Rock Island Trail Forum

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

HOW MANY TRAIL MILES FROM PLEASENT Hill to Winsor?

47.5 miles according to mileage chart.

So a group and I are planning to set out next Friday (June 7th) in Clinton to bike the whole trail. Now I am well aware of the flooding situation, and am also very familiar with the trail and it's issues it can have with flooding, since this is not my first biking the trail and we had to deal with closures then too.

From what I can tell we should be ok the first 2 days of our trip...the first day we are biking from Clinton to Sedalia, which should all be open. The second day we are biking from Sedalia to Rocheport...now based on what I have been reading we should be ok until we get to New Franklin but then shortly after it is closed, but we could bike 40 into town (please correct me if I am wrong). Day 3 we were planning on going from Rocheport to Hermann, which from my readings is pretty much under water entirely....My question here is, is there any sections clear between Rocheport and Hermann? And as of right now we were thinking of possibly fairing cars to drive between the 2 if needed, but is there another solution that I am not thinking of? Then on our 4th and final day we had planned on biking from Hermann to Machens...we have opted to just stop in St. Charles since the trail was flooded between there and Machens...but again I know there is some flooding between Hermann and St. Charles, but where exactly is it? and are the detours we can take? etc.

Any help is greatly appreciated!! We don't plan on canceling since one of our group is flying in for this trip and at this point if we cancel our B&B's we won't get refunds. Plus, we were all really looking forward to a trip together to hangout so we aren't really wanting to cancel.

That whole part of the Trail is more under water than not - from what I am hearing. We were around Hermann over Memorial Day and walked on the Trail near McKKitrrick. Parts of the Trail are high and dry and parts are under water - as I understand it, there is no clear path and the normal road detours are also flooded. I think the plan of having cars is a good one. You may be able to drive to some dry spots on the Trail, but don't expect to bike from trailhead to trailhead past Boonville. They were evacuating Franklin and parts of New Franklin as there is concern about the levees.

You can always check the MoDot map for road closures and get a good sense where the Trail might be open as the Trail tracks 94 Highway most of the way from Jeff City to St. Charles (not entirely, but close). If 94 is closed near a spot where the Trail goes through, the Trail will be under water as well. http://traveler.modot.org/map/

The weather is cooler than usual - lots of rain almost every day - but, hop in the cars, bike where you can, stop off at some wineries along the way and enjoy spending time with your group.

Sharon

See my comment from 5/29 under ‘Making our way’, which shows the route we took from new Franklin to Rocheport on back roads rather than on Hwy 40. It was quite pleasant as people that don’t like road riding. We thought about making a route on state roads and highways to Herman but decided to shuttle with the bike shop in Jefferson City instead. Will ride out and back to Bufton and enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting in Herman. Hoping to make our way to Augusta tomorrow through a combo of road and trail.

Hey Seriously Bummed,

I rode the whole trail from 5/25 to 5/29. Let me just say - it is a complete mess.

You are right, Clinton to Sedalia is clear. You can ride from Sedalia almost all the way to Rocheport. We ended up taking Hwy 40. It wasn't that bad. You will have to do some minor climbing.

East of Rocheport was impassable starting at mm 176 or so. You would not believe the detour that we took. I think I need to get my head checked after taking that detour. We rode from Rocheport to Columbia, and then from Columbia to Fulton, and stayed the night in Fulton. Rocheport to Columbia wasn't that bad on gravel roads, but riding to Fulton was absolutely scary. We took Broadway to WW and then F to get to Fulton. I wouldn't recommend it.

The next day we rode form Fulton all the way to Washington! Dont ask me the route because I have no clue. I know we went through Readsville, Americus, and then finally ended up in Rhineland where we road on 94 to Treolar and then hopped back on the trail after pannier deep water. Strava says we did almost 3500 ft of elevation gain and 75 miles. Not for the faint of heart.

Going east from Washington we were able to get to about to Augusta where we jumped back and forth on Hwy 94 several times. Augusta to Defiance is a mess of blown down trees from the recent tornado. We tried to pass through the area, but we met some not-so-friendly working crews, who did not want us carrying bikes over blown down debris (they said that we would sue them if we got hurt...whatever). We rode 94 for a super long way. Hopped back on the trail twice only to find that it was flooded, and then proceeded to backtack and stay on 94. We eventually caught up with the trail somewhere east of Weldon Springs (can't remember the actual mile marker), and rode that into St. Charles. We stopped in St. Charles.

Total mileage was 257 and almost 10k ft of elevation gain, so I guess if you really want to go to the trouble of all the detours, you can do the whole trail, but realistically we only ended up riding the trail for maybe 90 miles and ended up taking ridiculous detours the rest of the way. Anyways, I figure thats half the fun anyways. It was a killer adventure. Good luck...and dont be seriously bummed. Get out there!!

Hi Paul! Thanks for the recommendation about the road into Rocheport! I will definitely take a look back at your post. That's promising to hear that it was enjoyable even if it was on the road...not much of a road biker myself.

Hi Will! Thanks for your suggestions too! I don't think we are going to be that adventurous with our detours. I think we will probably just stick with biking our 2 days as planned into Rocheport and then either with the help of shuttles or ferrying our cars we will hop on and off the trail where we can the next 2 days.

Thank you all for your help and recommendations!

Based on new water developments - I would not plan on being able to bike to Rocheport. The news this morning is that the levee near Boonville is about to break which will flood the area from the Boonville Bridge, to New Franklin and Rocheport. I expect you will be able to bike to Boonville and then drive on I-70 to Rocheport. Last weekend, the water was close to I-70, but the interstate should remain open unless the water gets quite a bit higher. The Trail is the levee for Rocheport - you will have to keep an eye on the news to see how high the water gets there.

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/emergency-management-orders-mandator-evacuation-for-parts-of-howard-county

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/rocheport-volunteers-continue-sandbagging-operations

Sharon

Impressive, Will! Glad we can live vicariously through you. We were planning a similar detour from Rocheport in attempt to get to Hermann. We were a bit too concerned and called in for a shuttle from Jef City. We were showered with kindness everywhere we stopped at our b&b’s to restaurants and along the trail and detours. These towns and small businesses are really hurting, so do them and yourselves a favor, and get out there and visit and enjoy what you can! Be safe.

Camped at steamboat Junction in Bluffton and road back Case then Back to car and campsite about 16 miles of open trail one way. Seriously bummed it May be a lot different in one week.

Camped in Bluffton last night we were supposed to stay in Herman tonight our BB was within feet of sandbags on the trail so we took a rain check for tonight and are staying in Columbia. Planing to drive to Booneville leave the car there and get back on track with our plan.

Hey Everyone,
I just wanted to make 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, and now have a full hot breakfast included in your stay. We hope everyone has a safe ride.

Is there another route from Kansas City to St. Louis? Was planning on doing the RI Trail and Katy first week of July.

Will

I feel for you! Last year we rode the part of the Erie Canal Trail that is not all trail, it's highways and hilly country roads.

You did fantastically!

Michael

If you can be flexible, I found www.mobikefed.org to be helpful. Going to try this as alternative.
https://mobikefed.org/2012/11/highway-36-bicycle-route-unveiled-st-joseph-hannibal-260-miles

Is the Boonville Trail Head open to park and bike West to Clinton?

Absolutely! The bridge from Boonville across the Missouri is closed to vehicle traffic because the road on the other side is closed, but folks were walking across the bridge to check out the water coverage. Otherwise, Boonville itself is largely unharmed. The trail is in great shape west of Boonville!

We had a great ride today on the KATY Trail. Parked at Windsor Trail Head. Rode North from Windsor-Green Ridge. That part of the trail is great. 12.5 miles out and return 12.5 miles. Praying for Lord to stop rain in Nebraska/Iowa/Kansas/Missouri. I've seen comments the rain this year is comparable to flood of 1993. Perhaps worse. God bless all suffering the flood areas. Sorry to hear the celebrations of KATY Trail 29th anniversary had to be canceled today. Faith Hope Love the 2020 30th anniversary is much drier. Everyone Enjoy the KATY Trail parts open.

We did the same ride Saturday and it was absolutely beautiful and the weather was perfect even in the open areas.

This is the link to the MoDOT map with road conditions and road cameras that will give you an idea of the current flooding conditions along the Missouri River.

http://traveler.modot.org/map/index.html

The Missouri State Parks website for donations, along with a phone number for volunteering is listed below.
https://mostateparks.com/page/59642/donation-and-adoption-opportunities

Is the Parkside Cafe still open? I dialed the number on this page and was told it's been disconnected. Hoping to have breakfast there on Wednesday.

If you book a multi day rental or shuttle with Bike Stop cafe, we will shuttle you around the any trail closures. Text Tony at 314.973.4422 with your dates and we will arrange a trip for you. We also have pedal assist bikes that make getting through difficult sections of trail much easier. Hope to hear from you! Thanks.

Why are Trail Closed signs on the Rock Island Trail in Lee's Summit?

Where is CURRENT DAILY information available?

Why the continued delay?

I went and checked out the TH on 98th (?), near bannister and noticed the trail closed signs and wondered the same thing. But I also noticed someone hiking the trail and another one cycling the trail while we were at the TH. I believe they are holding a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony this Friday.

We were told that the trail is closed because they were still working on it. Back in March the Kansas City Star had an article stating that is was now open (so we were confused). There is a post on facebook about the grand opening June 1st at the northern end by the tunnel (at the new trailhead). So hopefully, after this weekend they will take down the trail closed signs.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1620712264740042/ link to the Rock Island trail Grand Opening (1st phase)

We rode the whole length from near Knobtown to LS & back this afternoon. Trail is in great shape for big grand opening tomorrow .

Areas between the Boonville Bridge, New Franklin and Rocheport are under mandatory evacuation orders this morning due to a levee that has been overtopped and is expected to fail. I expect this means no biking, no alternate road routes to go East from Boonville along the Trail. More water is coming from upstream, so I expect this area will be underwater for awhile.

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/emergency-management-orders-mandator-evacuation-for-parts-of-howard-county


Sharon

Thanks for sharing the link Sharonbikes. Interesting that the first sentence in the article is: The Mississippi River is nearing levels only seen in 1993 in some places north of St. Louis and presenting problems as it over-tops protective barriers.

In northern Missouri, 1993 today is commonly referenced as the milestone flood with levee's overtopped and completely washed out. Today there are areas reporting more road closures and standing water than in 1993 without the levee breaches.

The 2019 Missouri Parks KATY Trail Ride is due to start in the middle of June. In looking at projected flooding, which generally does not go to far out ahead, the projections were updated in the last day that shows flood levels will be at the highest rate so far on June 8. While water could recede rapidly under the right conditions, the aftermath of flooding can take much longer in regards to siltation, mud, washouts, and cleanliness. Often the smell of a flood lingers for quite awhile. One of the campsite locations is presently under water and according to projections will remain underwater until after June 8, which could be updated at any time to be even longer. Frontier Park where the ride was to end and many vehicles parked, is closed due to flooding. I realize further arrangements can be made in regards to campsite and parking locations as well a rerouting to riding on the road. However, the general character in regards to what is expected on this ride will likely be different. I am seriously concerned about whether or not the ride will be as positive an experience. I know the Summer Olympics in the area have already been cancelled. It would seem that priority involving recovery efforts is now #1 and that possibly it would be best to postpone this year’s ride.

I'm starting to get seriously worried about it too. I haven't heard anything from parks about a cancelation or postponement, but it wouldn't surprise me. While the current NOAA forecast is for the river to drop back under flood stage around June 8, it doesn't take into account forecasted precipitation more than 24 hours out. We will get more (it's already in the forecast for this weekend). Even if the river drops enough to uncover trail on June 8, that only gives them 9 days to clean it up. The parks department is currently busy cleaning up tornado debris last I heard.

sections of the trail have already been underwater this year. It had just dropped back under flood stage west of the Jeff City trailhead ~1 week before the current flood. Some spots were VERY rough. Some were blocked by fallen trees. Sections of the trail east of the Jeff trailhead were unpassable.

oh pineapples from Jefferson City, so sorry you all are having to go through this and hoping a sense of normalcy will return as soon as possible. Just checked the NOAA forecast which has been updated through June 11 and shows all gauges at moderate flooding level east of Jefferson City to St. Charles with Jefferson City still showing heavy flooding level.

Like oh pineapples, I'm getting worried also. It's to be my ninth year on the ride plus I bought a new gravel bike. Hopefully things dry out by then. I'm sure that the good people at the DNR are more worried than I am.

This will not help the MO Parks ride, but "generally" the last 3 weeks of July are dry and, of course, hot. This is when I am planning my cross-state ride from KC. Exceptions to this pattern were 2006 (Hurricane Dennis remnants) and 1993, in which the flood finally crested on August 1st.

Given the current weather patterns though, dry weather does not guarantee a delightful ride. Mosquitoes will be a problem for a couple months. But I have to ride for my sanity!

I spoke with the parks department this morning. They are still planning on having the ride, but will re-evaluate a possible cancellation on Friday. I'm assuming they want to see what this weekends precipitation will do to forecasted river levels. The crest has now been bumped to 33 feet Fri-Mon. 34 feet will cause major traffic problems as they close sections of the highways (63&50).

I'm starting to go a bit nuts too. I had worked my way up to some fairly long rides to prepare for this. I hate road biking, because everything around here is 55 mph rural highways. But I don't know what else to do.

I could see riding Clinton, Sedalia, Boonville, then out to where the flooding starts. Turn around and head back to Clinton with maybe Windsor to Pleasant Hill on the Rock Island Trail added in. That could make for 5 days of riding. Of course some of the most scenic parts of the Katy along the bluffs would be missed.

Logistically it might be crazy hard to do at the last minute.

They would have to make arrangements for those of us who bussed from St. Charles to get back. I'd probably just drive my car to Clinton in that case.

Just a thought.

I just received email that the 2019 State Park Ride is cancelled.

It's on the ride web page also:

https://mostateparks.com/2019ktride

Missouri State Parks and the Missouri State Park Foundation are canceling the 2019 Katy Trail Ride set to begin
June 17. At this time, nearly 100 miles of Katy Trail State Park are closed due to flooding. For more information, email katytrailride@gmail.com or call Missouri State Parks toll-free at 800-334-6946. Check back to this page in the coming weeks for follow-up information.

Maybe the follow-up info will be about rescheduling.

Does anyone know which parts of the MKT spur are ridable?

Hey Frank, portions of the MKT are under water around Perche Creek, but you can use the access roads around the waste treatment facilities to make it all the way to the Katy. I've rode the last two days and made it just fine.

Our family was going to fly to MO and ride the Katy Trail again. We rode the full length in 2012.

Given the current politics, and MO's governor actions regarding women's rights, we cancelled our trip plans to MO.

We love the Katy Trail, the farmland, and small towns with friendly people. Take care of your trail folks, it is one of MO's progressive accomplishments.

Take a minute to read through the forum. With all the flooding going on, we have a lot more important issues to be concerned with, than worrying about whatever political statement some person in CA is trying to make through their vacation plans.

Closing this thread - let's not get into political discussions here, beyond trail-specific topics like the legislature's support for extending the Rock Island Trail (which hopefully will be MO's next great accomplishment, progressive or otherwise).

I often ride the Katy Trail on day trips, and have been wanting to expand to longer distances, and overnight trips. My problem is that I have a fear of crossing the trail at places like 94 & Defiance- near Klondike Park. That curve in the road you have to cross is double blind and motorists travel at high speeds. I pretty much always just turn around rather than risk my life crossing. For those that have traveled most of the Katy Trail- are there more optimal stretches to bike that do not cross dangerous roadways?

Hey, all.

My dad and I were planning on riding the whole trail from West to East starting next Monday morning. He's flying in from out of town. I'm getting really concerned reading about the closures, especially the long one (MM 125 - MM 180.9, between Mokane and west of Rocheport). Anyone have any recent updates or resources? I'm a newbie here.

Thanks,

Sean

I read that the flooding is expected to crest June 8 and then start to recede. I am not sure how they predict that or how accurate it is. I spoke with a shuttle service that told me to reschedule. Most businesses are happy to reschedule you without much fuss if you can. I ended up cancelling because I could not reschedule.

Thanks, Kari. Sorry you had to cancel.

We were visiting family in STL and had everything locked in for a trip from Kirkwood to Sedalia via Amtrak with stops in Pilot Grove, Rocheport, and Herman, and hopes of getting as close back to STL. Well, we took the bus instead of the train as the train is not running. Then biked to Pilot Grove no problem. Pilot Grove to New Franklin was fine. We then came up with a detour to reach Rocheport that worked well, following gravel roads - took Broadway in New Franklin east which becomes 448 to 467 south for a short bit and then left (east) on 442, which becomes 435 south. We then crossed Hwy 40 at Wyatt’s garage to head south on 440, and then went right on 240 into Rocheport. Sounds confusing perhaps but it was about 13 miles and took us 1 hr 45 min from New Franklin to Rocheport. No punctures but best to be prepared as it is gravel. Not sure we can find anything quite as simple to get to McKittrick tomorrow. Suggestions? We’ll probably call a shuttle in the morning. Any suggestions for shuttles in the area?