Katy damage and closure

Update on the trail conditions from Boonville to Rocheport, apx mile marker 189-178 heading east.
Just after leaving boonville, at mm 189, there’s a yellow sign that says use caution for debris and flooding. For the next 10 miles the trail is nearly destroyed from cleanup and reconstruction, but it is possible to slowly and safely pass. In many places the trail is unrideable on a road or hybrid bike. At mm 180-178, the trail is closed due to flooding and bridge being out. There is a detour into rocheport, but it is about 4 miles of very hilly highway riding. Detour likely adds a few miles to the ride. Would recommend getting a lift or hiring an Uber from boonville to rocheport.

Thanks for this report. Iif we get a shuttle to Rouchport is it rideable all the way to Jeff City?

Planning on riding sedila to Herman first week in August, any forecast on the trail conditions then.
Is the state working on repairs currently?
Thank you

Planning on riding sedila to Herman first week in August, any forecast on the trail conditions then.
Is the state working on repairs currently?
Thank you

So double checking… From Boonville to Rocheport you were able to ride the whole way… On the trail or did you have to take about 4 miles on the road? Were there markers for this? Planning on riding this coming weekend so want to make sure I know where I’m going in that I can get through

7/4/21 I road out of Boonville towards Rocheport and the trail is in miserable condition. Completely washed out in places that I could ride just 3 weeks ago. The bike bridge has been down for a couple of years and requires riding on a winding highway with traffic soaring by and narrow shoulders. Use caution.

Doing the trail out and back starting just after Labor day. Any updates on the area between Boonville and Rocheport? Basically I guess can it be ridden other than the area where the bridge is out and is that detour marked to get to the highway and back onto the trail?
Any other information as to trail conditions along the route is appreciated!

Doug, I'd really suggest fording Salt Creek rather than riding the highway. Pack some crocs, and carry your bike across if needed. That highway looks wicked. Do a search for Salt in here and you'll find notes on how to do it.

Or, if the water is too high, use this ridearound.
https://goo.gl/maps/JkYTb4E1BfqZ9dgJA

Either way, stay off that highway. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary, you get what you pay for, caveat emptor.

I too would recommend, fording Salt Creek in lieu of taking the road detour. It would be a shame to miss out on any part of the trail. However it would also be nice to have a visual aide at the creek that shows the water level. When I crossed it the first time it was only ankle deep and quite manageable. On my return trip the water was knee deep and the current was stronger. this gave me the choice of removing my gear from the bike and making several trips across the creek, or just back track and take the road route. Since I wear bright neon colors and use flashing lights on my bike I had no problems with road traffic on a rainy day. By the way my return trip was east bound so you start off with an up hill climb. But as I have found out on many trails that follow rivers it is always up hill leaving the trail.

What you need to remember about fording Salt Creek is that this is not part of the Katy Trail. You are trespassing on private property to do it. Apparently the land owner is tolerating it but it’s a little much to ask him/her to put up a depth gauge.

I appreciate the updates! I have tons of road riding experience, but if I'm going to ride a trail I'd rather experience the whole trail if possible. It sounds like I'll try to watch the weather in the next couple of weeks down there to see if rain may have raised the creek and try for the fording options. Thanks again!

We rode the KATY East-to-West about a month ago and rolled into Rocheport late in the day as a fast-moving thunderstorm hit. We stopped for dinner at the General Store (very good meal) and asked several folks about the trail vs. dirt road route mentioned above vs. highways 240 and 40 into New Franklin and the KATY Roundhouse Camp Ground (very nice campground) where we planned to camp that night. We couldn't get recent info on Salt Creek or the dirt road (but it had rained that day and previous days) and we didn't have enough daylight to double back to the highway if either was too difficult for our fully-loaded bikes so we took the paved route. This was a Friday and we left Rocheport about 45 minutes before sunset not ideal, but we didn't have much choice. We set our bike lights to blink for maximum visibility to others and headed out. Traffic was non-existent on 240 between Rocheport and Highway 40. There is no paved shoulder on 240, but no traffic meant no concern. Turning West-bound onto Highway 40 you hit a few miles of big hills with no paved shoulder meaning that you have about six inches of pavement between the white stripe and the grass. Hold your line on the edge of the road and pedal hard. Traffic on 40 at this time of day was very light and everyone that passed us gave us plenty of space. Once you roll out of the hills near Davisdale and into the river bottom the paved shoulder widens to three-or-four feet which makes things much more comfortable compared to the hills and if you ride comfortably close to the grass cars can stay in their lane while they pass and still be well away from you. We know we were very fortunate with light traffic and courteous drivers, but the detour is doable and if you go early or late in the day when traffic is light, all the better.

this is just ANOTHER reason the Katy needs to be paved. For safty reasons alone it needs to be paved. The tax money it will bring will be astronomical. The DONATION will go up; but ONLY if they get the word out on HOW to donate to the cause of paving. IT can be done one section at a time. This is easy. Lets do this!!! Madison COunty Transit makes the trails FUNCTIONAL by paving them. it makes it EASIER To clean of all the dangerous debris like the Katy has.

How does a DANGEROUS detour on PAVED roads due to a bridge being out, make a limestone trail less safe than a paved one? How are you going to get $1 from everyone that rides the trail when NO ONE agrees with you about paving it? Why would a paved trail be any easier to clean of debris? There would not be any less. How would the POSSIBLITY of a FEW more riders, this not being a given with the response so far, equate to astronomical increases in tax revenue? Lastly, why does the Katy Trail need to be changed to suit YOUR preferences? Enjoy it for what it is or go to the ones you like better.

Being detoured onto HWY 40, even for a short distance, is unbelievably dangerous. No shoulder, so you are dependent on the courtesy of traffic traveling at high rates of speed...give me a "break". No excuse for the long delayed replacement of the washed out bridge. Bikers beware!