described. i have experienced a little dust, but nothin major. as far as crowding, there are a few more people out of the st charles area, but nothin drastic. it is certainly not neck to neck. the trail is hard packed, like concrete, however there are a few soft spots, but nothin that can't be pedaled through. happy bikin. frank

I rode the trail by myself for three days a few years ago. I took the train from Hermann to Sedalia and rode to Pilot Grove the first day and to Hartsburg the second day. If you want to take your bike on Amtrak call ahead to make sure they have space for the bike. It will be a slight grade down if you travel that direction. No problems. I never noticed the dust and the ruts. Sounds like an avid trail rider wants to keep the trail to themselves. Ha! No crowds during the week but like everywhere weekends have more traffic. Carry a tent, raincoat, cold camp and have a great trip. If you list your email I can give more details if needed.

Thanks for the great detailed comments, y'all. It's great to be able to draw on your experiences. I'm hoping to ride from Sedalia to Dutzow in April or May, but personal circumstances may push it to Sep or Oct. The enthusiam of folks like y'all make me more excited about going! BTW, what's a "cold camp"?

Cold Camp--you simply eat cold food and you don't carry a stove. A little cooler strapped on the back with a few frozen sandwiches, fruit and peanut butter and jelly and you're set to go. It's the budget way to travel for those who want to sleep under the stars and avoid the amenities and expense of B&B and restaurants.

Yesterday the trail around the Dutzow area was hard packed and pleasant riding. It may tend to get a little soggy after freezing and thawing, depending on the remainder of the winter but should be in good shape in April/May.

I plan on doing the Katy Trail Ride in June and wonder about the transportation of bicycle and gear upon completion of the ride BACK to the east where it started.I will be by myself and also wonder about accommodation all along the entire length of the trail during the ride.

I assume you're talking about the big organized ride in June, sponsored by the MO Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Transportation of bikes and gear is provided by the DNR, and included in the price of the ride (at least it always has been in the past). Probably within the next few weeks, the DNR will release more details about the ride, including information on overnight accommodations. Whenever I hear any details, I'll post them on the BikeKatyTrail.com home page.

I want to take the Katy from Clinton to St. Charles this season ('06). I'll probably be doing

it solo. In the interest of keeping the weight down at this point I don't plan on taking

anything other than a hammock, a poncho, a coffee thermos and a fleece blanket for

camping. I plan on getting my food along the trail.



Any suggestions on camping (ie: actual camping, not B&B) along the way? With the

hammock, I'll need some trees. I'd like to do the trip in less than 70 mile stages, maybe

over 4 or 5 days.



How are the indigenous populations along the way? I'm wary about small town people. Is

personal safety a major consideration?

Travis,

Don't forget the insect repelant!

Some suggestions for camping:

Pilot Grove. City park has trees - call ahead and get permission.

New Franklin. Katy Round House campground - hot showers!

Hartsburg. Volunteer Park. Check with the bike shop or Globe hotel.

Tebbetts. Turner Katy Trail Shelter hostel. Call ahead for info.

Marthasville. Community park - call ahead.



Wary of small town people? Why? Do you look like an ax murderer?Being a former small town person, I can't decide if I should laugh at this or be offended. I have been told to "get back on the trail" as I rode on a public street in Treloar, but I've also been called a "fag" by a pre-teen girl in my own suburban nieghborhood (presumably because I was wearing spandex?). Ignorant people are everywhere. Ignore them and practice the golden rule with everyone else.

Good recommendations from savage24. Here's a full list of all campgrounds along the way.



The vast majority of the "locals" along the trail are more friendly than what you usually encounter in urban areas. As long as you stay off of the private property along the way, you'll most likely experience nothing but friendliness and overwhelming hospitality.



Personal safety: you're far safer on the trail than on the streets of your hometown St Louis, where there always seems to be some guy in an SUV trying to assert his dominance over us lowly bike riders (OK, maybe it's not that bad, but I ride often in suburban St Louis, and there's a reason why I prefer the trail).

I don't know Ray, I think it just may be that bad....even here in Austin, TX. Car-free since 2000......Mark of the Dalton boys

I'm training for a marathon, and have discovered the trail is great place for my long runs! I was hoping for some help on mileage, though; I recently parked at the Page extension lot, and ran east until I ran out of gravel. I don't believe that the mileage stated for this segment includes the stretch of trail past Frontier Park. Any one ever mapped it? Thanks!

So, why is only the bike [sic] trail closed and all lanes of traffic?

http://www.trailnet.org/m_latest.php#latest0

The bike path will be open on the weekends. The work is under way right now and the path is closed. MoDOT felt that it would be best to do this work during the winter when temperatures are typically colder and fewer riders were utilizing the path. Barricades and signs have been posted on the bike path notifying riders that it is closed. This work is not associated with any problems with the bridge. The bridge was supposed to be designed with certain features to accommodate future maintenance on the bridge bearings. MoDOT is correcting the issue now so that it will not have to be addressed in 25-30 years.

For more information, please contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 314-340-4100.