Katy Trail Forum

First of all, thank you to all the experienced Katy riders who post here and made planning our trip so much easier, and to the webmaster for maintaining this amazing site. I've never done a travel blog, but the Katy is such a special place that I really wanted to capture it (plus my memory isn't what it used to be). Hope you enjoy it, lots of pictures and commentary!
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/kchancecarter/1/tpod.html

Thank you for sharing your travel memories. We've stayed at most all of the same places and have ridden in the fall several times, making your blog a trip down memory lane. I've wished many times that there were resources like this site when planning other rail trail trips.

Not letting open the link? ????

Anon, it is working now. Maybe the blog website was having problems when you tried, or you might have not copied the web address correctly. I hope you can get to it - good read!

Thanks Ray, Trek, and Anon! I enjoyed reading other people's blogs, so it is fun to add to the collection.

Thanks. Awesome blog. Well done. Enjoyed reading it. I have a similar love of the KATY. Got to ride on it a few times this year, but "itching" for another end-to-end. Thanks again for posting the blog.

KC, I really enjoyed reading about your ride on the Katy. And I will enjoy the walk around Lady Bird Lake in January when I am there.

Hi. I just rode a short ride fron Hartsbug to Easly -- the trail had a few rough spots. Does anyone know if its smooth from Easly to McBaine?

Thanks

Thanks to Trevor Scott for sharing this suggested route from Lambert St Louis Airport to the Katy Trail. Getting from the St Louis airport to the Katy Trail is no easy feat on a bike, so it helps having a good route to follow.

You can see additional Lambert-to-trail ideas here: https://bikekatytrail.com/airport-katy-trail.aspx

Thank you to Kyle Kessler for sharing this GPS file (gpx format) with Waypoints and Route from Clinton to Machens!
KATY.gpx

Just released today:
https://www.stlmag.com/longform/katy-trail-guide/

Great info. I still hope to ride across the Katy Trail sometime this year.

Instead I've been riding out of O'Fallon and Collinsville on the Madison County trails while maintaining social distancing except with my wife who is on the back of the tandem!

your lucky if you can still ride trails at all. Around here (Johnson Co. Ks) the trail are so crowded it would be impossible to ride safely with appropriate social distancing. I have gone to riding on the streets, very little traffic (almost none sometimes) and able to be away from others. I am a long time bike rider 30 years, so even if there is some traffic it really doesn't bother me. Most of my life the only places to ride have been on streets, the trails thing is relatively recent.

Good luck with your riding
Allen

Agree with Allen regarding trail “traffic”. It’s quite bad up North as well. A great trail system exists that is currently mobbed by non-riders. Clueless nature gawkers and triple-wide child stroller parades make the trails impassable. The worst are to dog owners that insist that the trail has been redesignated as off- lease parks.

I’m back on the roads again as well.

Allen is dead on about the trails here in Johnson County. March 25th, first really nice day here, the trails looked like a street carnival. People meandering around aimlessly, parents having big lawn chair parties while their kids were running wild and mobbing the playground equipment. I've abandoned the trails and parks and have also been strictly on streets. With the reduced traffic I can ride on just about any street I want. I don't interact with anyone, give road adjacent sidewalk users a wide berth and don't touch anything I don't take with me. From what I can see of the trails that occasionally run parallel to some of my routes, things seem to have gotten a little better. I did see a motorcycle officer patrolling the trail one day, so that may be helping the situation, but still not worth taking a chance on them while so many of the roads are now more easily traversed.

Hi all! Missed my solo end to end ride last year due to weather and previous year due to accident. Happy to hear trail is open in spite of Covid. I plan to stay at the B and B’s like previous years when I’ve done it. Any word on if they are ordered closed or choosing to close? Equally important are the detours. I am terrified of road riding as Ive been hit before. I can handle small detours of a few miles. I know the MO State Parks list closures but they are behind in updates at times. Any riders out there run into detours? We’re you able to navigate them? If they are on major roads do any shuttles take riders around them? Thanks all.

Hi! I'm planning a trip over memorial day weekend. We will suffer Friday night to Clinton (or somewhere else if you suggest). We will have Saturday, Sunday and Monday as full booking days. What do you'll suggest as an itinerary? Can we do the whole trail in 3 days? We are in our 30s and pretty fit. If you suggest shortening it, what parts are best to skip? Finally, what towns are the best so that we are sure to budget time there!

Mondays can be a problem as many businesses around the trail are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The whole trail in 3 days is somewhat ambitious. It would be similar to doing back to back to back century rides on the road. I do it in 5 days. If I were to do it in 3 days, I'd start in Boonville to McKittrick/Hermann; then Jefferson City; lastly St. Charles. That's about 50 miles a day average. You could start in Sedalia; however, that first day would be rather long at 85 miles.

Are you planning on camping or staying at a hotel / B&B? Boonville doesn't have any camping options.

If you want to do the whole thing in 3 days from Clinton, I'd think Rocheport, McKittrick/Hermann, St. Charles would be the way to go. That's about 75 miles a day average.

Boonville to Jefferson City, then to McKittrick. Jerry had you backtracking there.

There is no camping in Boonville, but the Roundhouse in New Franklin is just a few miles from the river bridge in Boonville.

Jeff City is kind of a side trip, and isn't a must-see. If you can work out supplies without it, I'd bypass it.

Visit by car later if you are interested. Make sure to go to Central Dairy if you do drop by.

The prettiest part of the trail is between Boonville and Jefferson City (IMO). But, there is a detour between Franklin and Rocheport. It is kinda scary, being on a single lane highway with little room for shoulders for about 2-3 miles.
Also, the smaller towns kind of roll up the carpet at 6:00 if they aren't closed on certain days. Just don't take things for granted that you can stop at the next town and get something to eat. That may not happen. I would suggest taking your time and spend more time on the trail, enjoying the beauty.
We like to stay at hotels in Sedalia, Booneville, and Jefferson City, depending on what our plans are. Going across the bridges in Booneville and Jeff City is safe because you have a designated bike lane for each bridge. I would be happy to give you more of my two cents worth if there were some way to contact you. I don't know if you are planning to backtrack or if you have a shuttle, etc.
Clinton to just short of Windsor is kinda boring partly because it is next to a highway for several miles, is flat and straight with little shade.

for the most part I think it's very doable. What I did was park my car in ST Charles took bus and bike to ST L train station took train to Indepence, MS, rode to Pleasant Hill to the Rock Island trail to the Katy Trail total mi around 80ish , camped rode to Jefferson city , arounrd 100ish camped there and rode the rest to ST Charles to the car abound 100ish. Mostly flat, 700x 32 or wider tire might be safer on that trail

For anyone who is in need of a socially-distanced sanity break and wondering whether the trail is officially open, MO State Parks says:
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Trails are operating as normal.

Missouri state parks are open, and our staff is ready to welcome you. Whether exploring trails by foot or by bike, physical activity is beneficial for both physical and mental health.
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Here's the MO State Parks web page with the full text of their current COVID-19 situation and response:
https://mostateparks.com/response

Be safe, be smart, stay healthy!

Thanks, Ray. It's good to know the restrooms are still open. That will help the riders quite a bit.

Might be a good idea to pack some cleaning gloves and sanitizing wipes for when using the restrooms and water fountains to help out Katy staff in between their cleanings.

I would recommend a fair bit of caution with the restrooms. We know corona viruses can survive from 1-3 days on surfaces, depending on temperature and sunlight. The 17 day 'survival' that has been reported is not correct, only fragments of the virus were found aboard a cruise ship. Soap, bleach, and 70% alcohol are effective in killing the virus. Diaper wipes are NOT disinfecting. Also, opened alcohol wipes will be less effective as the alcohol content drops. I plan to keep hand sanitizer on me, and carry some paper towels to avoid touching surfaces such as doors, toilet lids and seats, and dispose of them after visiting the comfort station.
I will confess that I am generally not particularly fastidious about keeping my hands clean figuring that at my age I have had a chance to be exposed to most viruses, but this is different. Everyone should be careful, even if you are young and in good health. Even if you have a mild case of COVID-19, you will generate literally hundreds of millions of viral particles that can affect other people. So be cautious, but use the loo if you have to.

Hello- I am working on an article for a local magazine- wondering if there is any updated/current info on a 'Fastest Known Time' for riding the entirety of the Katy Trail? Name, date, time, story...? Any info would be appreciated. Please and thank you!

Try this thread.

https://bikekatytrail.com/one-day.aspx

Thanks Jim- I saw that page on the website, but the most recent info noted there is from November 2016. I realize that 3.5 years since the last posted update doesn't necessarily mean that someone has done it faster since then- I'm just asking to see if anyone has more recent/updated info on the FKT for the Katy Trail ride... If that's the record in the Public Record, that's the record. Thanks again for the response!

No matter how hard you try, and how many places you ask, as soon as you publish your article, someone will say that you're wrong, because their cousin's nephew's brother's ex-sister in law did it two hours faster. :) Just point those folks to the link above. Looking forward to the article!

My guess ( and it’s only a guess ) is that if someone had beat that time you would hear about it here. If you haven’t yet you could check out cycling sites like Strava.

Hi everyone! Does anybody know if there has been an official/accepted best attempt at the full length? Is there some 'fastest time' somewhere. Has anyone heard of someone attempting this?

Go to home page, then road, run, hike reports then at the bottom has single day entire trail reports. 12-14 hrs I believe.

How about running the entire trail, Where would I find information as to if it has ever been done, and if so in how much time?

We met a guy from Australia in 2012 who was running the entire trail (equivalent to 9 marathons). His girlfriend pedaled a bike alongside him carrying their camping gear. They were at least halfway through when we met them.

Other than what BikerBoy wrote just above, I've never heard of anyone running the whole trail.

If you manage to accomplish that, let me know so I can mention it on http://www.bikekatytrail.com/one-day.aspx

Happy trails!

Working on an article for a local magazine- is there any updated info on a 'Fastest Known Time' for riding the entirety of the Katy Trail? Name, date, time, story...? Any info would be appreciated- please and thanks!

Looking forward to leisurely enjoying the full length of the trail in September.

Stopped to use the outhouse on the trail today and found toilet paper in the room as always, was I appreciative! Thank you to our committed state park employees and courteous park users. Wishing you all health and wellness in this time of crisis be safe out there. See you on the trail again soon.

Pedalers Jamboree has been rescheduled to Sep 05 - 06, 2020 (Labor Day Weekend)

I would like to ride from Sedalia to Washington this summer. Is 50 miles a day realistic? I am in pretty good shape, would stay at B&Bs so I would be carrying minimal gear.

Depending in your riding ability 50 miles is completely realistic. Especially not carrying gear. There is a bit more rolling resistance on the trail than pavement, so maybe you'd want to go a little shorter than your maximum distance on the roads. But if you are riding 50 or so miles on the road you'll have no problem on the trail.

Since 2020, my brother and I have made an annual Katy Trail Ride. Our first 7 rides took three days:
Clinton-Boonville
Boonville-Hermann Area
Hermann to St Charles Machens

During our last 3 trips we included the Rock Trail which added a day to our trip:
Pleasant Hill-Sedalia
Sedalia-Columbia
Columbia-Hermann
Hermann-St Charles

I turned 65 last July. Our wives don't ride with us, but they offer SAG support

50 on the trail is about like 75-80 on roads.

A few basic questions come up when I see how well you two covered ground: First, what bike brands and model were you using?, Second, what tires were you using?, and third, you mention that your wives provided SAG support, so it it correct to assume you were riding without the burden of panniers and gear? Lastly, it sounds like you were probably in motels or B&B's since you had ground transportation...correct? You obviously have this thing down; we could learn a lot and plan better if you'd kindly share your gear and trip details. Thanks!

Whoops...typo...we started our Katy Trail rides during 2010.

I posted a "travelogue" on this site at https://bikekatytrail.com/trip-report.aspx

Look me up on Strava, and you can see the details of my our rides

The link seems to be broken, and perhaps if you'd send a note to the webmaster, he could repair it.

I ride a TREK 7200 hybrid bicycle and until this past year my brother rode a Trek MTB. This year, he made a major upgrade and bought a gravel bike. The Katy Trail trip is the only time that I ride gravel... otherwise I am a road cyclist.

You are correct, we carry a small tool bag on the bike frame and a Camelback for a few additional supplies plus water.

My mother in law lives near Knob Noster and my son lives in St Charles, so we have a place to stay at the beginning and end of the trip.

We love Bothwell Hotel in Sedalia, the Frederick Hotel in Boonville, and the Tiger Hotel in Columbia. In the Hermann area we have stayed at B&B's... the Bluffton Barn, the Dollhouse in Rhineland, Joey's Bird House in McKittrick, and a Cigar/Spirit shop in Hermann which also has a B&B with it. The cigar shop is operated by a former oil business colleague.

Karl's Katy Trail travelogue is working now - there was a problem with the file but it's fixed now. Sorry for the trouble.

First item on this page: https://bikekatytrail.com/trip-report.aspx

Wow, Karl, you guys make a 12-hour trip up from Missouri City, TX; I suppose having family on both ends of the trail makes sense. Thanks for the info on your ride. Looks like the 2010 Trek 720 came with 700x35 tires. I am more of a road cyclist, too. When I did the 165 miles on the KATY, I was using a Specialized Crosstrail (similar to the Trek 720) with 700x38 tires, and I was carrying about 70 lbs of gear in my panniers and my rack. 32~35 tires would have helped, but I underestimated the drag produced by the gravel. After 55 miles days, I was spent. Truthfully, I could have been in a little better shape, too. Thanks again for all your good info. I hope others find it useful, too.

I'm 67 and ride a steel frame Fugi Touring bike. I've ridden the the trail 3 times, first with 32mm tires but now with 37's. My last trip I went Sedalia to Clinton, Clinton to Pilot Grove, @62m, Pilot Grove to Tebbits, @72, Tebnbits to Marthasville, @55, Marthasville to home near Six Flags in St Louis County. I camp and travel self contained with @35# of gear. West to east is the easier ride especially after you get to Pilot Grove. I think the earlier road-to-trail mileage comparison may be a little overstated. But everyone's experience is different and a lot depends on the trail conditions, wet and soft or dry and hard packed, also on the type of roads you ride. I've ridden some pretty unpleasant chip and seal. Wind and weather make a big difference too. Heat saps my strength much more at 67 than it did at 30. A tailwind vs. a brutal headwind makes a big difference. If one is riding enough to consider 50 mile days then one probably can. Get an early start, take your time, ride your pace, take plenty of breaks and enjoy the ride. Often the biggest challenge is being able to keep your ass in the saddle all day. If you can't stay on the bike it doesn't matter how strong a rider you are.

YOU GUYS ROCK! We hope to 'run into'/'see' you again this year! Be Safe!

50 miles on Katy is conservatively 5-6 hours of saddle time for a novice rider and 3 hours for a good rider. I say train (preferably with the load you will be carrying) and plan based on that.

It's very doable, I did 80 - 100 miles a day . Started in Kansas City

Be careful around Mokane. Recently a local was walking the KATY when he was attacked by free running dogs. He survived but was injured. This is a man who has worked with dogs all his life.

I recommend that anyone using the trail here carry a can of pepper mace. Myself, I have a canister of UDAP bear spray. It's. Stronger than the stuff you buy over the counter.

One more thing, the Mokane Market is now PERMANENTLY CLOSED as of 1/1/20. The nearest store will be the new Dollar General one mile North of the Mokane Trailhead on State Rd. C.

Can I camp in clinton or find a room?

Yes, both. Here's a link to the Trip Planner, showing just the lodging in Clinton and the one camping option there:
https://bikekatytrail.com/planner.aspx?scid=11&ecid=11&rt=1&svcs=|4|3|

I’ve slept in the covered pavilion behind the community center in Clinton several times (as they recommend). As a bonus, there is a shower in the building.

A rider passed along this info to me on 3/11/2020:
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Saturday I had a serious accident on the bridge in Huntsdale near mile 173. My wheels were caught in boards installed on the bridge across Terrapin Creek. I needed to move over to avoid crowding pedestrians.

Among other injuries, my right hand is broken and requires surgery. It could easily have been much worse. The space between these boards is an effective bike trap.
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He will be contacting the State Parks Dept about this, but meanwhile I wanted to get out this message to warn as many people as possible.

Be careful out there!