Rock Island Trail Forum

In mid-September, we crossed the bridge on the SR-370 Highway, from Bridgeton to Saint Charles. There is a trail ramp but we completely missed it, due to several factors, best summed up in my journal entry -

"There was supposed to be an access ramp down to the Katy, but we did not see it. Instead, we took the exit ramp for motor vehicles and got down to SR 94. The Katy was across the road and it was a bit of a challenge to get there. Once on the Katy, I saw a ramp leading up to SR 370 and went up to see why we missed it. Turns out, several factors led to the oversight. The sign had been turned away and bent toward the ground. I figured I would be a good citizen and attempt to straighten it for the next person. The sign was firmly in the ground and would not budge, leading me to believe this placement had been done on purpose. The opening in the guard rail was not very wide and occurred just a few feet from the beginning of the off-ramp. So, no sign, high speed traffic, deafening noise, and an approaching off-ramp shared with speeding 5000 pound pieces of metal all conspired to distract us. Nobody in our group, even those who came earlier, noticed the ramp. I hope this was just an temporary situation."

Does anyone know why the sign was turned away? I think the lack of a clear notification of the ramp down to the trail creates an unnecessarily dangerous situation for anyone trying to get from the Mississippi River Trail to the Katy. Additionally, at that time (9/14/18), the grass had not been cut and it seemed to be taking over the ramp, further disguising it.

I would encourage you to contact Missouri Dept of Transportation. 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636). I have found them to be quite helpful.

Thanks Hank. I will contact them.

Spent a night here recently. It was $12 for a tent, which I think is a good price. There's water at the sites and the bathroom is decent, with hot showers. Only issue is that there are no picnic tables for cooking and hanging out.

We would like to park our car in Jefferson City and ride to Rocheport to stay overnight. Are there designated carparks around the Katy Trail in N. Jefferson City?

The trailhead parking at North Jefferson has never got reviews here. I would not leave my vehicle there overnight. If you are staying in Jefferson City before or after your ride, ask with your lodging provider about leaving your vehicle there. The Capitol Plaza Hotel is close to the river bridge and have been accommodating in the past. Most places are if they want your business.

Any advice on parking overnight in Sedalia?

I've parked in the lot east of the Depot several times with no problem. Let them know inside that you are leaving your vehicle there with your contact number.

Parking at the Katy Depot is good. Parking lot is behind the depot. Let them know inside the depot and leave your contact info. Area is patrolled. We left our car there for 3 days a few weeks ago with no problem.

Great news for those passing through Sedalia:
https://www.sedaliademocrat.com/news/katy-trail-to-connect-with-million-project/article_e2d71fac-d74e-11e8-b43f-b3590cf5f305.html

That is good news. I ride through Sedalia at least once a year and while riding on the road isn't all that bad, it isn't as nice as being on the trail.

On another subject, I was on a Trailnet ride earlier this year and I thought that we went past your home. Was it for sale?

Why does the trail start at mile marker 26.9 in Machens? Why not zero?

Why does the trail start at mile marker 26.9 in Machens? Why not zero?

This goes back to the trail's history as railroad route - the Katy Trail uses the mileage numbering system that the old MKT rail line used. So the actual rail line started somewhere 26 miles east of Machens.

Note that because of this, your mileage won't precisely match the mile markers around Sedalia, because the trail route varies from the old railroad route through there.

The Rock Island trail also uses its old railroad's mile numbering system.

Happy trails!

This goes back to the trail's history as railroad route - the Katy Trail uses the mileage numbering system that the old MKT rail line used. So the actual rail line started somewhere 26 miles east of Machens.

Note that because of this, your mileage won't precisely match the mile markers around Sedalia, because the trail route varies from the old railroad route through there.

The Rock Island trail also uses its old railroad's mile numbering system.

Happy trails!

Greg has it pretty much right, except for the part about the rail line stating 26 miles east of Machens. Actually the MKT ended at the junction with the CB&Q (Burlington) railroad (now the BNSF) at Matchens. The Burlington line ran North-South between St. Louis and Burlington, IA. The Katy must have had trackage rights via the Burlington into St. Louis, 26 miles away.

Greg has it pretty much right, except for the part about the rail line stating 26 miles east of Machens. Actually the MKT ended at the junction with the CB&Q (Burlington) railroad (now the BNSF) at Matchens. The Burlington line ran North-South between St. Louis and Burlington, IA. The Katy must have had trackage rights via the Burlington into St. Louis, 26 miles away.

Greg pretty much didn't have a clue. So he came here to ask why.

Greg pretty much didn't have a clue. So he came here to ask why.

Had an opportunity to walk my cross on the Katy Trail Sunday and enjoy the nature of the trail, stopped in Claysville and had a great chicken meal at Claysville store, great food and great hospitality, my server was awesome. Will be back with my wife for children again.
Thanks Claysville you have great food and a godly atmosphere

Perfect location right off the trail. Very comfortable and charming home. We loved the breakfast. Made to order omelets were perfect along with the sides-it was a good start to another day on the trail. We will be back next year for sure!

Very comfortable accommodations. Easy ride off the spur from the Katy. Always a great breakfast (we have been here quite a few times).

Great place to stay right off the trail and walking distance to downtown restaurants. Very economical rates too. Completely updated and spotless rooms. WiFi, Dish Network TV, microwave, fridge. We walked downtown for dinner and in the morning got breakfast at the Sonic that’s on the side of the trail where you turn to go to the Motel so it’s super quick and convenient without having to go downtown for breakfast. Highly recommend this place to stay.

The girlfriend and I drove to Rocheport and did some cycling on the Katy. Stayed in The Teacher's Pet room. The entire place is beautiful! The grounds, the building, everything. Breakfast was amazing and we felt right at home. Highly recommend and we will be back again.

We also had a wonderful stay at the School House B&B. They provided everything we needed, wonderful hospitality and a great breakfast. We stayed in the poetry room. It was fun meeting other travelers. Rocheport was a quaint town- The food was surprising great, and there is a clothing boutique across the street from the School House that has beautiful selections of clothes and jewelry.

My stay at the Little House B&B in Marthasville on Sunday, September 16, 2018, was excellent. The host was easy to reach and work with. The older 2 bedroom bungalow had been completely refurbished and was very comfortable, with everything needed, including hot shower/tub, washer dryer, comfortable bed, Keurig machine (with selection of cups), coffee pot, microwave, ice, living room with TV, etc., and a multi port USB charger block (I had 1 block, but being able to charge multiple devices at once was nice). The host left fresh fruit and a breakfast cake, etc. I would stay here again.

Four of us stayed at the Little House last week and we had the house to ourselves which was great. There were lots of snacks and breakfast food as well as the washer and dryer which was a huge plus!

Very nice experience. The hosts were quite accommodating of our high maintenance group of eight cyclists. Clean, excellent breakfast, and shuttle service to a nearby restaurant for dinner.

We were a group of four last week and it was pouring down rain when we got to The Doll House. Hosts - Ken & Melissa were very accommodating and the rooms were great. Loved the Doterra diffuser too:-) Melissa made an awesome breakfast spread!

Pulling a teardrop, will arrive on Saturday eve, about 6 or 7. Left a voice mail as well.
6602380212.

Not sure who you intended this for, but it doesn't look real promising that you left it here.

If you are trying to contact a campground, hotel, airline...you would be better served contacting them directly instead of on a open forum

Hi! Any recommendations for camping and shuttle service for Thanksgiving through the following Monday? Looks like a lot of places close at the end of October. We will probably start in Sedalia or Booneville and just go as far east as we can, so a shuttle service that would be flexible regarding our pick up location would be perfect. Thanks!

Check with Doug at the Bluffton Barn. Right on the trail and open except dead of winter.

I would try to use Amtrak as your return "shuttle". Bike to Hermann and take the train back to Sedalia.

Hi. My wife and I will be biking the KT early next May, preferably solo, and are looking for a planning service that will develop our agenda, book b&b’s, rent us a tandem bike and lastly coordinate shuttle back to our western start. Anyone have a recommendation who to contact?

Thanks

Montana travelers

While there are probably planning services my husband and I planned our entire ride from Clinton to St. Charles by using this website. We knew we wanted to ride approximately 50 miles per day so we decided which cities we would stay in and how many days it would take. We knew we wanted to ride the Amtrak back to Sedalia so we checked availability on that first as they only allow 4 bikes per train. So we booked that first and then found Bed and Breakfasts to stay in all along the way. We rode in October which is a very busy month on the trail so we started making reservations about 6 months prior to our ride. I did a lot of reading of comments on this website as well so that I knew where neat little places were to stop. Our trip was the most amazing time. There are also bike shops where you could rent I am sure. Hope that helps. It is really pretty easy to do with the help of this website and remarks from other riders. Best of luck. Enjoy your beautiful ride.

I agree that you can easily do it yourself, especially using this forum. We rode a tandem from Clinton to St. Charles over 5 days this June (would probably stretch it to 6 days to see more). We ordered the tandem from Walmart ahead of time (about 300$)and it was ready and waiting for us when we got there. Not a single flat! We did the same thing on the GAP/C&O last year. We just added our own racks and panniers. We donated them at the end of the rides.
The only thing I couldn't easily do on my own was find a place that easily rented tandems, so that's the solution that worked for us.
We did everything else online and a couple direct phone call. It's so easy to arrange everything and I'd gladly share our itinerary!

It's great to hear that riders are able to use this website for most or all of their trip planning. That's the intention of this site, of course, so it's gratifying to hear that the website doing the job for you!

However, I do understand that some people prefer to use professional planners so they don't have to worry about all of that. Plus, these outfits often provide luggage handling and support services while you're on the trail. Here's a couple that I know about:

Independent Tourist: https://independenttourist.com/katy-trail-missouri/

Noble Invention: http://www.nobleinventionbiketouring.com/trips/katy-trail-clinton-st-charles/

Full disclosure: both of these businesses are advertisers here on the website. They're both quality organizations and I've heard only good things about them. I don't often come onto the forum to mention specific businesses, but I wanted to be sure your question got fully answered.

However you decide to plan your trip, good luck and happy trails!

Check with Steve at Champion Bikes, 660-826-7773.
He organizes KT rides and may know of a source or may be the source.
He has bike shops in Sedalia and Booneville.
I too like to plan my own routes but it would be so nice to have someone do it for me!
Be safe.

I used this website to plan our trip and found it so useful. Only problem, now the rains are flooding parts of the trail. We just had to postpone a GAP
/C&O biking trip for the very same reason. The rains are following us on our hopes of a biking adventure this fall.

To: OC TANDEM,
Which Walmart Tandem do you order? I guess you ride from the Walmart Store after picking up your Tandem? Do you also have the same Tandem at home that your body is used to riding it?
Your post is of Great Interest to me....this sounds like so much fun and a great way to Travel! Not just the Tandem (we have a couple of those) but flying in to ride different Trails in different places.
Thanks for your advise.

We flew from CA to Kansas City, rented a car from Enterprise to see the city and visit relatives. Stayed at the Westbridge in Clinton. It's across the road from the Walmart. We just adjusted the chain and added our own racks. Similar to the one we used last year, but different from the tandems we have at home. We didn't have any problems and we're mid-late 50's and rode a lot but no rigorous training. We returned the car in Clinton, about 1 1/2 miles from motel and on the way to the trailhead. Lots of quiet back streeets to ride. We stayed in Sedalia, Rocheport, Jefferson, McKittrick, and St. Charles. We'll stay in Marthasville area if we do it again since there's a lot to do there. We rented a car near St. Charles to see the sights, but Uber or Lyft can take you from there to the airport.

Anyone know where I can get a Womens' Katy Trail Cycling Jersey as I just rode 140 miles of the trail? The Bike Stop Cafe & Outpost in St. Charles didn't have any ,and the Katy Bike Rental Store in Defiance only had the Big Bam Jersey which is the event that took place covering the entire trail which I didn't ride. I also checked online and called the Augusta and Sedalia stores and they didn't have any, nor did they have an online store. Many thanks!

The Boonville Visitor Center, which is right next to the trailhead in Boonville, has some Katy Trail jerseys.

There is one type of Katy Trail Jersey listed on the Missouri Parks merchandise web page:

https://icampmo1.usedirect.com/MSPWeb/Merchandise/MerchandiseSale.aspx

Not sure if that is what you want.

The Bike Shop in the Katy Trail Depot in Boonville had some Katy Trail Jerseys AND T-Shirts, seemed to be sold out of Jerseys when we were in there today. However, contact the owner, nice guy who will probably order any size you need. You may know this...but if you order a Men's, just get a size, sometimes 2 sizes, smaller than women's sizes. They fit about the same once on and you can not see if the tag says, Men's or Women's.
Congrats on your ride!

Thank you for the great suggestions! I will call the Boonville Visitor Center as I didn't see any jersey's on their site. I did see one on the Sedalia Katy Depot site. I typically wear a Women's Medium and will look into the Men's Small for the one on the Missouri State Parks site. They also had a cute hoodie:-)

I am almost positive the same guy owns both of those two shops.

Looking for any updates ion trail conditions. We begin our ride Sunday in Sedalia going to overnight in Rocheport and then to Jefferson City. Will continue on with biking and overnights and reach St. Charles on Friday.

Here's the best place to check:
https://mostateparks.com/page/58843/potential-flood-locations

Right now only a couple of places on the Rock Island Spur and MM 35 on the other side of St. Charles is closed.

The rivers near St. Louis are past flood stage so there my be changes in the near future.

I just noticed that you are from Wichita Falls. My daughter Laura went to MSU and raced on the cycling team around 10 years ago.

I was in the USAF and TDY to Sheppard AFB for probably 6 months total over my career.

I only have done the Hotter 'n Hell once so far though.

We are planning on going from Boonville to Jefferson City this Friday. Does anyone know how long it takes before the trail will open just west of Rocheport?
The river elevation is predicted to go lower than the flood stage for that area by Monday. If so, should that port in of the trail open by Friday (Oct 19)?

We had a great night in one of Dale's cozy cabins. He is super helpful and the campground is within walking distance of shops and restaurants. Clean bathhouse, fire pits, and fabulous host.

Thanks for choosing Katy-Rock Junction for your stay in Windsor. It was great visiting with all of you. We hope you had a great time traveling across Missouri!

I am planning a trip to the katy trail in a few weeks to ride west to east in a day, hopefully the FKT. can anyone tell me the ease of directions on the trail? is it easy to get lost or are all the trailheads/turns clearly marked? i'm really looking for all the info I can gather. have contacted the website email with no response.
i'll have a support person meeting me at certain points along the trail giving me feeds. mostly just curious about ease of navigation. thanks in advance!

You can't get lost. You also can't ride the whole trail from sunrise to sunset until the days get longer.

Andy, the record for riding end to end in a single day is around 13.5 hrs. Just as the other post said you will be riding in the dark. Park doesn't allow riding after dark. Really not safe especially if you are trying to finish and beat a record. Many animals feed at dusk in the fall. Not a good idea this time of year.

Andy, the first time you will have 13.5 hours of daylight (including before sunrise/after sunset) will be around April 1st. And 13.5 hours is very, very fast.

thanks guys for the information. I'm looking for 12.5 hours of daylight, not 13.5. to be clear, the record is from clinton to st charles or is it to machens?

Around June 21st is the day with the most daylight. What kind of bike will you be on? Have you ever ridden on crushed limestone for any longer distance. I'm about 3 mph slower on the Katy Trail. Of course I'm using a heavier touring bike with 700x32 tires. No way would I ride the entire thing on my carbon fiber road bike with 700x25 tires.

Why would you do such a silly thing? The Katy is designed for slow biking, enjoying the scenery, and the people and their stores along the way. The Katy is not a race track. Please don't try it.

mrodemeyer@socket.net: The Katy Trail is designed for people to get out and ride their bike in a beautiful adventurous setting without worry of getting hit from behind by a vehicle. I am an avid bikepacker and love a multi day ride that "takes it all in". I also love a good challenge. Your version of enjoying the Katy Trail will not be the same as my version, and that is the beauty of riding a bike. Don't criticize mine - I certainly won't criticize yours. I will be solo, and will choose a non-weekend day when very little traffic will be on the trail.

How is the Katy designed differently for enjoying people and their stores along the way compared to other trails that have not been designed with those considerations?

Apologies for getting anyone wound up. Just humbly looking for some advice from experienced locals on trail logistics, which is typically freely and gladly given in the cycling community. If anyone has any good beta for me I'd love to hear from you, andychasteen@gmail.com. Many thanks.

There are a few "breaks" in the trail one in Sedalia and another in Boonville. I recall that there are arrows pointed on the roads/paths you are supposed to take to get back on the main trail in those areas but have not been there in awhile. You can also see these breaks on Google maps. Not significant enough for you to get totally lost but could slow you down if you miss a turn.

You will only have 10 hours daylight this time of year so probably not possible to do in one day this time of year. I believe all of the others that did it in a day used road bikes with skinny tires. I always wondered if using a racing bike might give you an advantage over others that used road bikes. I also recall that Darren(I believe) was his name that did it (Clinton to St. Charles) in under 14 hours was a top finisher in several endurance(running) races prior to the time he did the Katy in a day, so there is more to it then just having the right bike and enough daylight.

I guess I had just assumed that the "don't ride in the dark" thing was just a suggestion, not a rule. Thanks for the clarification.

Looks like quite a few of those who have went for the FKT rode 2+ hours in the dark. If Darin still holds the record, then the current record holder rode the first 2 hours in the dark.

Andy, sorry I couldn't reply to your questions sooner. I keep a web page of anyone who tells me that they have ridden the entire trail in one day: http://www.bikekatytrail.com/one-day.aspx

This is the closest thing to an "official" record that I know of, but there is no truly "official" authority for tracking or validating these claims.

It's all self-reported - I trust that anyone who goes to the effort of reporting their time, has the integrity to report it honestly.

The earlier rides occurred before the trail was extended to Machens, when St Charles was the eastern end. Now that the trail goes to Machens, I think most riders try to do the whole thing. Just be aware that the Machens trailhead may be hard for your support car to find, and you probably won't feel like backtracking after finishing a double-century.

I wish success to you and anyone who attempts this impressive feat. Let me know if you complete the ride, whether it's a new FKT or not, and I'll list you on that web page.

While I appreciate Mike's opinion that the trail is best enjoyed more slowly, I also understand the desire to set and accomplish "extreme" goals. Hopefully after you do your single-day ride, you can come back and truly enjoy the trail at a more leisurely pace.

Good luck!

I believe there is a video posted somewhere on this web site of a young man who did this. Much of his ride was at night. My arms and glutes hurt just thinking about this.

best way road bike with on head light with stops maybe every 3 hrs of 10 min or less. Better starting earlier to get less cross trail traffic. Have some verifiable record. Good luck.

andy have fun on that ride. cant imagine doing it in one day, but kick butt doing it. ill be rooting for ya.

All, I set a new FKT yesterday. Dr Dixon's former record was 13:51 moving time and 14:47 elapsed time. For FKT purposes, elapsed time is always the one used (the theory goes you could stop and rest as long as you want if you are going by moving time). My time yesterday was 13:08 moving and 13:32 elapsed. All solo. Had two support guys meeting me every 40ish miles with food/drink/pics. Garmin link below.
A guy Paul had informed me that the trail conditions weren't very good and he was right. There are quite a few downed trees from Clinton to Boonville, and branches to dodge all the way to Machens. But the wet trail was the worst, mushy in a lot of places, very slow and tough to power through.
Thanks to everyone who gave me some good advice on the trail. It was my first to ever ride the Katy and I definitely plan to come back and do it slower with camping gear.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/965138906

Well done, sir. That's bad-ass.

So you set a new "record" by ignoring the park regulations. I'm sure the people opposing the possible new additions to the Katy appreciate your efforts

I set a record driving from St. Louis to LA on a weekday before noon, but I left the weekend before I actually started on Monday. I've got gas receipts to prove the route. For FInterstate records that's how it's done. Now that's badass!!

Rob, yes I left that morning at about 5 am in the dark and came across two other cyclists and three runners who were doing the same thing before dawn. I'm assuming locals who were getting in an early morning workout. Ok for them but not for me?
Also, I came across 2 hunters in camo and orange who were walking down the trail with their guns.

Also Rob, we went back into St Charles after I finished and ate at the brewery in town right off the trail. The amount of people using the Katy Trail in and around St Charles in the dark was quite high. I'd guess that I saw 15-20 or more people running or riding on the trail in and around the city. Ok for them but not for me?

Congratulations. Just ignore the "trolls" and self appointed police. Seriously...

I doubt the morning walkers out for exercise were claiming a record for a day that is governed by park rules. Probably just out for some exercise or walking to their hunting spot without any illusion of grandeur. But you claim a record for a day that surpasses the ruled length of a day? A failed attempt at best. Do it in June when you have a day long enough to do it in and you'll have a bit more credibility claiming a record.

Congrats Andy! I too applaud the effort. That is quite an accomplishment. I'm glad to see attention being brought to the trail because people are doing on it what it was designed for--RIDING IT. I wish you would have done it during daylight hours, but in my opinion, it's a lot easier to forgive someone for riding after hours than it is to forgive/ignore/ encourage them if they stealth camp.

Also I continue to believe there is a great opportunity to have a "Katy in a Day" event the legal way. Doing so would bring much positive interest in the Katy, and a type of riding on it that really hasn't been promoted. Like it or not, we live in a society that likes races, so if a race brings people out, I'm for it. If someone were to organize such a ride on or about June 21, with an starter gun going off 1/2 an hour before sunrise, some support, and some transportation options, I'd give it a go.

Arky I would go for it but DNR probably would not sanction it due to its perceived unsafe environment. It would need to be a bandit race with signed releases like all rides and races. The organized DNR ride is also held that summer week too. I have a race organizer friend I will inquire. Sometime in June 2016 OK?

If there is an organized "Katy in a Day" event, with (at least a little) mid-ride support, transportation options, and a few beers at the finish line, I WILL BE THERE! Don't expect 13 hours out of me.

13 hours...that would put my finish line beer at about Harstburg! I would be done...LOL

16 mph would take about 15 hrs. But the stop time would push you into the dark.
It's doable with 2 or 3 endurance rides per week of 70-80 miles for several weeks in Mar thru May. Who's up for it?

Andy, congratulations. Wished I would have known when you were riding, and I would have met you at the end for a high-five. I am curious as to what was your longest single-day ride up to this point? And with this accomplishment, maybe you should consider a round-trip KT ride? :)

BikerBoy,
Two weeks before the Katy, I did a 380 mile ride on the road with 10 other guys. About 19 hours of riding. Quite honestly, I don't think I was fully recovered from that ride by the time Katy came around. And in my opinion the Katy Trail ride was much harder for a myriad of reasons. Anyway, if you are interested in reading about the 380 mile ride, my full story is here: http://www.dnaracing.bike/stories/okbeermuda

WOW! That's quite an accomplishment. Are you also on Strava? I'd like to give you some Kudos there.

Answered my own question on Strava.

380 miles in a day, my goodness. That's what I love about cycling. You and I use the same two-wheeled mode of adventure, but we are in completely different categories and would have nearly nothing in common to discuss. It would probably be as hard for you to go at my lolly-gag pace looking around and stopping every few miles to take pictures as it would be for me to ride at your pace and distance!

Not true BikerBoy. I enjoy all types of riding in all kinds of environments. One of my favorite is bikepacking for multiday trips, which is why I'm excited to get back to the Katy for a multiday trip!

In depth story of the day, if anyone is interested.
http://www.dnaracing.bike/stories/2015/11/28/katytrail

Truly epic - congratulations.

Andy I have added your FKT to the list of single-day riders at http://www.bikekatytrail.com/one-day.aspx

Data looks real to me. Congratulations.

I love the write up about your ride. Let us know when you come back to have your "enjoyable" ride over a few days.

I have returned a few times since the FKT, to the Katy to do some bikepacking and I have to say that these are much better experiences!
https://andrewchasteen.com/stories/katytrail

https://andrewchasteen.com/stories/pleaseslowdown

I have returned a few times since the FKT, to the Katy to do some bikepacking and I have to say that these are much better experiences!
https://andrewchasteen.com/stories/katytrail

https://andrewchasteen.com/stories/pleaseslowdown