Rock Island Trail Forum

We are ending our trip in St. Charles and would like to take the train home from Kirkwood, MO. We need a ride from our hotel to the train station with our bikes in tow, of course. Some Ubers may work but hard to know ahead of time so would like to know if anyone has any suggestions on shuttles or private transportation options? Thank you!

Hello,
AM riding with 2 others around the end of May, and have the same need.
Thank you
-Fred

Bike Stop Cafe has a shuttle service its right on the Katie trail at Frontier park

Thank you!

Cssie; What day and how many?

Bill R. two of us with bikes on June 4th. Thanks!

They are replacing a bridge on the Katy about 2 miles west of Tebbetts right at Hwy AA. Looks like a very short ride on Hwy 94 to get around the closure.

Just a quick update on the trail closure for the bridge replacement west of Tebbetts. The official closure is about 3/4 mile west of the bridge work. However, if you go thru the closure there is another access to Hwy 94 immediately before the site of the work. If you use that access, you're only on Hwy 94 for about 50 yards.

Why didn't they do it in winter when very few people ride

Easier said than done.

I was sitting at home tonight and thought I could shuttle people around the closure if they are not comfortable going around it on their bikes. Send me a text at (573) 230-3901 indicating which side of the closure you need picked up (East or West) and, if I’m around, I’ll text you back & take you around the closure.

I see there are times posted for riders that have completed the Katy Trail one way. Are there any times posted for riders that have completed the Out and Back in one shot. Machen's to Clinton to Machen's.

A small section running along side our town is marked NO TRESPASSING. It is NOT being worked on. I'm a little frustrated as it would be a nice section to walk

Is the Katy Junction at Pilot Grove still open. I've read posts about Jerry's hospitality but havent seen anything posted since July '24.

I'm planning a trip for first week of Oct and would like to stay there.

Anyone know anything?

I haven't heard anything lately. Maybe just send a text to the phone number and see if Jerry replies. Hopefully he's still doing it.

Yes the Katy junction B&B is still open, It never closed down. Pilot Grove was hit by a tornado last week, heavy damage outside of town but the B&B had very little damage.

Thanks Jerry!
We'll be seeing you in the Fall!

Jerry,

I hope all will recover soon from the tornado. Unfortunate that Pilot Grove was in its path.

Hi… My wife and I love the Katy Trail. One of best in US (maybe the best). We rode our first time on a section of Katy by Boonville where we recently moved to. We crossed over the Missouri River at Boonville heading to Nee Franklin. Great ride but as we started crossing bridge noted there we no Katy signs pointing us to the bridge then after we crossed we had to stop am because it was confusing where next to go. No signs again. We finally found it. Now we know the route but thought would be helpful for others to see if signs were placed in both spots. Thks

Did you pickup one of the trail maps available at the trail heads? You can also use Google Maps on a smart phone that will show you the trail.

Trails can be confusing sometimes when they pass through towns and you find that you're not on that straight ahead no brainer path forward.

Gary has a great idea to use either a paper or online map to verify your route.

Signs pointing the way may be a good idea, but it would probably be more effective to contact the DNR State Parks and let them know instead of coming here and letting everyone know you got lost. There's not much we can do other than wonder why you didn't use a map.

I had the same problem last year. Kinda wondered if its a rail trail where did the train go

If you are still talking about Booneville, you can see the original bridge north of the new bridge where the trail crosses the Missouri River. The center section of the old bridge would be raised to let river traffic through. You can go see the old bridge and ride up to the point where the center section remains raised. You’ll have to use your imagination though to see where the train came over the old bridge and turned right and passed Franklin Missouri on its was to Saint Charles.

Thanks for info on Booneville bridge , do you know when it was raised

When the railroad abandoned the line they no longer needed someone to raise and lower the bridge so they just raised it and it remained that way ever since. I don’t remember when that was, would make a good research subject for someone, you game?

I had the same problem 5 years ago. When I got to the part of the trail with the Chisom Trail monument I took a right on the highway. After several miles I realized that the crossing for the Missouri river was in the opposite direction. once I was on the other side, I missed the signage after the casino and went the wrong way again. But that is part of the adventure.

Speaking of the Boonville "lift bridge", I'm pretty sure the city of Boonville acquired the bridge from the railroad several years ago, with the intention of making the bridge usable and crossable for cyclists and pedestrians. But apparently the funding for that project did not come through.
Maybe someday... it would be pretty cool.

We have done the KATY 5 times over the years, and every time, just after the Booneville bridge we are a bit confused as to where the trail is. Signage would be a really good idea. Also, it will be really great if they get the old bridge put back together for cyclists. I bet it will happen one day!

Ya just gotta be on your game and be on the lookout for the twists and turns. But if you can navigate Sedalia, you can surely navigate Boonville. I wish there was a way to put both of these back on their respective trails. The thing I really don't like in Boonville is being in the bike lane coming across the river and having a head-on meeting with another bike of overtaking a pedestrian. And YES; having the trail go over the river in Boonville would be pretty cool. Enjoy.

Great to see the discussion about the old bridge in Boonville. At one time it was quite a political hot potatoe. When Matt Blount was governor of Missouri, 2005-2009, he planned on selling the bridge to I think Union Pacific. They planned on demolishing the bridge and use parts of the demolished bridge to build a new bridge over the Missouri River. The then Attorney General Jay Nixon (later 2 term governor of Missousi) opposed the plan, as well as members of the Boonville community, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and many others. In additionn to the bridge being a significant historic structure, there was a concern that destroying the bridge would mean that the Katy Trail would not be a continuous trail, which could jeopardize the continued existance of the entire trail. Landowners along the trail who opposed it could claim that it no longer met federal requirements for a rail to trail and petition to take possesion of the land back from the state.

Full disclosure here, I am not a fan of Jay Nixon, but at least in this 1 case he did the right thing, unlike many other things he did during his 8 years as governor.

And you already know the outcome, Union Pacific did not demolish the bridge. Hopefully Boonville will one day be able to follow through on their plans from about 17 years ago, and restore the bridge.

The first time (of many) that I crossed the Boonville bridge going toward New Franklin was a bit of a quandary, but I figured the original RR had to be west since that's where the old bridge is. Turned out OK but just kind of a deduction. I will say the pavement markings through Boonville are most welcome, although there are so many ways to get to the bridge it's worth it to go off route as Boonville is such a great town.
As far as Sedalia, I much prefer the old route past the cemetery on Engineer then right on the road (the name of which escapes me), but once one gets out of town on the new route the trail is excellent.
One last comment; I've done all or part of the MKT at least five times, and not once has the weather been as forecast. The advice to be prepared for anything is right on.

Getting slightly lost in Boonville was great for me, as I just recently moved here, twelve years later!

This was a fantastic B&B experience and the perfect stay for our last night on the Katy. It is incredibly convenient to the trail, just about 1/3 of a mile, and provides locked bike storage. The space is beautifully decorated and incredibly welcoming. There was rain in our forecast for the day, so we got an early start from our previous stay in Hermann. Our host Kathy was able to kindly provide an earlier check in to help us avoid the weather. The common area was super comfortable and allowed us a much needed rest, coffees, and baked treats. The room was adorable and provided a great night's sleep. Breakfast was absolutely amazing and got us well fueled for the last 27 miles into St. Charles. I would absolutely stay here again and highly recommend it.

question about travel direction on Katy trail. Obviously starting at the West end of trail and traveling east makes the most sense. However we would like to travel westward the end of April...from Dutzow to Clinton...wondering how protected the trail is...we can deal with some wind but if it is mostly open...we might re think this.

Google maps is a good tool to use to follow the trail along your path. Zooming in you can see where the tree canopy covers the trail. That can help you decide if the trail is too open for your comfort zone.

Hello, We are trying to decide between staying in Augusta or Marthasville. Any advice? We are looking for something close(ish) to the trail as well as food in walking distance to where we stay. Thanks in advance!

We’d love to have you in Marthasville at our Katy Haus or Bank Haus! We’re right on the trail and next to Philly’s Pizza, Mavericks and the new coffee shop. Book direct at https://missourihaus.com/marthasville

Of course, the Lindenhof in Augusta is a nice place. But Marthasville has places to stay and eat right on the trail, with no big hill to climb. I'd stay in Marthasville.

We discovered the Katy Trail last year as we drove across Missouri and are very interested in biking at least part of it. We love bicycling and have done week-long rides for many years. We now ride a Tandem recumbent bike. First, is the trail appropriate for our bike?

Secondly, is this the best website for planning the trip? Details like leaving our car at one end and shuttling back to the car after riding several days. If anyone knows of more websites or organizations that could give us more information, I would appreciate it.

I also saw that there's a planned trip once a year with a large group. How do we get more information about that?
Thanks,
ACD

I don't think you will be disappointed if you chose to do this ride! We have done it 5 times, at different times of the year, and all have been great rides. That being said, you do have to understand the reality of this trail and be prepared. There are very few places for bike repairs or needs, so you need to be pretty self sufficient. Also careful meal planning is a must. Every restaurant you think you will be stopping at needs a phone call about 2 weeks prior to your trip to be sure they will be open.

Regarding the tandem, surely someone else will chip in. I don't really know, but my instinct is there would be no problem.

This forum is your go-to for information. There is no better website for the all round information. Of course you can cater your trip activity in the small towns with google searches.

You should okay with your bike. We’ve ridden our tandem with 700 x 28’s without problem. As with all bikes stay out of the loose chat and ride in the path. It’s out in the country so there might be a tree branch or a rut here and there to look out for.

This site with the Trip Planner and Forum is a great asset to plan and gather information for your ride.

The DNR ride by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources State Parks may be what you are referring to. There is also the BAM ride…..Bike Across Missouri. A search should help you find more info on each.

Deby makes a good point about resources. It is a remote trail with resources dotted along in the rural towns. That can add to the adventure or be a deal breaker if you’re unprepared.

I've done the Katy end-to-end 11 times with two of them on a conventional tandem. I've ridden on it with tires as small as 700x25s to 650bx47 on single bikes and 26x2.15" on the tandem. What I've learned is when it comes to tires, bigger is better. Plus you want deep tread or some mild knobbies. The Katy can get soggy and slick when wet.

From Machens to Boonville, the Katy is very flat. However there are ups and downs between Boonville and Clinton. The climbs are usually under 4% but there are a couple of short stretches that get up to 6%. I know that climbing can be an issue with recumbents.

Actually there's several group rides. We've done the Katy on our tandem with Bubba's Pampered Pedalers. They stay in hotels and B&Bs so it's rather expensive but in my opinion worth it. PBB puts on two week-long rides in September.

I can also vouch for Big BAM on the Katy. They have a hotel option; a tent service option; or bring your own tent option where they drag your bags for you. They have one in June and another ride in October.

Unfortunately the Missouri DNR no longer puts on a Katy Trai Ride.

Jerry,

Since you are a veteran of the KT, was wondering if the trail is solid and dry enough to ride in mid-April? I was fortunate in either 2013 or 2014 in early April to get a dry warmer high 60s week. Could that happen in 2025?

DSD

I am planning to ride middle of June, have 650Bx47mm tires and am planning 5 days from Clinton to St. Charles. I will finish to Machens on 6th day. Assuming good weather and trail conditions, what average speed should I plan assuming at a steady pace. I am using the trail planner, but interested in hearing first-hand your experience.

April in Missouri can be a mixture of everything weather related. From chilly days & nights to humid and very windy conditions. Rain is expected almost weekly. The greatest advantage in riding the Katy in April is the abundance of wildflowers. The trail surface can be soft and rutted to hard and dusty, but will not be a huge problem. I would go for it and enjoy.

The old saying is April showers brings May flowers. I've only ridden short stretches on the Katy in April when I knew it was dry.

Jeffco25, for general planning purposes, my wife and I assume 10mph. We stop and take pictures and read signs and stuff, so we are not setting any records.

Trail vs pavement probably costs you 2-2.5 mph when it's dry. And it if rains, maybe 3mph on top of that. Your mileage may vary. :)

Thank you Bill, very helpful. I’ll definitely take the time to Look Ahead, Not Down and enjoy the trip.