Rock Island Trail Forum

Has anyone stayed at the Quality Inn Booneville? It appears to be near a spur off the main trail in the SW part of town. Interested in safety of travel off the trail.
Online info:
Quality Inn & Suites Boonville - Columbia
Just off Interstate 70, this modern hotel is 1.2 miles from the Katy Trail State Park and 3.3 miles from downtown Boonville.

We've ridden the trail and stayed at the Quality Inn. It's a short ride from the Katy to Industrial Drive, then Fuqua Drive to the hotel on low traffic roads. Google maps will give a good view of the route.

I've never perceived any of Boonville to be unsafe making this route or around Main street on the northern end of town.

Great option. Quiet. The route to the hotel is a little busy with a short steep section. Short walk into town and Frontier Park.

Great option. Quiet. Good breakfast. I’d stay here again. Warning: if you have a fear of heights, you have to cross the River on the pedestrian pathway next to the bridge. There’s also a steep hill. The bridge and the hill are not optional for any hotel in this area.

Excellent pizza for purchase by the slice at all Casey’s locations.

The Dormitory at the Schoolhouse B&B was the perfect place to stay to Bike over the weekend. Nice room and very clean. We will be back.

Great place. We enjoyed our stay. Super clean, comfortable, and very affordable.

Stayed here on 10/16. Offered free home made ice cream upon our arrival after check in. Maybe because late season wasn't serving any meals. This was the noisiest campground we stayed in on the Katy Trail due to its location right next to state hwy 47. Traffic noise all night long. If you don't have earplugs you won't get a wink of sleep.

Great place to stay. One of the few places I stayed that was truly right off the trail, and a 1/2 mile walk to the Loutre Market for the next day's provisions. Breakfast was fresh, healthy, and tasty. Joey's very knowledgeable about her community and the area. Truly enjoyed my stay here.

Highly encourage anyone staying here to plan your route in advance. Hotel is not 3 miles from trail. At best it is better than 5 miles. Google Maps sent me on a 10 mile tour of the community.
Hotel is quite noisy with guests. Laundry facilities a plus.

The best way to get to the Washington Best Western is after entering town on the Hwy 47 bridge, stay on 47 until 3rd St, then turn left (east) and follow 3rd St east until it loops south and joins with 5th St. You could actually turn south on any street along 3rd and intersect with 5th. It's a great run until the last half mile or so; quite a hill up to the Best Western. It's a busy hotel but is bike-friendly (at least it was) and was a great place to stay. The only drawback is that it's pretty far from the Amtrak Station and some pretty good places to eat. There are places to stay closer to the Amtrak Station (west on 3rd until Elm, then turn right (north) to Front St. It would be nice to be able to intersect with the Riverfront Trail from the bridge, but there doesn't seem to be a good way to do that.

Is there bike friendly passage

The hills in Alton are no joke, so many people take the Amtrak train all the way to Downtown St. Louis where you can ride the paved (and flat) Mississippi levee trail back up to river to Alton. Coming from Downtown St. Louis allows you time along the Mississippi River and you get to cross the historic Old Route 66 Chain of Rocks Bridge back into Illinois before you get back to Alton. If you do want to ride to Machens from the Alton Amtrak station, most cyclists get to Hwy. 67 as quickly as possible so you can ride on that wide paved shoulder towards the river crossing. The two lane small sidestreets through Alton from the Amtrak station are narrow, wind around all over the place, and are really steep up and down. Either way, once you cross the river into Missouri along 67 Hwy, you will want to take St. Charles Street, then 94 Hwy for just a short stretch, Saale Road, Dwiggins Road, then 94 again for just a short stretch, and then Machens Road to the Katy Trail. If you want to ring the bell at the Machens trail head, you do have to double back a short distance before you start bike west towards St. Charles.

Thanks for the help.

Mark, I had heard that at times, a local has asserted that Machens Road is private and has had a chain/cable across it. Do you know anything about that?

Mark: Although I like your route on Machens Road to the trail, I think Bill is correct. One thing I noted about the way you suggested getting to the trail via Machens is slightly different….most posts I’ve ever read direct one to turn immediately left after crossing the working railroad tracks to access the east end of the trail. Your directions suggest to continue westward after crossing the tracks and follow Machens until you reach the trail…..riders can then backtrack to the east end of the trail to reach the bell. Although technically trespassing someone might get away with doing this despite the wishes of neighboring property owners….but they should know they’re risking getting scolded if caught….I’ve been following this topic since 2021. Apparently every bit of property surrounding the Katy Trail is privately owned, including PART of Machens road. Earlier this year the state of Missouri DNR/Parks finally weighed in and posted that trail users may NOT access or depart the Katy from Machens road and the only access is from the closest trailhead at Black Walnut. I’m active in the two largest Katy Facebook groups and on a recent one noticed in someones video or pictures that the brush/trees seemed to be filling in the area beyond the end of the trail…..if this is the case, it may “solve” the issue for the property owner by eliminating the easy access. Anyway….After some map exploring I noted there appears to be a closer access than Black Walnut via Ell road which might be helpful for some trail users…..particularly those riding in from the Alton area. I don’t like any of this and wish the property owner, whose name actually is Machens, would be more trail friendly. When I rode this way I was an eastbound rider, all the way from Kansas, and I exited the Katy at Machens road before backtracking to catch the Grafton Ferry across the Mississippi to make my way to St Louis via the scenic route. Please note this comment is intended for the people reading this thread, not just Mark. When I prepared for my cross Missouri ride I learned from this group and Facebook. Also, the webmaster of this page has similar pages for quite a few of the larger rail trails in the country….if you weren’t aware.
About 5 weeks ago I was in the process of repeating my 2021 ride across Missouri, but this time riding to home in KC. On day one I traveled to downtown St Louis via Amtrak. I started from the Arch and made it 23 of the 30 miles to St Charles. I was at the last traffic light before Creve Couer Lake….and blocks before being on an actual TRAIL, when I got into a crash with a car. Totaled my bike, got my first ambulance ride as a patient which REALLY sucked as a 30 year paramedic, and worst part had to have my bride drive to St Louis to retrieve me from an ER. Oh, and cancel the rest of the trip. Could have been worse. New bike day is cool and everything, but not when you actually liked the bike you had before. Safe travels everyone!

It looks like you are correct and Ell Road is the closest public road that you can take to access Machens. Sorry to hear about your bike accident.

Thank you, Mark and Eric. Eric, I hope you have healed up well.

Two of us stayed here on 10/10. Not every campsite has a streetlight. Electrical hookups are for RV only. New restrooms building with four individual showers newly opened in June 2025. Plenty of hot water available during our stay

This is a very outdated pic and website! This place is totally open April to November.
Call #573-590-9159 and TEXT is the easiest way to book!!
Just super relaxed campsite that's is welcoming and tidy!
Hot showers quiet space.

Great place and delicious breakfast.

My daughter and i raced from Sedalia to Rocheport to make it in time for the Meriwether pancakes for dinner -- and boy were they good. After a restful stay in town, came back and had the french toast for breakfast -- love this place, first came here 10 years ago and still enjoy coming back.....although wish they had a bike mechanic in the building.

Stop at Deon's along the trail and was met with friendly people, fresh ice water, and a cheese burger which hit the spot.

Rachel is the best. We talked in the week prior to my trip and when i arrived after a long morning, a yummy lunch was waiting in the fridge -- HUGE sandwich, fruit, veggies, chips, and cookies. I sat in front of the Katy Shelter ate my lunch, filled my bottles with fresh water, and then was on my way. Amazing oasis along the trail.

I'm seeing some photos of a new bar opening up in Treloar, in the spot where Treloar Bar and Grill was. If anyone knows hours or a phone number, or has visited the new place, please post. It's not yet showing on Google Maps.

Jerry was a great host for our one night in Pilot Grove. He made a hearty homemade breakfast. He's a wealth of information about the trail or local sites.

We were just there on a Monday (9/29/2025) night and they were not serving food. Luckily UberEats delivered from Jefferson City.

Hi, we are looking for a recommendation for a shuttle service that will meet us in Clinton, shuttle our luggage from there to St. Charles, and drive us back to Clinton. There will be 5 or 6 of us. Looking at doing the trail in 5 days, early or mid May 2026.
Thanks.

Hello,

Any updates on the progress of the Rock Island Trail between Lee Summit and Pleasant Hill?

Happy Trails!

Plans are out for contractors to bid for a 1.5 mile extension from Jefferson Street to Hamblen Road, hopefully constructed in 2026. That still leaves a 9.5 mile gap to Pleasant Hill. The County is struggling to buy private land to exend the trail another mile south to the north side of Greenwood so that section of the project is 2 years behind schedule and may not have enough funding. Greenwood recently completed a study of their entire downtown sidewalk and trail needs, but that study provide no funding for construction. Maybe that study will help them with a future funding application in another 2-3 years, but any work through the heart of Greenwood along 150 Highway will be very complicated. Then the last 5-6 miles heading south towards Pleasant Hill is all through private property or along state/county roads that have no additional right of way for even small sidewalks not to mention a wide trail.

My family is planning to ride the trail in October on old fashioned high wheelers,we can ride pretty far, but the bikes are temperamental and we don’t always make our destination, also, we are very limited in the gear we can haul. Is the lodging fairly easy to arrange last minute reservations?

To answer Thomas's question about last minute reservations, it is my undertanding that it can be very difficult to make last minute reservations along the Katy Trail, especially in October when you are competing with Hartsburg's Pumpkin Fest, different communities' Oktober Fest, MU football games, and the fact that it's the best time of year on the trail. Book your rooms as soon as you can, and since you have the issue of potential breakdowns bring a list of bikeshops in the area, and shuttle services.

I'm not sure how far you wish to travel in a day, but I feel like lodging might not be available as often as you would hope.

If that is the case, think about taking turns, and having one of your party drive while the others ride. You could switch drivers at lunch, or even more often. This allows you to select lodging that isn't right on the trail, and get good support from your own vehicle.

You'll save a ton of money and gain so much flexibility.

Thank you everyone, we have reservations made and our fingers crossed. Pretty sure we will make our reservations. See you out there.

Please come back and report on your ride. It sounds very interesting.

School House B&B is awesome. They go above and beyond every time my bike tour group goes through here (about 12 times a year). Andy is proactive and also reactive to group and individual guest needs. And so many options for lodging.

Question about a possible park or point of interest between Rhineland and maybe Jeff City? Last year while riding along this section I vaguely remember some kind of park that you could reach by riding up a steep hill which was along the trail on the north side or you could take a side trail of some sort. At the time I was too tired to investigate. I'll be riding this section again in September so want to put it on my to-do list to check out. Sorry, not a lot of information to go on but if anybody might know where I am talking about, please let me know. Thanks

Maybe you mean between Jefferson City and Rocheport? There is eagles bluff west of Hartsburg which is a steep hike up to an overlook of the wet lands and the MKT trail near McBaine that takes you into Columbia MO.

I can’t think of anything like what you described between Rhineland and Jefferson City.

Maybe Klondike Park?

I thought about Klondike Park but that was closer to Augusta, but yeah, let’s throw that in for possibilities.

Klondike is what I was thinking, also. It certainly fits the description. But it's 60 miles east of Rhineland. That's not even close.

There is a spur immediately east of the North Jefferson Trailhead that goes in the direction of Holts Summit and you may be able to get to the Cantebury Hill Winery. I just checked Google Maps and it's the John Sweet Spur Trail. But I'm not aware of it connecting to a park. It's right after you go under Hwy 54.

There's also the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows near Rhineland. I don't recall if it is easy to get to by bike. But in 2009 I biked the Katy Trail with my daughter and my husband was our support. At one point we loaded the bikes on the car and went to check out the shrine. It was very interesting. It's actually in Starkenburg. You would take the Katy Trail to hwy P before Rhineland and then take Hwy P to the Shrine. I don't know if it's easy to bike on Hwy P. I think there's actually a pilgramage maybe in the fall to the Shrine, and the people walk on the Katy Trail. I've seen that and it also was very interesting. No one in hairshirts, or beating themselves with chains, nothing like that. But a large group of religious people, some with children, walking a very long distance on the trail to the church. I think they camp along the way.

I hope you find what you're looking for.

I’m fairly certain you mean Eagle Bluffs Overlook Trail. It’s between Jeff City and Columbia, has a trail leading down to the Katy, and there’s a wood sign on the Katy side. If you search for this on google maps it will appear the conservation area is further north, but it does stretch to the Katy. Open the link and scroll through the pictures, the next to last picture shows the sign which might jar your memory. The Klondike park others mentioned is way outside your search area, but does fit part of your description. It would be worth going to. I regret missing it because pictures I later saw looked very nice….i think there are a few ways into that particular park….one steep, one not.

Might be the overlook at GrandBluffs Conservation Area at Bluffton.

While we are naming everything we can think of, I also thought of Le Bourgeois Winery, up a steep side trail near Rocheport.

As mentioned, Eagle Bluffs is pretty cool. A few miles east of McBaine. Park your bike at the bottom and walk up a bunch of steps to get to a boardwalk and a viewing platform with a nice view.

Ok Guys......Give me so props here! My suggestion is the only one that fits the OP's description! We can all name great places to stop all my the Katy! ??

From the Missouri Department of Conservation website:

"The Eagle Bluffs Overlook is closed until further notice due to unsafe conditions. The trail is open, but the boardwalk and overlook platform is closed.
Notice
The Missouri River parking lot on Eagle Bluffs will be closed for construction in that location. It will reopen when the construction is complete (expected in the fall of 2025)"

Thanks for all of your responses. It was Klondike Park! Bike-packed/rode from Rocheport to St. Charles last week and even though we didn't stop to check it out this trip, we will do that another time. Safe travels to all!

Yesterday afternoon I encountered a person on a motorbike on the trail just east of the Family Arena in St. Charles. He had to be doing 35 or better coming around the curve headed west. When I saw the dust cloud I was approaching, I at first thought it was from the construction vehicles crossing the trail there. There were quite a few young kids in that area and the sight distance was virtually nil. Not sure where he got on or got off. Very foolish stunt.

I saw a Honda 350 gasoline powered motorcycle on the Katy Trail around mile marker 35 on (9/26).

I also saw a gas dirt bike in the same area a few weeks ago.

Powered vehicles are going to cause a lot of problems.
Land owners won't like it.

My first trip and first time riding the KT, as I have it planned out I'm landing in N. Jefferson as the end of one of my days, wondering what camping options are around there? Or do I need to go a bit further or stop a bit sooner for camping. Thank you

Depends on which direction you are going, if coming in from the west go about 10 miles more to Tebbetts and check into lodging at the Turner Shelter. If coming in from the east stop at the Turner Shelter in Tebbetts before you get to North Jefferson City. You could also go into Jefferson City and get a hotel or motel room.

The is tent camping right there at the trail going into Jeff city. Surf the website. I’ve stayed there.

The camp sites at the Noren Access in North Jefferson have been closed. It had become a homeless encampment. No word on when/if they plan to reopen them.

We are getting ready for the ride this week (9/25-9/30) and next. I'm curious about the current trail conditions. I've read where its been pretty dry there just like our area. I'm imagining lots of dust? But it also looks like some upcoming chances for rain. Wondering what your experiences have been? Thanks! I know the bottom line is prepare for a variety.

After one good rain, the dust is pretty well settled for several days. You will still get dusty, but the trail won't be a continuous dust cloud. That said, if you have any allergies, be ready for them to act up, and bring plenty of your favorite meds.

Lots of rain will soften the surface and will create some ruts, so be aware of this. If you don't have fenders, be prepared to get some on your riding apparel.

I agree with GWW from Washington. I've ridden the Katy wet and dusty. Fenders were great for both conditions.

We are planning a lunch break buying deli supplies at Woods.

Does anyone have a recommendation about a close by park to have our lunch at?

Thanks!

Katy Trail Depot, or the town square over by the Hotel Bothwell.

Just a gentle reminder if you're staying at the Turner Shelter in Tebbetts. The a/c is on during the summer so if, for some reason, you want to open a window or two please make sure to close them before you leave.

Not impressed. Office was closed. I reserved online. Management is currently replacing tent sites 1-8 with small bungalows. This upgrade removes the tent sites that were in shade. Sites 9-13 are in the open. Not ideal during mid to upper 80 sunny days. I was held hostage under the pavilion until the sun went behind the trees (5pm). Showers are decent. It is a quiet campground. The bar across the trail has several beer varieties. The food is tolerable. Bar closes at 7pm.

We just got back from riding the OTET! Cincinnati seems like a cool place to ride. I tried the spaghetti 3 ways and it was great. My riding companions were unconvinced and chose Chipotle instead. :)

I'm thinking of cycling the Katy from Clinton to St Charles a day ahead of the Big Bam ride schedule. Should I expect any closures or congestion due to the Big Bam setting up for the next day? Any places that might be crowded due to people camping ahead of time? Thanks!

This is a shop that has the ability to fix a cable on your hybrid or do a clean and wax on your SRAM Red drivetrain. Small, unpretentious, and surprisingly well stocked. Highly recommended and, though the map may be confusing, it is a vigorous baseball throw from the Sedalia Depot.

Ebby that owns Pro-Velo is the best! Believe closed Sunday and Monday

I have two bikes to choose from. The first is a Marin Stinson 2 step. I am reluctant to rent this bike as it has a rigid front suspension. I never done the trail before and if it is bumpy I'm going to hate this bike. My current bike is like this. I used to have a mountain bike and I loved it because of the forks took all the brunt. The second bike I can rent is jamis citizen 2. I'm thinking I would like this bike better because of the front suspension. Any insight how bumpy is this trail? If the trail is bumpy I'm going to watch some spension. Thank you

The trail is mostly compact chat/pea gravel. The only time you may encounter rough areas would be after heavy rains where the water runs across parts of the trail. If that happens pick yourself up out of the saddle and use your built in shock absorbers. A mountain bike would be overkill in my opinion and you would suffer from the low gearing on long flat stretches of the trail.

I would not be taking a mountain bike. It would be the Jamis citizen 2.I would be renting it.It has suspension. I realize the trail is crushed gravel. I've never rode on that terrain .I don't know how smooth it can be. I'm trying to avoid having my shoulders take a lot of the shot from the front. Thank you

I looked up a review of the Jamis 2. It looks like a very comfortable hybrid bike well suited for the Katy with a configuration of upright sitting posture and step thru frame design.

I'd go with the Marin Stinson 2. Run those fat tires at about 30 to 40 PSI and that's all the suspension that you will need. My wife and I have a fat tire MTB tandem that we've done the entire Katy Trail plus GAP, C&O, and cross Florida. One of the first things I did to it was remove the front suspension fork. We just run lower tire pressure.

I see one issue with both bikes. They only have a place for one water bottle holder. Water stops can be far between on the Katy. You might want to investigate getting a water bottle holder for the handlebars or something like a Camelbak backpack.

All tent sites have power but not all have water. My site had a water spicket but no running water. Three tent sites have a small pavilion. The remainder are in the open. Don’t despair about the water. The park is not that big. Just find a site that’s not being used and check their water. I wouldn’t count on the men’s room sink because it has one faucet and dispenses hot water. I found that weird.

Decent city park. It has a playground, pavilions, restrooms with showers. It has spots for RVs as well as tents. 15.00 cash. Envelope and drop slot. Pay at the restroom building. Skip the Wharf St address on the Katy trip planner. Use 118 W13th St. The park and tent area is next to a busy road so, be prepared for that. There is a Casey’s c-store on that busy road. You’ll see it through the trees from the restroom. Bike or walk. Your choice.

My brother-in-law and I are attempting to ride from the RIT Stadium trailhead in KC to the Eastern Terminus of the KT in Machens later this month, approximately 300mi, in under 24hrs. Despite searching online I cannot find any instances of others doing this ride.

Does anyone here know of another rider or team that has completed the RIT+KT in under 24hrs?

Thanks!

Entirely possible. It depends on who you are, but a group did the 240 miles in about 12.5 hours, a mere mortal like myself did it a dozen years ago in 24. So if you're in a group and are just little faster than me, its theoretically in range. That said, I am totally unfamiliar with any routes not on the trail. (by "mortal" I mean never ran a marathon in under 3 hours, and never ran a mile in under 4 minutes) Its a fun idea, hope to hear how it goes!

This is the most up to date information on how to load a bicycle on the River Runner train in Missouri. I can say that because I am on train 318 now. The River Runner is a twice daily train between KC and St Louis, but one of the daily trains extends to Chicago, on a different route than the Southwest Chief. This particular River Runner adds the description “with Lincoln service.” This loading process is only applicable to the Missouri River Runner because they do not have a baggage car, luggage (and bikes) is carry on only. I personally call it a glorified commuter train, hence no baggage car. You must add a bicycle reservation when you purchase your ticket, and that fee is $10. I understand they have a limit of four bicycles per train, so book ahead. Due to Amtraks reservation system you wont know if bike spaces are available until after you add a seat into your cart….the next step is adding a bicycle (or golf clubs) This is where you learn if those spaces are available for you and there is a counter of 1-4 displayed. If spots arent available you don’t have to “check out” or get billed for the seat you placed in the cart, similar to other online purchases. Once you are beside the train, unload and set aside your panniers/bags if applicable, pick up your bicycle and carry it on board. On this train I was instructed to lean it against a railing in a passageway just a few steps up and into the train. On my previous Amtrak ride I stored it in the seating area of a passenger car where two rows of seats had been removed. The conductor assisted me in carrying the bike on board the first time, but not today which was not an issue. With permission I chose to lock my bike to the railing since it was out of my line of sight. ?
Be aware Amtrak is often late. They are completely at the mercy of freight traffic which always had priority. If you are interested in this you can check train status prior to your trip. Yesterday Amtrak was two minutes early arriving in StL from KC. The day prior the same train was about thirty minutes late. Today we departed 17 minutes late due to a broken down freight train.
I think that should cover most of the questions. It was pretty easy both times.
Happy Trails!
This is a copy of my post in the Facebook group Katy Trail Riders. That post includes a video, but essentially it’s three or four steps up into the train, a 90° turn followed by a few steps to the storage area. Very easy with an unloaded bike…unless you left your bags on, then it’s a bit awkward and unbalanced.

Great stay, convenient to trail. Great breakfast, very clean and comfortable rooms, safe bike storage, and lovely people. Will be back!!