Rock Island Trail Forum

to the state of Missouri and it's tax payers. The Katy Trail is a State Park to be proud of. My wife and I finished our West to East trip on Sunday afternoon. Our experience was wonderful, we also attempted to do our part to support the local economy :-) . There were definately parts of the trail that were more "chamber of Commerce" than others but overall the trail was in fantastic shape. Though not all trailheads provide water we found 99% of them to be clean and well cared for. The info boards are also a great way to learn about the history of the trail and area. This site was also a great aid in planning the trip and has spoiled me as far as trip planning goes.



Thanks again to the DNR and the webmaster for a wonderful vacation.

I don't mind that some of my tax dollars go to the DNR or the Missouri Department of Conservation one little bit! We use the trail every chance we get and are proud that it is there for us and our neighbors to use.



No....it's not a perfect world or a perfect trail though. Labor Day weekend there was some nice cracks, fault lines or something west of McKittrick. They weren't there earlier in the summer and probably won't be there forever. Other parts of the trail are very pristine. The DNR, in my book, does a very good job for the miles of trail that they maintain.



Ray does a fantastic job with this website too. It is literally a wealth of information about the Katy. Maybe you've thought of branching out with sites like this for other trails Ray??

I agree - kudos to the DNR for the fantastic job they do in running the Katy Trail. It's a real treasure for Missouri.

Thank you for the compliments on the website. To answer your question, Trek Biker - I run two other websites, but BikeKatyTrail is definitely the biggie.

I also run BikeGrantsTrail.com, which covers Grant's Trail in suburban St Louis. This paved rail-trail goes past many interesting sights such as the Budweiser Clydesdale barns and pastures, Grant's Farm animal park (free beer samples from Anheuser Busch!), President Ulysses Grant's home, a couple of old cemeteries, and more... all in less than 8 miles. It's a much simpler website than BikeKatyTrail, for a much smaller (but busier) trail.

I also really like Sanibel Island, Florida, so I built SanibelTrails.com to cover the 25 miles of bike trails on this little island. The island is networked with bike paths, making two wheels the best way to get around bewteen the beaches, hotels, and attractions. It's got to be one of the most bike-friendly islands in the country.

Between these three websites, I've got my hands pretty full. But if anyone knows of any other trails that would be a perfect candidate for a fresh new website, drop me a line.

Thanks for asking!

Ray, I just checked out your Sanibel site.....it's great. My wife and I have been going to Captiva for years and have always been impressed with the Sanibel bike trails. I've heard talk recently of extending the trail up through Captiva.

i agree, this is a great website!!

It was a great tool, and it made I was able to gain enough info to convince my hubby to to the trip. He loved it as much as me... We Will Be Back!!!!!!

I agree, what a great trail and this website is extremely helpful.

Very nice shop! One of the only bike shops that I found open between Jeff City & St. Charles. Prices on tubes was high ($5 each...typically $2.50 or $3 for my bike), but I was willing to pay price. Located right next to trail.

Very nice shop! One of the only bike shops that I found open between Jeff City & St. Charles. Prices on tubes was high ($5 each...typically $2.50 or $3 for my bike), but I was willing to pay price. Located right next to trail.

Went by on a Saturday morning. Only had soda vending machine & bike pump outside. Was hoping to find someone to get change, but was out of luck.

Went by on a Saturday morning. Only had soda vending machine & bike pump outside. Was hoping to find someone to get change, but was out of luck.

Stopped by on a Saturday morning only to discover store was closed. Found out in the next town that store closed down. I was looking forward to the New Orleans Snowball.

Stopped by on a Saturday morning only to discover store was closed. Found out in the next town that store closed down. I was looking forward to the New Orleans Snowball.

Sorry, got this place mixed up with Augusta Bicycle. Scenic Cycles appears to still be in business, but only on the weekend.

Sorry, got this place mixed up with Augusta Bicycle. Scenic Cycles appears to still be in business, but only on the weekend.

Nice place to eat. Stopped after long day of riding. Friendly people who helped my uncle and I find lodging in nearby town.

Nice place to eat. Stopped after long day of riding. Friendly people who helped my uncle and I find lodging in nearby town.

Very friendly! After failing to find a place open on the trail, this place had their doors open. Good Food!

Very friendly! After failing to find a place open on the trail, this place had their doors open. Good Food!

Had high hopes to stopping here for lunch, but they weren't open. Found out later down the trail that finding this place open is hit or miss. The Riverfrong Bar & Grill in Portland is a better bet for being open.

Had high hopes to stopping here for lunch, but they weren't open. Found out later down the trail that finding this place open is hit or miss. The Riverfrong Bar & Grill in Portland is a better bet for being open.

Small town with nothing to really offer bikers. Market has small groceries, but no biking accessories. Don't recommend making this a primary stop.

Small town with nothing to really offer bikers. Market has small groceries, but no biking accessories. Don't recommend making this a primary stop.

A nice 50's style dinner. Great place to eat if Hartsburg is one of your stops.

A nice 50's style dinner. Great place to eat if Hartsburg is one of your stops.

Very accommodating. Called one hour before arriving. Room had tv, microfridge w/juice & yogurt, patio to cover bikes & plenty of space.

Very accommodating. Called one hour before arriving. Room had tv, microfridge w/juice & yogurt, patio to cover bikes & plenty of space.

Great stop for a meal. Located right on trail before you cross over the bridge in Boonville. Highly recommend.

Great stop for a meal. Located right on trail before you cross over the bridge in Boonville. Highly recommend.

Camped out in a tent the first night of my ride. Had hot showers and running water. Not a bad deal for $7 a tent.

Camped out in a tent the first night of my ride. Had hot showers and running water. Not a bad deal for $7 a tent.

Ate breakfast after staying at state fair grounds. Somewhat off the trail, but easily accessable from trail through side roads.

Ate breakfast after staying at state fair grounds. Somewhat off the trail, but easily accessable from trail through side roads.

Have free air compressor for your bike tires. Filled up my water bottle for free. Very close to trail.

Have free air compressor for your bike tires. Filled up my water bottle for free. Very close to trail.

Very friendly people. Doesn't look like they carry bikes or biking accessories, but they do. I bought two tubes.

Very friendly people. Doesn't look like they carry bikes or biking accessories, but they do. I bought two tubes.

Hmmm... There seems to be a lot of comments about multiple flat tires when riding the trail. What's causing these flats and why do some folks seem to get them but others not at all?

Great question. I have also read many comments about taking a spare and fix a flat. I was also wondering the same thing. Thanks for asking.

Here is some good info about tires for the trail:

http://www.bikekatytrail.com/tires.asp

That is apparently one of the many mysteries of the Katy. We have ridden many miles, between Sedalia and Treloar, and have not had a flat tire one. Our bike tires are 26 x 1.95 and 700 x 28 (to 35)C…..nothing special……no super duper high dollar steel/Kevlar/kryptonite belted radials.



Although we have not had any flats, I carry a very small package of stick-on patches, a pump, and one spare tube of each size just in case. Traveling with more than that is overkill for us. Stick on patches are quick and easy to apply and do not require unreleasing a wheel to remove a tube. And…..yes they do work well when applied properly. If you don’t know what you’re doing….a patch of any kind or removing a wheel axle to slide a tube past won’t work well for you.

The Trail is out in the world of nature and there are sometimes sharp, pointy things in

nature. I ride tires about an inch wide that are Kevlar belted and haven't had many flats. But,

one of the flats I had was out in the middle of nowhere where I ran over this HUGE

thorn....another time I had a flat becuase of just a bad tube. In neither case would a patch kit

of helped...the thorn tear was too big and the bad tube split right close to the valve stem. If I

had not had spare tubes and a pump both times, I would have been walking. I have seen

folks along the Trail with flats because they are riding road bikes with road bike slicks. And,

sometimes, flats just happen. Better to be prepared with a spare tube ... unless you just

enjoy walking your bike...

The vines that tend to crawl over the trail (have no idea of their name)do have thorns, so be careful and avoid riding over them if possible.

Wow, thanks for all the great advice and direction!

Fellow Bikies,



We'd appreciate any info/comments regarding Hwy 13 between the Warrensburg Amtrak station and Clinton. The MO bikemap shows at least some shoulder on parts of it, but it would be great to hear from folks who have first-hand knowledge.



Thanks,



Wilson Hubbell

Don't do it!

See this thread for an alternate route provided by my friend Barbara from Warrensburg:

http://www.bikekatytrail.com/talk.aspx?thid=101

Ditto what savage24 says. Traffic is fast, they aren't used to seeing bikes, no real shoulder to

speak of and last time I drove it (in the last few weeks) there was lots of construction, lane

closures, heavy equipment, etc.

Fellow Bikies,



Thanks for the advice and direction re: Hwy 13 between Warrensburg and Clinton. We've amended our plans so we can stay clear of it...



Wilson Hubbell

Glenn's Cafe, formerly in Columbia, is now open in Boonville! Great food and lots of it! The restaurant is located about 50 feet off the trail in the old Frederick Hotel at the foot of the Boonville Bridge. It is somewhat upscale casual, but I would compare it favorably to any of the nicer restaurants along the trail.

Hopefully, there will be a listing under the Boonville section soon with all the details. Right now, I believe they are only open for dinner, and are closed on Sundays, but lunch can't be too far away. This is a big plus for Boonville! Now, if they can get the Frederick Hotel rooms finished, it will be a great overnight stop.

My wife and I have been training for a century for Team in Training. We have been doing 40-60 miles at a time, but all on the road. We want to do the KT but reading some of the comments here, it appears we may not want to attempt the trail from St. Charles to Hermann with road bikes. Can anyone recommend from experience what they would do in order to enjoy the trail on road bikes?

You should be fine on the road bikes, some friends and I rode from Washington to Sedalia on our road bikes without any problems. We did use 700x25 tires though.

Last year in September my wife and I did the Katy Trail from St. Charles to Clinton. We used our road bikes with saddle bags and supplies for 5 days, this year on Oct l- 6th we are doing it again from Clinton to St. Charles. I would suggest mountain bikes, I had several flats because of the tires on the road bikes, also we did run into some soft trails by Boonville and regreted not having the mountain bikes. This year we are using mountain bikes, also we feel they are more stable with heavy saddle bags on both sides. Either way, the ride is great, the trail is the best and the sites are very enjoyable. Good luck.

Hello Jim, a couple of friends any myself did a 175 mile ride and we were all using roadies. Besided 1 flat tire it worked out extremely well. I would suggest getting a good pair of Thorn Resistant tubes like the Slime tubes and running nothing smaller than a 700x25 tire which is what we were all using. It even rained almost the entire first day of our ride and we had no problems with the skinny slicks. I always hear people talk on here like they sink to their hubs or something crazy like that on the trail but I can tell you from an all day slow soaking rain, we didn't experience anything like that. I had a seatpost rack with a big trunk bag ontop of it and a friend of mine had full paniers completely loaded on his. Yes the bikes seem more unstable with that weight on the rear compared to that set-up on a heavy mtn bike frame, but it never posed a problem. I would definately recommend using your roadies for the trail, espcially if you are like me and just find yourself more comfortable on it. Then if you decide to bike off the trail in the towns and such, you have the perfect set-up to do so. We bikes all over the town of Hermann and New Franklin and rididng those miles on the road just looking around was really nice to have our roadies. Hope this was helpful and enjoy your ride!!

Bikers - we still have rooms available for 2006. We have 2 Luxury Suites with a private entrance. Each room has a queen bed and sofa sleeper, private bath with shower for two. Kitchen area includes a small refridgator, wine cooler, microwave, coffee maker, toaster and best of all a washer and dryer. Ask about the Katy Trail Special which includes room and continental breakfast. Enjoy the trail and Augusta at the 1857 Inn. For more information please call 636-228-4234.

We are a family of four. Novices without spandex ect. We ride short 6 to 10 mile rides around Maryville. Was wondering if we would be in over our heads riding from Mokane to McKittrick.

bearcat84, it appears to be only bouts 25 miles one way. take plenty of water, some snacks, and i don't see a problem at all. happy bikin

Thats hard to answer without knowing more about your family. For me a 52 year-old, 20 miles is a good ride and 30 is quite the work out.

I'd keep in mind that the distance from Mokane to McKittrick is twice to four times what you are used to riding about the 'ville. Rolling resistance is somewhat greater on the Katy than it is on the town streets. Unless you are visiting someone in either of those towns, I'd consider getting on the trail at Rocheport and riding towards McBaine and back. It's about nine miles from Rocheport to McBain. There are some neat things to see along there that may be of interest to the family......a tunnel to ride thru, an old amunitions bunker, a cave, petroglyphs, stately limestone bluffs, etc. A portion of this ride parallels, with close proximity to, the river also. Rocheport also has a nice bike shop with a family oriented resturant.



The advantage of "spandex" is the padding in the shorts....not the spandex itself. If as a general rule....your family rumps get along well with the bike seats, you'll be fine without spandex. My need for the padding within usually hits at around the 35 mile mark the first day. Enjoy the ride....from a fellow Bearcat '84 & '90.

I would second the route recommendation. We did this route in July with a 10 year old and 12 year old and it was perfect. Lots to look at a little challenge. Park at the trailhead in Rocheport and head west to the tunnel then come back east to McBaine.

To Trek Biker St. Joseph (or anyone else), are you sure that its overnight parking? I have seen quite a few parking places along the trail but a lot do not allow overnight.

Email from DNR about overnite parking:



Overnight parking at a trailhead would be at your own risk as the trail is patrolled only during daylight hours. You may wish to contact the area sheriff's office to let them know you will be leaving your vehicle there, so that they do not question it.



Angie Even

Missouri State Park System

Department of Natural Resources

P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102

www.mostateparks.com / moparks@dnr.mo.gov

Missouri's state parks and historic sites are funded primarily by the one-tenth-of-one-percent parks-and-soils sales tax. The tax was first approved by Missouri voters in 1984 and renewed by voters in 1988, 1996 and 2006.

Is there overnight parking at this location? Please respond to jkinney@metrotilekc.com.



Thanks

Is there overnight parking at this location? Please respond to jkinney@metrotilekc.com.



Thanks

Can you tell me if there is overnight parking available in Dutow? We are trying to plan a trip to McKittrick and don't want to get our vehicle towed.

- posted 9/18/2006 7:08:44 PM by john kinney , leawood, kansas



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There is ample parking at the trailhead in Dutzow.

- posted 9/18/2006 9:41:37 PM by Trek Biker , St. Joseph, MO



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We are doing the reverse of you :) How do you getacross the bridge into Herman? That road is way to fast.

- posted 9/18/2006 11:41:04 PM by tammy , wright city



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Many of the B&B's will shuttle you from Hermann to McKittrick...check with who you are staying with as they may already have you covered.



Many warn not to ride the bridge in Jefferson City and Hermann. We have ridden both and found them not to be as bad as the thermal runaway crowd might want you to think. If you are a novice....the Hermann bridge may not be for you. If you are accustomed to riding in or near traffic.....time your entry onto the bridge with little or no traffic behind you. The Hermann locals seem to be accomodating.

- posted 9/19/2006 8:43:55 AM by Trek Biker , St. Joseph, MO

Can you tell me if there is overnight parking available in Dutow? We are trying to plan a trip to McKittrick and don't want to get our vehicle towed.

- posted 9/18/2006 7:08:44 PM by john kinney , leawood, kansas



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There is ample parking at the trailhead in Dutzow.

- posted 9/18/2006 9:41:37 PM by Trek Biker , St. Joseph, MO



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We are doing the reverse of you :) How do you getacross the bridge into Herman? That road is way to fast.

- posted 9/18/2006 11:41:04 PM by tammy , wright city



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Many of the B&B's will shuttle you from Hermann to McKittrick...check with who you are staying with as they may already have you covered.



Many warn not to ride the bridge in Jefferson City and Hermann. We have ridden both and found them not to be as bad as the thermal runaway crowd might want you to think. If you are a novice....the Hermann bridge may not be for you. If you are accustomed to riding in or near traffic.....time your entry onto the bridge with little or no traffic behind you. The Hermann locals seem to be accomodating.

- posted 9/19/2006 8:43:55 AM by Trek Biker , St. Joseph, MO

I just spoke with the Department of Natural Resources, and they said that overnight parking is allowed at all trailheads. They suggested that if you will be gone for several days, you may want to let local law enforcement know about your car as a courtesy. That way they won't suspect that it is stolen or abandoned. As long as you're on the state's trailhead parking lots, and not on any private business's lot, you should be fine.

I just spoke with the Department of Natural Resources, and they said that overnight parking is allowed at all trailheads. They suggested that if you will be gone for several days, you may want to let local law enforcement know about your car as a courtesy. That way they won't suspect that it is stolen or abandoned. As long as you're on the state's trailhead parking lots, and not on any private business's lot, you should be fine.

We have been goint to Boonville since they opened and have always enjoyed there buffet but the last year it has been very poor with quality and selection. Yesterday I took a friend of mine and was so embarressed as the food was not only poorly fixed with very little selection but when I asked for a few of your usual items they said didnt have any. Even your ice cream area did not have any toppings.

Guess that is the last time we visit Boonville.

PS You used to have a great buffet



Jeannine Fautsch

We have been goint to Boonville since they opened and have always enjoyed there buffet but the last year it has been very poor with quality and selection. Yesterday I took a friend of mine and was so embarressed as the food was not only poorly fixed with very little selection but when I asked for a few of your usual items they said didnt have any. Even your ice cream area did not have any toppings.

Guess that is the last time we visit Boonville.

PS You used to have a great buffet



Jeannine Fautsch

My husband and I just completed the Katy Trail from Clinton to St. Charles. What an absolutely beautiful ride!! We stayed at the Best Western Colonial Motel in Clinton, the Best Western State Fair Inn in Sedalia, the Katy Trail Bed and Bikefest in Rocheport, the Truman Hotel in Jefferson City (they provided a shuttle from the North Jefferson stop to the hotel and back again), Birk's Gasthaus (a bed and breakfast)in Hermann (they provided a shuttle from the McKittrick stop to the bed & breakfast and back again), and the Best Western St. Charles Inn in St. Charles. All the hotels and bed & breakfasts were outstanding. Everyone was so accomodating and friendly. We actually left our vehicle parked in St. Charles and took the Amtrak (with our bikes) to Sedalia. The first day we biked to Clinton because we wanted to start at the beginning and do the entire ride. I just can't say enough good things about our experience. Missouri does an excellent job keeping the trail and all the trailstops clean and in great condition. Thanks for a great vacation!!

You know that Florida isn't exactly a slouch when it comes to Rails to Trails....check out the Pinellas RailTrail. The Heritage RailTrail should be great once completed...mainland to Key West on a dedicated trail....all over that!!! Glad you enjoyed the KATY, it is a great trail. Regards......Mark of the Dalton Boys

We had a wonderful 2 night stay with Lucy. She made us feel right at home and opened her home to the 4 of us. Not only were the rooms wonderful, but the breakfasts were excellent. We will definitely stay at Loutre Lane B&B the next time we are in the area. We also feel that we made a new friend. Thanks Lucy.

We had a wonderful 2 night stay with Lucy. She made us feel right at home and opened her home to the 4 of us. Not only were the rooms wonderful, but the breakfasts were excellent. We will definitely stay at Loutre Lane B&B the next time we are in the area. We also feel that we made a new friend. Thanks Lucy.

I've also stayed at Loutre Lane B&B twice. Had a wonderful stay both times. Even though it's a bit of a hill to get up to her place, it is well worth it.

I've also stayed at Loutre Lane B&B twice. Had a wonderful stay both times. Even though it's a bit of a hill to get up to her place, it is well worth it.

Myself and a group of friends stay with Lucy every fall on our "Katy Trail Extravaganza presented by Little Buddy". This will be our 3rd time staying with her coming up in October and it is always a pleasure. She runs a great business and makes you feel right at home. See you in October Lucy!

Myself and a group of friends stay with Lucy every fall on our "Katy Trail Extravaganza presented by Little Buddy". This will be our 3rd time staying with her coming up in October and it is always a pleasure. She runs a great business and makes you feel right at home. See you in October Lucy!

Hi! A couple of girlfriends and I are newbies to this biking THING and are planning a ride on the Katy trail from Clinton to Sedalia in September. We all have bikes that are from discount retailers (I bought mine at Target for $75.00 and I like it fine, just put a new seat on it. Is this kind of bike going to be sufficient for this trail? Do any of you pros have any pointers or suggestions for us? Right now we are just planning to wear backpacks with what we think are the neccessities. I know that that section of the trail is about 35 miles and I am thinking we can get through it in a day, am I way off here? Thanks you very much in advance, obviously we are clueless!

Shan

I think you'll be fine, just about any bike will do on the KATY unless it rains hard for more than a day or two. Just make sure you have an extra tube &/or tube patching kit and a bike pump in case you have a flat. 35 miles is very doable in a day if you are in shape. Just an observation, the Clinton to Sedelia portion of the trail in my opinion is the least attractive part and it is the only area where horses are allowed on the trail. If I were you I would drive on a little further and bike from either Sedelia or Rocheport east. You're going to love the KATY.

Thank you very much. How far is your suggested portion of the trail? I am thankful you told me, I had no clue if it was scenic or not. It would be much more enjoyable if the scenery were nice! I will pack a tube and pump, I wasn't going to. When I said newbie, I meant a REAL newbie! Would you suggest starting off in Sedalia or ending there? Thanks again.

I have biked many times on the Katy and love it. You should be fine but the most attractive spots are up around Rochport and Columbia. There is an excellent trail leading from Colombia to the Katy. Also up around Herman MO is pretty but the cliffs as I70 crosses the river very nice.

We usually ride 20-25 miles up one way, eat and then double back to the starting point. We ride 15-17 mph so 36 miles in a day is very doable. even newbies could do 8-10 mph. Take light snacks and good water, plan on having a great meal after as celebration. You should feel great.

We have had a group do what you are doing and the newbies have always had a great time. One tip, put a rack on the back of your bike for your belongings. Carrying a back pack on your back while riding will be very hard on your neck and back. I use a river bag on my rack which keeps everything nice and dry too. Have a great time!

I bought a kart from Wal Mart for 77 bucks its great it holds everything in it and is light weight.My cat Tarzan rides with us all the time in it.We like it so much that we are going to get another one for our trip to Herman at the end of Sept.You will like it.

Preventive maintenance is key with any bike...have a local bike shop (LBS) mechanic make sure its good to go, and take drivetrain (chain, gear & wheel bearing) lubrication. The western end has its own different type of beauty and my point is if your goal is to do the KATY wouldn't you want to "end-to-end" it? Above all its a wonderful cruise...not a race. Enjoy the voyage....Mark of the Dalton Boys

There are some pretty nasty ruts/cracks in the trail west of McKittrick. They are large enough to snag all but the widest mountain bike tire.

You got that right. Those ruts are nasty. We were thinking that the New Madrid Fault had relocated.

we were there the 13 & 14 the ruts are gone!!!! It would have surprised me if they weren't....

Birk's was fantastic. I rode the trail from Weldon Spring to Hermann and stayed at Birk's this Sunday. The owner Rick picked us up at McKittrick on the trail. I ended up with a flat tire at the end of my trip and the trail was really wet from rain. Rick hosed off our bikes, fixed my flat tire and replaced it with one of his own innertubes and tires at no charge. He also washed our wet clothes and shoes and provided us with refreshments and brownies in the afternoon. He then drove us to Stone Hill Winery for a great dinner. The breakfast was also great. Rick also drove us back over to the trail for our return ride. This hospitality made the trip very enjoyable and saved me from having to find a bike shop in Hermann. The house was also fantastic and the rooms very clean. Overall a great experience.

Birk's was fantastic. I rode the trail from Weldon Spring to Hermann and stayed at Birk's this Sunday. The owner Rick picked us up at McKittrick on the trail. I ended up with a flat tire at the end of my trip and the trail was really wet from rain. Rick hosed off our bikes, fixed my flat tire and replaced it with one of his own innertubes and tires at no charge. He also washed our wet clothes and shoes and provided us with refreshments and brownies in the afternoon. He then drove us to Stone Hill Winery for a great dinner. The breakfast was also great. Rick also drove us back over to the trail for our return ride. This hospitality made the trip very enjoyable and saved me from having to find a bike shop in Hermann. The house was also fantastic and the rooms very clean. Overall a great experience.