Rock Island Trail Forum

I am going to run the KATY from Clinton to St. Charles in NOov. Can anyone who has hiked it give me details as to water stops, miles per day they hhiked, problems, etc.

Pilot Grove is midway between St. Charles and Clinton. We have bathroom access at the trailhead but have some great restaurants and grocery store directly across from the trailhead as well as camping and bathroom facilities at our city park. We would love to have you stay in Pilot Grove on your way through.

Unless they have moved Pilot Grove, it's nowhere near the half-way mark. I believe it's closer to 1/3 of the way.

Beautiful photos, Jeff. A caption correction though for "Bambu, near Dutzow": Those plants are not Bamboo, but are known as Horsetails, a.k.a. Equisetum. There are quite a few species and I don't know which one is in your picture. It looks like this person knows a lot about Horsetails, and probably would like to see your photo of them: http://members.eunet.at/m.matus/



John

Rode from JC to McKttrick and back then JC to Boonville and back.

Penrod View BB is not very great and not very clean. Wouldn't reccomend it. Had 2 flats, but Bob & Maggie @ RIverview traders store (Wilton) saved the day...took us to Hartburg Cycle depot. Both couples were great! Great trip...Take you Katy Trail Guide book.

This place is awesome. They beer is really good. The atmosphere is great. If the weather is nice, the beer garden is the perfect place to hang out. You can see it from the trail.

This place is awesome. They beer is really good. The atmosphere is great. If the weather is nice, the beer garden is the perfect place to hang out. You can see it from the trail.

I agree, great beer, much better than the beer at the Trailhead Brewery in St. Charles.

I agree, great beer, much better than the beer at the Trailhead Brewery in St. Charles.

My Dad and I went on a 4 day ride from Sedalia to Herman and back. The folks at Birks were the best. They treated us like kings!! They came to the trail head at McKittrick and picked us up, drove us to a restaurant for dinner and then came back and picked us up. While we were out Rick though our riding clothes in the wash. Since we had a 70 mile ride the next day we talked to Rick about getting an early start and if there was any way that we could something for breakfast and a ride back to the trail head. He set up a early breakfast (eggs, french toast, sausage and fresh fruit... WOWit was a tremendous meal)then he gave us the keys to his truck and told us to take it and they would pick it up latter. I know we will be back next year. 5 stars.

My Dad and I went on a 4 day ride from Sedalia to Herman and back. The folks at Birks were the best. They treated us like kings!! They came to the trail head at McKittrick and picked us up, drove us to a restaurant for dinner and then came back and picked us up. While we were out Rick though our riding clothes in the wash. Since we had a 70 mile ride the next day we talked to Rick about getting an early start and if there was any way that we could something for breakfast and a ride back to the trail head. He set up a early breakfast (eggs, french toast, sausage and fresh fruit... WOWit was a tremendous meal)then he gave us the keys to his truck and told us to take it and they would pick it up latter. I know we will be back next year. 5 stars.

This place has awesome burgers. It was a little smokey inside, but it is a bar. The prices were fairly cheap too.

This place has awesome burgers. It was a little smokey inside, but it is a bar. The prices were fairly cheap too.

I camped here in August for one night. I was a little weary of camping in a city park, but went and ahead and did it becuase the price was right. There were lots of families hanging out at the park and everybody was very freindly.

I camped here in August for one night. I was a little weary of camping in a city park, but went and ahead and did it becuase the price was right. There were lots of families hanging out at the park and everybody was very freindly.

I stayed here one night in August. The grounds were super clean. It was a very relaxing place. I would reccomend camping here.

I stayed here one night in August. The grounds were super clean. It was a very relaxing place. I would reccomend camping here.

I stayed here one night in August. This place is really set up for giant RV's. I was the only person there with a tent. It was however rather quiet and much cheaper than a hotel. In fact nobody ever came and collected the camp fee. I would of fit in better if i had an f-350 and full out cowboy clothes.

I stayed here one night in August. This place is really set up for giant RV's. I was the only person there with a tent. It was however rather quiet and much cheaper than a hotel. In fact nobody ever came and collected the camp fee. I would of fit in better if i had an f-350 and full out cowboy clothes.

I stayed here for one night in August. It was located right on the water with incredible sweeping views of the river. There was a great vibe there. They had live music (over by about 10), and were serving excellent thai food. I would highly reccomend staying there.

I stayed here for one night in August. It was located right on the water with incredible sweeping views of the river. There was a great vibe there. They had live music (over by about 10), and were serving excellent thai food. I would highly reccomend staying there.

I stayed here for one night in August. This is a beautiful campground. There is even a kitchen to use. The hill into the campground is a fun little climb.

I stayed here for one night in August. This is a beautiful campground. There is even a kitchen to use. The hill into the campground is a fun little climb.

I'm hoping to do my first Katy ride in late September. As I'm unfamiliar with the trail, and not quite sure of how much ground I'll cover in a day, I plan to do it as an "in & out" ride, starting in St. Charles. It sounds kinda wimpy, but rather than camp along the way, I plan to stay in motels... and, I really pefer an actual motel to a bed and breakfast. Does anyone know if reservations are neccesary? Because, since I don't know how fast I'll move along the trail, I really don't know where I'll wind up at the end of each day. I want to take my time and enjoy the sites without feeling that I HAVE to make it to a particular milemarker at the end of the day.



Can anybody help?



gboker@umd.edu

We are biking the entire trail - Clinton to St. Charles - also at the end of September. I found that most places are booked on the weekends at that time of year, so I planned 40-50 mile days, and reserved. You may find yourself struggling to find a place to stay otherwise.

depending on how far u bike each day, you may have a hard time finding a hotel in certain areas. there is a hostel in one of the small towns, it's very reasonable also, but forgot which town it was in. maybe someone else can shed some light on that part. have fun and stay safe.

The hostel is in Tebbetts.

I guess I'll do a little more planning. Just winging it may not be a good idea. Thank you all for your help!

The ability to effectively wing it is directly proportional to the heat here in Missouri. Most prefer and therefore cause the need for reservations when the weather is cooler. There are many places to stay along the trail. I hope you do find some and have good trip.

I live in Augusta Missouri which is 28 miles from St. Charles. I also own a B&B, the Lindenhof B&B. Just to let you know, there aren't any hotels/motels except in the larger towns, like Hermann, Jeff City, Sedalia, Clinton. I suggest you purchase a Katy Trail Guidebook to take with you and I would strongly urge you to get reservations ahead of time, especially for weekends. September is a very busy month and I have had to turn cyclists away when they come to the door looking for rooms. There just aren't that many accommodations in the area. Also, B&B owners aren't always at their inns 24/7, as we do things like shopping, going to the doctor etc...so you may knock on a door that won't have anyone home. With the right planning, you will have time to stop along the way and still reach your scheduled destination without pushing it, if you don't try for high miles. Some people do the trail in 3 days, some in 6 or 7. Figure out your daily mileage limit and go from there. I hope this helps. Also, very curious as to why you prefer motel over B&B?

I have also found that it is best to plan ahead.

The Ramada in Jeff City will actually come and get you at the trail head/and trasport you over the river (which especially in rush hour you don't want to do) for free. They also give you a great rate. Daughters and I have stayed there 3 different times.

We found that we can do about 45 easy with stops/breaks/playing around. It does depend on the weather here though.

Hope it helps.

I agree, I much prefer a motel to a Bed and Breakfast, also. There's MUCH, MUCH more privacy, especially when coming and going. I also like to "do my own thing" for meals. They are also MUCH more economical. I can't justify paying $100-$150 for just a place to catch a night's sleep before hitting the trail again the next day. On a 4-5 day bike trip, you could pay upwards of $400-$600 just to sleep at night! RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am with you on the $$ for staying at Bed and Breakfasts. We are doing a 5 day ride, and with careful planning are keeping our "sleeping" costs at a minimum by staying in 1)Motel in Sedalia ($60) 2)The very reasonably priced Katy B&B in Rocheport ($60 night) 3) The Katy trail shelter/hostel in Tebbetts ($5), and a pricier B&B at $110. If you put some planning time in, you can probably do pretty well. Also, some of the campgrounds will rent you a tent, and a sleeping bag, which might accomodate you also.

The best town that we stopped in on the trail. Jeanett, from the hotel, was very friendly and helpful even after we told her we were camping and not staying at the hotel. Dottie's served us peach cobler even though they were closed. We had a good nights rest on the gazebo in our tent.

I am currently in the middle of hiking the whole trail, west to east. For the most part, the trail has been great. I do think, however, that the state needs to get its act together on the water situation. I think that every trailhead should have water, period. I understand that some of them are in rural areas, but in 2006 and with all the rural water districts in the state, I think some solution could be found. Twenty five miles between reliable water stops (Sedalia to Pilot Grove)is simply unacceptable. This is a safety issue. And if you read the sign coming into Clifton City, you are led to belive that water or some sort of beverages are available. I was not the only person there on Monday to misunderstand this sign. What can we, as the trail-using community, do about this?



Otherwise, the trailhead at Clifton City was perfectly nice. It is nice and shady, etc.



OK. now it is time to get off my soapbox

I'm not an engineer but I don't think the lack of water is an engineering problem but rather a cost issue. In most (maybe all) cases the availability of water would be seasonable and would have to be shut off during the winter and then turned on and tested again each Spring. I guess all this costs money. That said, they did do a great job on the restrooms but he porta potties need to be looked after better. For now, I just pack more water.

Seems to be alot of things in this old world in year 2006 that are simply unacceptable. Running potable water at every base camp on a remote trail is miniscule. Like Joe, I also pack more water. Perhaps easier to do with a bike than walking. A method of water purification may be in order if I were hiking, as there seems to be plenty of water sources.

Oh, I agree that in the greater scheme of things, lack of potable water seems minor. I accept the fact that it would have to seasonal, and that there would be some cost associated with providing water at all the trail heads, but it just strikes me as something that can and should be provided.

If the Boonville bridge is sold, as seems likely, I wonder where all the proceeds will go? The General Fund, or will at least some of the money be rolled back into the trail. That seems the least that could be done.

The trail is such a great resource, I just think that that aspect could be improved on.

While I agree that you should be prepared and carry your own water, there are some pretty long stretches, especially for walkers--the Clifton City stretch is one, and also around Weldon Springs. I would at least like to see the trail maps mark whether or not there is water available at trailheads.

Having the maps that are available at the trailheads marked is a good idea. Perhaps you should contact the DNR and make that request. I rarely have one of those at home when planning a trip, so that they were marked would be of little benefit for me. When I pick one up at a trailhead, it would be a bit to late beings I was already there.



Using the Plan a Ride feature of this website tho, you can check the box next to the water icon to see which towns you will be passing through has water. Also, wasn't too long ago that this thread, "Water at trailheads Started: Aug 27 2006 12:54PM by margie, blue springs" had 8 posters relaying information about which towns currently have water at either the trailhead, or available from a neighborhood store or vendo.

Read with interest that you are hiking the entire trail. Would love to know particulars? Are you finished? How many days did it take?

Did you keep a journal. I plan on running the entire trail in Nov. Contact me direct if you wish dbiersmiht@imckc.com

Is it really true there is no water between North Jefferson and Marthasville?

I am running the trail in NOv. and can not carry that much water.

David, Even though there may be no water at the actual trailheads themselves, many of the small towns do have places to get water. Also, if you're running in November, check with the DNR to see when the water at the trailheads (the ones so equiped) will be shut off for the winter. If I remember correctly, it happens during November. Even if the water at the trailheads is off for the winter, just do your homework so you know in advance where to find water in all the little towns and you'll have a great run.

This comment is directed to the gentleman who is presently hiking the entire Trail. I plan on running it in Nov. and would sure aprreciate speaking to you about your journey. Could you call me @ 816.241.4477 or 816 694 7762. thanks David Biersmith

David, I just came off the trail this morning. I had to bail at McKittrick because of problems with my feet. I did 160+ miles and had about 60 left to go, so I am not going to hang my head too much.



I am fairly new to the whole long-distance hiking thing, and have definitely learned a few lessons on what to do next time. One thing I would suggest is having someone to provide support throughout the trail. I was carrying a 50+ pound backpack, which screwed up my gait, which caused the blisters to form and some strains on the ankles, which caused more gait changes, which caused more blisters.... you get the idea.



This is one of the reasons I was complaining about a lack of water at all the trailheads. I could have easily knocked 10 pounds off my backpack by carrying less water on some of those "dry" stretches.



I have been writing a blog about this walk, and I will be planning to add the address in the next day or so. Basically, I was planning on doing the whole trail in about 12 days. I am convinced that my basic plan was sound, I just need to do a little better logistics planning.



I will be back on the trail in the next couple of months to finish it off. I have not given up yet!

gc,

Just courious about your web access during your hike, did you carry your laptop? At the last minute I decided to take mine along on our end to end ride for web access and some light business. I have decided after this trip that the next time my computer gets to ride my bike the ride will need to be longer than a week. Even though I was on wheels that was 7 lbs I could have done without.

gc - Congratulations on your incredible accomplishment. 160 miles on foot is pretty amazing no matter how you slice it. I'm really looking forward to reading your blog.



David B - There is water between N Jefferson and Mokane. You probably got the impression that there was none by using the "Plan-a-Ride" feature on this website. To get a more accurate picture of water availability, also check the Groceries and Vending Machine checkboxes when doing a Plan-a-ride. The grocery will always have water of course. Vending machines sometimes have just soda, but along the trail quite a few of them also stock water and sport drinks. Even if the other only option is just soda, it can still do the job in a pinch, to help you avoid dehydration (and get a few carbohydrates while you're at it). You might also want to look at the restaurant options - most restaurants along the trail are pretty informal and would not mind selling you a to-go drink if you're not up for a meal.



The Water option on the Plan-a-Ride feature can be deceptive since it does not include the types of services listed above. Most facilities are only listed under the Water option if they have a public water fountain or other free and accesible source of water.



Bottom line is to go over all the listings, and make a few phone calls to verify who will be open.



I'm very interested in hearing more about gc's just-completed hike and David's upcoming run - keep us posted, guys!

Congrats on making it 160 miles on the trail! I use a 100 oz. Camelbak when I ride the trail. It also has some storage for food or clothing. There are some on sale right now, so it's a good time to pick one up.

gc.

Great job, 160 miles is a wonderful.

I plan on running/jogging about 25 miles a day. I have planned stops at the end of each day at b.and b.'s and friends in Sedalia and Jeff. City. I am not carrying anything. I know I need to stay hydrated the afternoon and evening before the next day run, and hope that is enought if I cannot find anything in the towns along the way. I bet the trail heads will be sut off by Nov. 18.

Tell me what is wrong with these ideas. Can I make 25 miles a day, etc.

A new mileage sign is being developed and it will be placed in Clinton , MO. This sign has several distance points from Clinton Trailhead in Missouri. It will be posted on the trail within a few weeks or less.



Chad

Trai Volunteer/patroller.

This will be my wife and I first time on the K. trail. We plan to take a day ride from Rochport going east. My wife is new to cycling (3 months) and is worried about how far she can go. What is the grade along this part of the trail? She has done as much as 18 miles on the Tunnel Hill trail in IL. but that is about her limit. Looking at McBain and back, that should be about 16 miles. Any comments.



Thanks

This section is as flat as the KATY gets and usually in really good shape. However, there is no water along the way, so make sure you have enough when you leave Rocheport. The bike shop in Rocheport is nice and has drinks. Make sure you go west first to the tunnel and then turn back east toward McBaine. It's between 1/4 and 1/2 mile to the tunnel if I recall correctly. It's pretty neat. Have fun.

Thanks for the Info on the tunnel. Will make shure we check it out.



Thanks

We rode to McBaine Tuesday and there is a water fountain at McBain now. I didn't check to see if it's functional. We also checked out the new overlook at Eagle Bluff. The overlook is a couple of miles east of McBaine and it's quite a climb up a set of steps to the top but there's a heck of a view from the deck.

Yes, McBaine has water. Also, at Huntsdale, there is Katfish Katies -- sort of a general store/campground. They have drinks available there.

Is it advisable to camp anywhere along the trail if I don't want to camp in a city park? I'm talking about just finding a place a hundred or so feet off the trail, set up a camp, and leave without a trace the next day. Thoughts? Problems? Legalities?

The state park only extends about 50 feet or so on either side of the trail which means you'd be on private property and therefore, trespassing on private property in most cases. I don't think I'd do it.

There are several camping options along the trail. You might want to check out the Roundhouse in New Franklin, Steamboat Junction near Bluffton, and Klondike park near Augusta. I've stayed at the Roundhouse campground......they could not be more accomodating. And there are sites within a few yards of the Katy. We camped at Steamboat Junction over Labor Day weekend and found it to be very clean, neat, and quiet. I would much rather pay ten bucks to camp than have to worry about gettin run off private property by an angry land owner. Court may be a hassle if you have to travel back from Oklahoma for trespassing charges too.

I heard someone put it once..."How would you like it if someone had pitched a tent in your backyard?" Not only is it just wrong, it is illegal. Missouri fought long and hard over the Katy, and tresspass issues were just one of the battles. Please use the campgrounds, or just ask. Most of the towns will let you camp in the city parks.

Don't do it. It's illegal for one thing. The Trail is a day use park only; no camping is permitted. And, previous posts are correct, the trail and only a few feet on either side of it
are actually State property -- 100 yards off the trail is on private property--somebody's back yard or place of business. Landowners along the Trail were NOT happy about the Trail going in and it has just been in the last couple of years that the lawsuits over that land use have been resolved. Don't ruin the Trail for everyone by being a trespasser. There are towns about every 10 miles or so, plenty of places to camp without danger of being arrested...or shot. Sharon

I just spent the night at Birk's last night(Sept. 10). The place is an oasis. I was hiking the entire trail, and needed a left from McKittrick into Hermann. Rick picked me up within about five minutes of my call. I asked if he would mind pulling into a drive thru to let me pick up something for dinner. He countered with an offer to share his pizza back at the house. It tasted great! The bedroom was wonderful. Breakfast was great! Since my cellphone(Sprint) won't work in Hermann, he even loaned me his to call home and get a ride.



This is my second time at Birk's, and I hope to pay many more visits in the future. You can't go wrong by staying there!

On Saturday, 9/9, we went riding in the Clifton City area and got off the trail to see the octagonal barn and Methodist church and cemetary. All are described in the Katy Trail Guidebook and on the interpretive signs in Clifton City. Unfortunately, the old barn has fallen in. However, the church and cemetary are still worth seeing.

This motel is very primitive and yet they can charge $93(including tax) per night if it's peak visitors' season such as the MS 150. Not a pleasant experience.

You are right about Sho-Me Kort,but I think all of the motels in Sedalia are guilty of that during the MS150 weekend. September riders planning to stay in Sedalia on the second Saturday of the month will have a very hard time securing a room, as most are booked.(MS150)

I got caught in a spring downpour down the trail from Peers, called ahead and reserved a room at the store. The day and two nights I spent drying out there were like old home week. The ladies treated me like family. The food is basic and the bathroom spartan, but the hospitality makes it a must-stay every trip in the future for me.

Just curious...where is Peers?

Peers is between Marthasville and Treloar. You can find some additional information and photos on the Peers page. You don't see it in the map at the top of the page because I had to leave out a few of the smaller towns, to keep the map from getting too crowded. The little store there is a great place to visit, and the proprietor has many interesting stories.