elevations on trail

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Tree from Columbia on 7/3/2012 12:56:48 PM:

We took a great ride from Clifton City to Boonville-stopping in at Pilot Grove for refueling.
This route is definitley uphill but a very steady grade - just gear down a little and beautiful riding along the way.
We swear that the grade continued to climb well beyond the I-70 bridge and then dropped in to Boonville the last few miles - we really enjoyed the sites along the way and we only saw 1 other biker the entire trip - we are looking forward to doing this stretch again.

Anonymous on 7/3/2012 7:00:52 PM:

Actually it's mostly uphill grade from Cliffton City to Pilot Grove and downhill on to Boonville. Lard Hill is the nice long downhill into Boonville.

Jim from St. Thomas on 7/3/2012 8:16:16 PM:

I'd have to disagree about the downhill from Pilot Grove to Boonville. Lard Hill is only a mile or so before you hit Boonville.

Anonymous on 7/3/2012 8:36:34 PM:

If you look at the elevation chart you will see that Pilot Grove is around 835 ft. and Boonville is around 610 ft elevation. So, there is a little over 200 ft decline into Boonville. The last long downhill as you approach the Boonville trailhead is Lard Hill.

Pam O from Independence on 7/3/2012 10:29:02 PM:

The elevation chart only shows elevation for each city, not what lies in between. I have told many that the path between Pilot Grove and Boonville feels uphill both ways. I think the high point in there is the big pipe tunnel. Am always thankful when we come up on the tunnel.

Anonymous on 7/3/2012 10:44:01 PM:

By KATY Trail standards I think the whole doggone trail from Clinton to Boonville is pretty "lumpy."

It certainly feels like there are a whole lot of grades in that "third" of the trail in comparison to the middle or eastern "thirds".

Despite those grades...I love riding any and all of it. What an amazing resource.

Hank from New Haven, MO on 7/4/2012 10:07:21 AM:

We rode Clinton to Boonville recently and really enjoyed the grades actually. Many of them are very subtle, you actually feel them before you really see them. Approaching Pilot Grove some turn into actual "hills." They can be quite deceiving though. The hill ("descent") into Boonville was very rewarding for us, having started in Clinton that morning.

I was absolutely enthralled with the whole Clinton to Boonville section, had never rode it before. Can't wait to do it again.

JAR from Memphis on 7/5/2012 12:45:35 PM:

I've been told it's up hill both ways.

ArkyKenny from Farmington, AR on 7/5/2012 2:06:30 PM:

The Sedailia to Boonville section, and particularly Clifton City to Pilot Grove is the most underrated section of the trail as far as I'm concerned. I ride it a lot, and I love it. In my mind's eye,I have no problem picturing a steam powered locomotive plodding along through the middle of nowhere, Missouri. Tree tunnels, wildlife, rivers, hill cut-throughs, old railroad signage, remnants of old railroad towns, etc. only make the experience all the better.

Riding Clifton City to Boonville to me always seems steeper than riding the other direction. That said, it seems uphill either way to about Pilot Grove, then downhill either way from Pilot Grove.

Don't miss this section of the trail!

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