Rock Island Trail Forum

How long do you think the clean up will take after the flooding recedes? Does anyone expect there to be signficant portions of the trail that would remain closed after the water recedes due to damage?
I have my first ever trip planned on the Katy at the end of August and while I would guess that the flooding issue would be over by then, just not sure how quickly the clean up efforts take place to get the trail back into good condition.

In 1993, the peak of the flood did not even hit until August 1st, after months of the Missouri River being above flood stage. My Dad's family farm is along the Katy near Boonville, and they had to have hundreds of tons of sand removed from the flooded farm fields. Unfortunately, the water does not just rise and sit there. It moves and scours out the land. There will be significant damage and the extent of repair will not be known until they can see the trail. In areas where it is scoured out, they have to fill it back in, stabilize it, then put on the crushed rock and finally pack it down. Even then, the trail could be very soft for a while (we experienced this on the Rock Island when it first opened). I am hopeful that I will get to do my annual end-to-end, but I know it may be as late as October if it happens.

Our warmest thanks to all those who are posting updates on the trail situation. They are really useful to us.

We are two couples from UK who plan to cycle Sedalia to St Charles late September 2019. We've cycled the whole GAP/Columbia-Ohio and bits of the Erie Canal Trail, and this is (was?) to be our first foray onto the prairies and into Missouri.

The weather seems so much more extreme now. We have very dry conditions for the second year running in the south of England. You have storms, tornados and rain, rain, rain.
Let's hope the trail can be repaired when the water subsides.
It is very concerning, because of these man-made changes in our climate, and personally because we have all our accommodation booked and some of it paid for in advance, and we love to cycle on your trails.

There’s something ironic about someone flying thousands of miles spewing pollutants high in the atmosphere to bike a trail and then complaining about man made climate change. :-)

Not judging, we all fly planes to get where we want to go. In Missouri, spring is always flood season, you should be fine on your fall season ride.

Let us know if we ca help with any lodging accommodations, we do offer a Katy Trail discount of 25% off room rate if you book with us directly.
Safe Travels.
Hotel Bothwell

It all depends on how much damage there is to the Trail. I expect parts of the Trail that haven't been underwater will be just fine, but I expect there will be substantial damage to the Trail where it has been under water. But, there will be no way to know until the water goes down. I saw a recent article where the Corps of Engineers is saying the rivers will be high til fall - we all hope that means "high" and not flooded. Time will tell.

My guess is that there will be substantial damage in areas prone to flash floods (areas around creeks and small rivers) and the Missouri River flood water will leave behind thick layers of a mud/sand mixture on the trail when it recedes which will need to be scraped off before repair work can be done. Then there will be the issue of rotting vegetation and other not nice smells for all those that venture out soon after the trail dries out.

Check out this article and photo. Yeah, major repairs are going to be needed.

http://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2019/jun/15/no-damage-assessment-yet-for-katy-trail/782869/

I had planned a Katy Trail bike trip to Jefferson City with my son and son-in-law on June 14-15. We were hoping to ride 50-75 miles in the two days. Is this even possible with flooding and trail closures? Wondered if coming from the West (Boonville to Jeff City) would be better than coming from the East (Augusta to Jeff City).

You will definitely have to come from the west, as the trail to the east is impassable.

Make sure to visit Central Dairy in Jeff City.
Hotel Bothewell in Sedalia is offfering 25% off their already reasonable rate if you say that you are a biker.

Sorry, Bothwell.

Wait, the trail may be impassable west of Jeff City too. I never should have posted. My apologies to the forum, and the universe.

I’m afraid the only way to bike the Katy east of Booneville would be to strap pontoons on your bike. The flood waters have gone down slightly but still cover much of the trail. The smell of rotten vegetation etc. will follow as the water resides.

Only if you are traveling in a boat.

KMOV-TV is reporting that the trail is closed between MM 27 and Booneville due to flooding.

The Jefferson City News Tribune is reporting that the Katy Trail ride is cancelled. Missouri State Parks officials are reporting that they are committed to having the trail open for next year's ride, which will be the 30th anniversary of the Katy.
http://www.newstribune.com/news/local/story/2019/jun/01/flooding-cancels-annual-katy-trail-ride/781138/

Yesterday I received an official email about the cancellation. I was hoping that they would try to reschedule to later this year, but evidently the damage to the trail is extensive.

I think they won't know the extent of the damage til the flooding subsides - but, since the Trail is essentially closed from Boonville east - I expect there will be a lot of damage. Some of the Trail is still dry, some just has a little water and a lot of it is now part of the Missouri River - which means current, deep and a lot of water - I would expect large parts of the Trail will just be gone when the water goes down. The Boonville Bridge over the river is now closed - the videos and pictures being posted on FB (look at the posts by Snoddy's Store). This will be a hard year for those impacted by the flooding.

Has anyone received a refund yet? I actually had to cancel on April 9th, due to a wedding, and have sent 3 emails requesting a refund. I was told twice that it was being processed, 4/10 and May 10th, but never received one. My May 31st email was never even acknowledged.

We are on the trail between Sedalia and Clinton. At mile markers 252 and 254, there are large trees that have fallen on the trail. You can get around them, but you’ll definitely have to dismount.

Thank you for the update! My kids and I are planning on biking this part over the weekend and then up the Rock Island. We will be on the lookout for these trees!

4 of us are about to wrap up what originally started as a Sedalia to St Charles ride. Amtrak train was canceled so we took a vehicle with us and drive directly to Sadelia on Saturday June 8 from St. Louis. On the first day we shuttled to Clinton and road to Sedalia. No problems. Day two we rode the complete Rock Island spur from the top down to Windsor. No problems. Day three we rode from Sedalia to Boonevile and it was perfect. East of Boonville was impassable and will likely be so for sometime. The morning of day four, we drove to McKittrick near Hermann and parked there. We rode 3.6 miles east where the trail was closed at Mile 97. We rode back to McKittrick and then west about 4 miles past Blufton - about 33 miles day 4 after returning to our starting point to McKittrick. Plans for our
last day include starting in Augusta and riding miles 66 west to 87 where we are told it is closed and then back to Augusta. This will end our journey as the rest of the trail East is mostly closed and not worth piecing together. We are estimating about 180 miles ridden in total -not far off our original plan. We really enjoyed all of the towns. The people were very friendly and the hotels were very historic and well maintained. We had a very enjoyable trip! Good luck to all of you!

We have a cycling trip booked, leaving Sedalia on 25 Sept and arriving St Charles on 1 Oct. What is the state of the trail and will there be any flooding or trail closures?

Today, much of the trail is flooded and impassable.

Water is to be released from the Gavins Point Dam through the summer at a rate of 75k cfs which will keep the river level high throughout the summer. Unprecedented, as this does not happen every year. This year is vastly different.

Will there be any flooding or trail closures in September? Probably not any flooding. Could be closures from the flooding today. Who knows?

All should be well in September. The reality is it is way too early for anyone here to predict the condition of the trail 4 months out. No crystal ball around to help with that.

If flooding has receded by then, there is likely to be significant restoration required before the Katy is completely open between Boonville and St. Charles. There are likely to be sections that have been washed out, potholes to fill, and damaged bridges.

The food and the folks at the Wagon Wheel were spectacular. Brenda was a great waitress, and everyone in my group enjoyed the meal. Service is incredible, and the cinnamon rolls are even better!

This place was our first experience with the small town diners along the way, and it was great. I definitely recommend it.

I wonder if the restaurant itself is behind these positive comments. Cunning advertising ? I have seen quite a few posts like this in my short time of paying attention to the forum.
Sincerely,
Cynical John

It would be easy to spoof it like that, but my comment is legit.

Wanted to take the family on their first bike trip, doing the Katy Trail from St. Charles to Augusta. Am I out of luck due to flooding? Are there detours? Thanks for any advice.

No detours. I have seen many times that Hwy. 94 was closed due to flooding along that route while the Katy trail was not impacted. However, the Missouri River St. Charles gauge is not projected to be below 31 feet until early next week(June 17), which is the level at which the water completely recedes from the trail along that route. That projection is also based on no more precipitation beyond the next 24 hours in the Missouri river basin. Then, you have to allow for some time for the trail to dry out, repairs made, etc.

Saturday,June 8, you could bike only about three miles east from Augusta...and about 22 miles west.

Boonville to Clinton is pretty nice, and is dry. I know it's a bit of a drive...

Is there a way to shuttle between Clinton and Pleasant Hill? We are thinking of biking from one to the other or doing an out and back from PH to St, Charles and then back to Clinton, but, would need to return to our vehicle in PH.

I don't think there is.

One option for you is to ride from P Hill to Lee's Summit and catch the Amtrak back to the STL area. Might be an issue in the near term due to flooding, not sure if Amtrak is in service from KC to STL at the moment.

But in typical times, there are two trains a day from KC to STL, and there is a nice little stop in Lee's Summit for Amtrak. Not too far a ride from P Hill. You have to take roads but it isn't impossible. People do it all the time.

I drove to PH one time, rode to Sedalia, and took the Amtrak back to Lee's Summit. Called an Uber the next day to take me down to PH to get my car. The PH police department was very gracious and let me leave my car in their parking lot.

Anyway, if I was coming from the east, I'd take the Katy to Windsor and then head to Pleasant Hill on the Rock Island. Then a short leg to Lee's Summit and you are at the Amtrak station. They only charge ten bucks to take a bike on the train to stops in the STL area.

Looking to see if anyone has a good mapped out route from St.Charle to
the Kirkwood Amtrack station. We did this a few years ago and the GPS took us on adventure to say the least! looking for something direct but with the least amount of traffic. Any advice would be helpful.

Howdy! Flooding at Creve Coeur Lake will put a few more turns in a route from St. Charles to Kirkwood, but it can still be done. And, once you get south of Ladue Rd, the route is much more straightforward and follows streets that are heavily traveled by local cyclists. It's just that north of Ladue Rd, you're zigzagging through residential areas that I find easiest to navigate via Google Maps. (I let the GPS talk me through on my cell phone, volume turned all the way up in my jersey pocket or in a bar bag.) Take a look at this and let me know what you think: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/St+Charles,+MO/Kirkwood+Amtrak,+West+Argonne+Drive,+Kirkwood,+MO/@38.6779093,-90.4637559,11.17z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x87df2f0888cc24e3:0xc437f0ab118cf5aa!2m2!1d-90.4974359!2d38.7881062!1m5!1m1!1s0x87d8cc318686831b:0xdc3a34bccbc5cfbd!2m2!1d-90.4067815!2d38.5809602!3e1!5m1!1e3

What are the trail conditions like between Pleasant Hill and Windsor?

I have Kim's Cabins in Windsor and many folks cycling Pleasant Hill to Windsor right now. They are all giving great reports of trail conditions. We haven't been affected by the flooding.

I ride daily from either Sedalia to Windsor / or Sedalia to Pleasant Hill. The trail is in 95% great shape. Between Pleasant Hill and Sedalia, there are a couple of rocks that have fallen which partially block the trail (not a big deal), and one tree that has fallen across the path (you will have to get off and simply walk around it). Sedalia to Windsor is in really good shape.

We rode today from the Purvis trail head to Windsor and everything was perfect! No standing water and no problems at all. Be sure to bring plenty of water and food as there is limited access across this route.

I headed out from pleasant Hill on the 27th and I'm in pilot Grove at this time still heading east.ill see how far I get.

I left on the 28th, not the 27th

The wife ad I have been doibg a series of out and backs heading west to east. Last night we stayed at the Amber House B&B in Rocheport anbd the town residents were stacking sand bags along the trail head. We opted for a short day with an out and back from New Franklin west to Pilot Grove with no issues. When we got back to the depot in New Franklin, we wanted to see how far east and did not even get 1/2 mile before encountering deep water over the trail. Also the evening news is reporting issues with a levee in Petersburgh which may force evacuation of residebts in lower New Franklin, which would mean that you may not even be able to get into New Franklin in the morning.

I got as far as new Franklin and had to go back. I think I passed you guys, was you two wearing matching helmets?

Probably so as we were both sporting hi-vis orange Lazer Helium helmets as well as matching gravel bikes.

I took a large group of cyclists here last week, just before the town was evacuated for the flood. The owner and his wife provided delicious breakfast, great service at fair prices. I would definitely return, and I recommend the place highly.

Very nice campground, very large. Great showers! And a very pleasant host.

Four of us enjoyed a great meal here while cycling through Windsor. Chicken fried steak, pork tenderloin, hamburger, all top notch, as were service and prices. Highly recommend.

Spent three nights there with a group during the last two weeks. The location is perfect, the facilities are outstanding, and Dale is a wonderful host. I could not be happier with the accommodations or the price. I highly recommend Katy-Rock Junction for anyone biking through Windsor.

Does anyone know if there are any detour routes around the closed areas?

Generally speaking, no - the detours are under water as well. Check the MoDot road information routes and you can see the roads that are closed due to flooding. http://traveler.modot.org/map/

It's a rough year - and more water seems to be coming.

Sharon

As I am rescheduling, I don’t think I will have time to drive out. If I fly, does anyone know if there is a way to rent a bike to pick up in sedalia and drop off in st Charles? Or should we rent in st Charles and transport it?

Hey Everyone,
We understand many riders are being forced to change their routes due to flooding along the trail.

Be sure you mention that you are biking the KATY Trail if you plan to stay with us at the Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia. If you are not familiar we are only a mile from the Katy Depot. We offer a 25% discount to all KATY Trail riders, free secure bike storage, a bike washing station, and now have a full hot breakfast included in your stay.

We hope everyone has a safe ride!

My daughter and I have stayed twice at the Bothwell. It is a lovely place, had a guest washer and dryer, easy access to the Katy Trail. It's looking this year like only the western end of the trail will be available. Even though it's only half the trail it still has some good scenery and fine places to stay, such as the Bothwell. Loved your restaurant! Loved that our bikes went in our rooms with us. I didn't have a trike then but I think your elevator would fit a trike. Good luck Missouri in your efforts to rebuild after all the flooding.

The Hotel Bothwell was a great place to stay! They stored our bikes in the basement for us, and had them waiting in the morning. The restaurant was very good, I liked the breakfast, and Sedalia was a neat place to hang around in.

Planned to bike the trail June 28 from Clinton. Anyone think it will be possible?

If there is no more rain anywhere up the Missouri River, it will not clear the Katy at Boonville and easterly until Wednesday 6/12. Then it will have to dry out for a few days. And there will be damage. I would say that your timing if iffy right now.

Let us know if you need help with accommodations, we do offer a Katy Trail discount of 25% off room rate if you book directly with the hotel. 660-826-5588. Safe Travels!

I would expect to have no issues for Clinton too Boonville. From Boonville to Jeff City, well, it may be possible, if the water goes down and there isn't too much damage to the Trail or the possible alternate road routes. East of Jeff City - I doubt it. There is a lot of water there and they are releasing more water from the reservoirs that feed into the Osage River that feeds into the Missouri River just east of Jeff City - I expect that will cause more flooding. I also expect the damage to the Trail will be extensive in places because of all the water. I would keep an eye on the traveler's information map: http://traveler.modot.org/map/. If the roads are flooded where the Trail goes, the Trail is likely to be flooded as well. It's going to be a tough year for the Trail and the businesses that depend on the Trail tourism.

Sharon

Is the rock island spur rideable? Anybody tried it recently? The website says that it has standing water, but don’t know if that means it’s passable or not. Thanks.

Many riding the Rock Island right now. I understand from riders great conditions. Curious what site you're seeing where says standing water. Thanks

Oh thats good news. It says standing water on the state park website:
https://mostateparks.com/advisory/80026/current-flooding-conditions-and-alerts-%E2%80%93-katy-trail-state-park

Thanks Will - I imagine Parks is overwhelmed keeping things updated with all of the flooding