Rock Island Trail Forum

Nice historic spot, but the motels are 3.5 miles away--up steep Spring St and then another 3 miles south on Main Street to I70 where the motels are located. When the Isle of Capri Casino opens up their hotel section--2006--it will be across the bridge and very easy access to the trail head, but until then, would not recommend stopping for the night in Booneville if you don't have a chase car!

Not necessarily all true here. If you are starting or finishing a ride in Booneville or passing through, the Comfort Inn is worth checking into. Below is my reply to a recent poster wanting directions to the Comfort Inn:



The Comfort Inn is about a mile east of the Katy...just north of I-70 and a few miles south of Booneville.



If you are riding east to west on the Katy, after you pass the depot in Booneville you will pass through a long stretch of residential district, up a grade for quite a ways and through a small tunnel under a roadway. It's probably 4-5 miles from the depot to the Comfort Inn.



There is a clearing on your left side near mile post #194. A trail through the clearing leads to the Fuqua Homes manufacturing plant. Somewhat confusing there......but, ride through their parking lot toward the south and onto the blacktop road....it will lead you to the Comfort Inn (about a mile) which will be on your right with a truckstop on your left.



We have found the Comfort Inn staff to be very friendly and accomodating. No problem taking your bikes to your room or leaving your car in their parking lot for a few days while you are on the trail.



Enjoy your trip!

- posted 6/29/2005 8:56:48 AM by Trek Biker , St. Joseph, MO

Keep your eyes open to the future, and on the Historic Hotel Frederick. Right on the southeast corner of the Missouri River Brige at 501 High Street Boonville,Mo. Good things are coming.

Wow! Shock and Awe! And all that stuff! Sounds like the palm reader that used to be at the Lake of the Ozarks dam. Seriously now.....so what.....you think you know something no one else does and you're the winner because you are dangling a carrot telling prospective riders nothing. How bout some real information for real people who want to take a real ride. Lets get real!



Post Script....."I seeeeeeee for youuuuu.....great things in the future."

Thanks for letting us know about Hotel Frederick. Any idea WHEN the good things are coming? If you're involved with the hotel, please let me know when it opens so I can include it in the website.

I have mentioned this elsewhere, but it is pertinent to this comment, too. We had a wonderful time at a B&B in Boonville called the Officer's Club. You still can't avoid the hill on Spring Street, but it's close to the trail.

Maybe it's because I grew up in Boonville climbing all those hills, but I just don't see what is so tough about Spring Street from the depot to Main street. It's NOT that steep, and it certainly isn't long. If you don't like that "hill", don't even THINK about staying in Augusta.... (:

There is two B & B 's that I know of that are 2 blocks from the trail and the bridge. One is riverview suites 660-882-0300 and the other is four doors inn. I can't remember the other number. Also the Officers Club on 3rd Street. Just a few more flat blocks.

One of the nicest B&B's in the state, Rivercene Mansion, is at the end of the Boonville bridge. Staying at a Civil War mansion is alot nicer than most places. The rooms are big and beautiful, and the acreage makes it very relaxing. The four of us stayed there for less than $45 each, and that included a nice breakfast.

I am looking for a way to get from clinton to machens...is amtrak the most convenient and how much approx. would that long drive cost? there doesn't seem like there are many sites dedicated to this issue what do ppl usually do? my bf and i want to ride the whole thing and camp each night and not have to ride it back...we want this to be a one way trip

Stacy,

First, know that the trail doesn't really extend to Machens, it ends about two miles west of St Charles. Also, the Amtrack will take you from Kirkwood to Sedalia but that's as far west along the trail as it can take you. I'm not sure there's an ideal solution for you but I have seen where people advertise that they shuttle people along the trail. A possibility might be to make Sedalia a two-day home base, ride to Clinton and back, then head east. Good Luck!

Oh, one other thing - www.Amtrak.com will give you the fair and schedule from Kirkwood (or STL) to Sedailia and they're quite affordable, they allow you to tranport your bike for an additional fee but there is a limit to how many bikes can be transported so it's best to reserve it well in advance.

As BrnSny mentioned, you really just have two options for a 1-way trip: shuttle service or Amtrak. More resources: here's a page discussing the Amtrak option, and a list of shuttle services

Gary Creason, of Creason's Shuttle Service, has been a life-saver for many travellers, and tries to take care of trail riders shuttle needs if possible, from one end of the Katy to the other.

We want to ride the trail in April 29-May 2, approximately. Have never seen the trail. Looks like from your weather map it could be rainy and we could lack services due to being out of season. Closest access for us is the western end. Any advice?

Spring on the trail can be a bit of hit and miss with the weather but don't let that stop you. Most of the time day's are warm, in the high 60's to 70's. I must say you have better weather men than we do to forcast the weather so far in advance, don't always trust weather maps. Service on the trail starts April 1 for those who are still in business, it is hard to make a living on the trail. Some are not open on Mondays, some Tuesday and Wednesday, but most are open Thursdays thru Sunday.

Pack one outfit for cold nights, it can get a little chilly sometimes. Layers of clothing will work and if at all possible rain gear would help.

Rochport to Jeff City is the best part of the trail. Don't forget to check out Amtrak trains and the stations they serve, that would give you a one way ride lasting about 3 days.

Good Luck and Happy Trails

Most places along the trail should be open by then. But, plan ahead...carry an extra water

bottle and a Luna bar in your bag, just in case you get caught. Powdered Gatorade is a

godsend for me.



Other than that, have a great ride! Weather this time of year could be anything. Dress in

layers, leave the jeans at home (too heavy), bring shorts and sweats (or leg warmers),

short sleeve jerseys with arm warmers (because it will be warm during the middle of the

day, probably). The trail is more desolate between Clinton and Booneville, but full of its

own beauty...not unlike the farmland of Iowa. The topography changes between

Booneville and Rocheport where you start to be between the river and tall bluffs. Alos,

once you get to Booneville east there are services about every 10 miles or so (because the

trains needed to refuel every 10 miles, so they built a town everywhere the train needed to

stop!) And, if it rains, well you will get wet...but, then the sun will come out and you will

dry off. And in some places, like in Pilot Grove, the local grocery stores will happily fix you

a sandwich.



Have fun!

Cute little town but sad to say we never got the chance to eat at Dotty's cafe. It seems they close at 2:00 pm on Sundays and don't open again until Wednesday. Thank god for the bike shop they had drinks and snacks, not a full meal but it made my stomach feel better.

I have had that problem with Dottie's too. The bike shop is great. I love the coffee bar there.

I highly recommend the smoothies. It's a great place to sit and relax and chat with the other

bikers.

DO THE BIKE SHOPS ALONG THE KATY TRAIL CARRY THE KATY TRAIL T-SHIRTS?

Not the design that we are selling here, with the map on the back. Emma's in Augusta carried some of our shirts last year, but I'm not yet sure what her plans are for this season. The bike shop in Defiance carried a different design (not ours), with a Katy logo on the front - not sure if there was anything on the back. I don't know about the other bike shops.

For now, if you want any of the map design shirts you'll have to buy them on line here.

Thanks for asking!

j y, the bike shop in rocheport, trailside cafe, does have katy trail t-shirts and a couple different kinds. most of them however, emphasize rocheport. don't remember seein any t-shirts in the other bike shops, but haven't really looked for them either. hope this helps.

Hartsburg Cycle Depot has Katy Trail t-shirts, as well. At least they did last time I was there.

They also have t-shirts for their shop with a cool pic on the front.

I just sent off my registration for the 2006 ride. I used to love ridding bike when I was younger, and did some endurance rides, but age and poor health started to take it's toll on me. After a heart attack a few years ago and many health complications due to my obesity, (336 lbs), I had gastric by-pass surgery 16 months ago and have lost 120 lbs to date. So I'm going to take the plunge and ride the entire trail in June. Really looking forward to it! I think the only bad day might be the 68 mile ride. But I figure, I'll have all day, so it's no big deal. I'm into a serious workout program now at the YMCA, and I can't wait!!



Don, (Gary Fisher Hybrid)

don, just the weight loss issue is quite the acccomplishment. congrats on that. my son in law and i done 1/2 the ms 150 a few years ago. i understand what you will be doin and wish i could ride with you. best of luck, have fun, and enjoy the ride.

Don - My heartfelt admiration to you. On that 68 mile day.....do 10, then you've got 58 left, do 10 more then you've got only 48 left, do 10 more repeat until done....you are the man!!!! Regards....Mark, Bill & Rich Dalton (The Dalton Boys)

Don - How much do I enjoy the DNR ride? Well, I've done it every year since 2001 and will be there again this year unless I decide to do one of the other state rides that happen about the same time. Don't worry about that 68 mile day at all; they will probably have 4 sag stops that day and they'll haul you in to camp if you need it. I think the DNR staff and volunteers do an outstanding job on this ride. A couple of years ago, a friend had a crash and was skinned and bruised pretty good. I wanted to ride ahead and get help, but she said "no, let me see if I can still ride". Several other cyclists stopped and offered assistance. She got patched up and climbed back on the bike and continued on. The first road crossing we came to, there was David Kelly with DNR unlocking the "squeeze gates" so he could drive down the trail and get her! (Other cyclist had ridden ahead and reported the accident.)

I worked as a volunteer on the 2003 ride and loved it! I've been wanting to do the ride again, but I havent been able to get the time off after a couple of job changes. Trying to get this years, but not sure if I will be able to yet.

Don, I am not in the best of shape but have 3 months to work on it. i, too, am worried about the 68 mile day. A few of my questions were answered through this forum.

That's awesome, Don! I'll be right there with you. I'm on a similar mission. No surgery, but I started at 286 and I'm at 245 right now (Hoping to be at least 20 pounds lighter by the ride).

I was interested in biking from somewhere in St. Charles county to Columbia, where I went to school, and staying overnight in Columbia. Has anyone done this route, a friend said he heard from someone that the gravel turns into larger rocks halfway to Columbia and I should expect a few flat tires and bring spares. Is there any truth to this? Can someone who's biked in this area let me know about trail conditions, Thanks.

No - no truth to it. Spare tube(s) always good just for preventive measures. Trails great when dry (like concrete for the most part), and maybe the surface might be just a little different on the MKT spur (8+ miles), going from the KATY into Columbia.....go Mizzou!! The ride is great, have a great time!!

hey brian. i have biked the MKT trail from the beginning to the katy and back. there is little difference, and i emphasize little, on the MKT trail. unless u experience a regular toad strangler / gully washer of a rain storm, you should have no problem at all. i rode it after a good little rain fall and had absolutely no problems at all. this was bouts 2 yrs ago, but can't imagine it would have changed any. if any questions, contact columbia, mo parks department or city hall. i think it is www.gocolumbia.com they can help you with more info than i could. as far as flat tires go, good tires ought to eliminate part of that chance, however, like mark of the dalton boys said, you need to carry a spare. a good place to start the trip would be at the trail head in st. charles. what ever you choose to do, be safe and happy bikin.

does anyone know of a bike friendly trail crossing the missouri river from machens or st. charles toward st. louis? also, any bike trails or routes from the same to st. louis?

The most bike-friendly bridge I've ever ridden (other than those without any cars) is at mile 42.8, just three miles from downtown St Charles. Check out this link to learn more about the Page Avenue Missouri River Bridge.


There are no trails that will take you all the way into St Louis, but follow this link for route suggestions for getting from the Katy Trail to downtown St Louis. I welcome any feedback you might have on these routes, or any other suggested routes that you come up with.

Ditto on the Page bridge; there is a wonderful, wide, walled off biking/walking lane along the south side of the bridge. On the south (St. Louis) side of the bridge, that bike lane then turns into a bike trail that departs from the highway goes down to Creve Coeur Lake. I have ridden from Creve Coeur Lake across the bridge, picked up the Katy, and gone on into downtown St. Charles; it's a lovely ride.

First time trying the Katy bike trail..would like a starting point for a two female beginners. What two or three towns would you suggest we bike to/through? Thanks!

It is according to which end that you want to start on. You for sure don't want to start in Clinton. Roacheport east is very nice.

The most scenic and popular portion of the trailseems to be from Rocheport east (or actually southeast). Make certain you see the tunnel on the west side of Rocheport first. Check the milelage calculator on this site to estimate how far you can go but in general barring a strong headwind, the trail is very easy.



The McBaine trailhead is another good place to start as it gives you the option of going north, doubling back then heading south then doubling back again to your car all the while remaining within the very scenic areas and Hartsburg to the south is a good place to eat lunch. I would echo webmaster Ray's comment elsewhere on this site that is is best to park your car in the middle of your ride if possible. Note that McBaine is harder to get to in a car but the trailhead also gives you the option of riding the portion into Columbia.

Rocheport usually wins the prize. Depending on how far you like to ride.....Booneville to Columbia is a good ride(Also, Columbia to Rocheport/McBaine). Although, not the Katy, I appreciate the spur to Columbia. It too is scenic, and lodging near I-70 is a short distance north on Stadium Blvd. from the Martin Luther King Trailhead.

r h, the three previous replies are absolutely correct. rocheport east has to be the prettiest part of the trail. st. charles to augusta is also a very nice ride once your out of the immediate st. charles area. which ever way you choose, be safe and happy biken. enjoy the Katy.

How many miles a day do you want to achieve? If 50 miles is a good weekend ride for you may I sugest starting in Hartsburg and riding to Rocheport, spend the night at a B&B then head back the next day. You can leave your car in the public parking lot next to the cycle shop.

gee..for us, 50 miles to and from for 2 days may be just what we do for a little 2 day thing..we're not serious bicyclist..at least not YET..we're planning a trip in September or October and as soon as our weather breaks here in Ohio, we're planning on "training" ..I personally would like to try as much as possible..but we'll see how our training this summer goes first :) Reading these posts are very much helpful and any suggestions are greatly appreciated. I've hiked sectionally in the appalician mountains but never biked..

Here's a suggestion: Start in Columbia (trailheads at Flat Branch Park, Forum Blvd, and Scott Blvd) ride to Boonville, and return with a stop for lunch at Les Bourgeois (has a spur trail with a bike rack at the bottom, and I recommend walking over trying to ride it). Do check on overnight parking, though, because i don't know if there are any rules about that) Les Bourgeois closes at about 3:00 on Sundays. Or similar, starting in Hartsburg instead of Columbia. Or Start in Boonville, and do the same in reverse.

Start in Hartsburg, ride to Coopers Landing (about 10 miles), have some thai food for

lunch. Ride back to Hartsburg, stopping in Wilton along the way to look at artwork for

sale, have dinner in Hartsburg and spend the night at the Globe. Next morning, ride the

other direction and go to Jeff City (again, about 10 miles), Stop in Claysville for lunch on

the way back (call and make sure the place is open), then back to Hartsburg.



Then, your next trip go Hartsburg to Rocheport, spend the night, then come back to

Hartsburg. An advantage to starting in Hartsburg is there is a place to stay, a couple of

places to eat and most importantly, Hartsburg Cycle Depot where you could either rent

bikes or else have them check out your bike to make sure it is trailworthy. There is also a

place to park your car overnight in the lot next to the bike shop.

I am a beginner bike and am wanting to dothe Katy Trail. How is the trail with regards to hills and flat areas?

Start in Columbia and ride to Rocheport. It's the most beautiful stretch, especially in the fall. Theres a bookstore they make the Katy Trail Guidebook. You can get it online and choose some place else if you are in another part of the state.