The Rock Island Trail

Maiden Trip

Go to Forum

shawn from warrenton on 8/8/2007 6:14:08 PM:

I am making my first extended trip on the Trail to "get away from it all" (all of a sudden I'm in my mid-thirties:) I am planning on taking the Amtrak from Kirkwood down to Sedalia then biking on down to Clinton to start from there....I am going to be doing the camping thing the whole way to St. Charles. I am leaving Tuesday August 21, from Kirwood on the a.m train, and will get to St. Charles Saturday or Sunday...Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated...If you are going the same week, I'll see you on the trail...... onebaker@hotmail.com

Anonymous on 8/8/2007 9:16:21 PM:

lots of hydration and call ahead to see if the business are open. other wise, have fun, be safe

trinjboro from Jonesboro, AR on 8/9/2007 12:05:42 PM:

I did almost the same type of trip you are doing 3 years ago. The portion you will be riding both ways (from Sedalia to Clinton and back) allows horses on the trail. Cyclists have to yield to the horses, and I found out the hard way this means stopping a good ways before the horses get up to you and staying still until they pass. It's a real pain, and it's not explained very well on the MO Parks website. Also, this is, in my opinion, the least scenic portion of the trail, and, unless you just want to say you rode the entire trail, I would skip this portion and just start from Sedalia. I also echo the hydration advice. You will love the KATY !!!!!

shawn from warrenton on 8/9/2007 1:38:13 PM:

thanks for the advice....I really would have no reason to go down to Clinton other than just to say I've rode the whole trail...plus since the train doesn't get down to Sedalia until early afternoon it puts a crimp in my overnight plans....I have a camelpack so hopefully that will do for hydration...(also hope the heat breaks by then) thanks a bunch..

paul from west plains, mo on 8/9/2007 8:38:08 PM:

(1.) We just did it the "hard" (uphill) way from McKittric to Sedalia; 139 miles in 3 days. We took AMTRAK from Sedalia to Hermann. Lowest high temp in 3 days was 102. THERE IS NO WATER BETWEEN SEDALIA AND PILOT GROVE - 25+ MILES. We're 57 y/o. We drank a complete 2 qt camel + 2 pints gatorade every 20 miles and were still slightly dehydrated in the heat. (2.) Take a spare tube and tools- we had a flat and the trail is basically remote. (3.) We used A&D ointment to lube those sensitive personal areas - an entire tube between us. (4.) Avoid Katy Trail B&B - absentee owners and NOT as advertised on their web. (5.) Have a fun, fantastic time!

DougK from Troy on 8/10/2007 1:52:16 AM:

Water Water Water. I know water gets heavy @ 8lbs. per gallon. I was lucky enough to have someone cache a gallon of water at Clifton City. I carry a small Katadyn water purifier. It adds about a pound to my backpack but you can at least use a local water source with piece of mind.

Don Elliott from Dallas on 8/13/2007 2:36:01 PM:

Camping is going to be tough in this heat unless you enjoy hot sleeping. The campers we talked to could not sleep well as the temps were so hot at night. If you're economizing, try to break it up with one night at a motel.

Paul from St. Louis on 8/14/2007 2:37:30 PM:

You may want to take a shuttle from Sedalia to Clinton. We did that in June and it worked out great. Stayed in Clinton for the night and got an early start in the cool of the morning. We had a camelback and two water bottles each. Fill up with water any chance you get.

arlo from st. louis on 8/14/2007 9:58:53 PM:

I'd recommend Katfish Katy's in Huntsdale and Steamboat Junction in Bluffton. That puts you
on about a 60 mile/day rate. All you need to do is find something halfway between Clinton
and Huntsdale. Both places are nice, clean and have hot showers.

FEEDBACK! - Please let us know if you have suggestions, corrections, complaints, or ideas. Your input is valued and appreciated - thanks in advance!

More info: RI Home RI Map Trip Planner Travel Timeline Towns & Services Mileage Chart Advertise Search Contact Us

By using this website, you agree to the Terms and Conditions.
how this website uses cookies
This information may not be copied or reproduced in any way.
© Copyright 2026 BikeRockIsland. All rights reserved.
BikeRockIsland and BikeRockIsland.com are registered trademarks.