katy trail state park

lindseym780

We often load up our bikes and head to the Katy Trail. There are many towns you can start in, although we usually pick McBaine as it's the closest. The trail is very scenic with many bridges and is usually well maintained. There are mile markers which help you keep track of where you are. On this last adventure some areas of the trail were still wet which was very hard to peddle through, so maybe let a few sunny days pass before heading out!

Psandberg333

I love the Katy trail its especially beautiful out around Rocheport Ive walk from Boonville to Pilot Grove as well as from Clifton city to Pilot Grove

Pedal-Paddle-Eat

Our multi-day cycling trip was intended to start in Alton IL and end in Council Bluffs Iowa following the Lewis and Clark Trail (maps by ACA). But after spending three of the first four days on the Katy Trail, we threw those plans in the wastebasket and continued to the end of this fabulous trail. Not only was the riding easy, the scenery beautiful, and the interpretive graphics full of interesting information, but our nightly stops were highlighted by renovated boutique hotels, interesting people running bed-and-breakfasts, good brewpubs, and decent food. My reluctant traveler husband said that it was possibly the best vacation we've ever had. Kudos to the state of Missouri for making this happen and keeping it so well-maintained.

chrissycm

This is the jewel of Missouri. We hired a shuttle from St. Charles & it took us west to Clinton & we rode west back to the car. It was well maintained & marked for most of the trail. As we got closer to Hermann, we had less tree coverage & more exposure to the sun. We decided to stop our trip at 180 miles & hopped amtrack to get our car & come back to Hermann to visit the wineries. MIdwest folks are super nice & the trip was great!

MissouriRVTraveler

Every time we visit we ride the trail and meet fellow biking enthusiast who come from all over the USA and world to bike this trail.

850katies

The Katy trail was a great trail to ride on bike. We rode the trail from Clinton to McKittrick and it was consistently good trail conditions. It's not paved, but its the most smooth unpaved trail I've ridden. The incline is never very steep and the trail was very well mapped out, telling where certain amenities are available. The views are breathtaking, from bluffs to the Missouri river, to prairies to deep forest. The only thing that was less than ideal was that there were two bridges closed on the trail for repair and one of them didn't have a detour that was possible to bike, so we had to hitchhike a ride 10 miles around to get back to the trail. But the Katy trail really was great!! :)

shutterflyonthego

The Katy Trail traverses Missouri from Clinton to St. Charles. One of the prettiest sections is Booneville to Columbia. Especially Rocheport, MO to Columbia, MO. The hard packed limestone trail takes you under huge bluffs and parallels the Missouri River. You can even see the cave where Lewis & Clark camped. There's lots of shade on hot days. To really cool down fast, stop in the Rocheport Tunnel which cuts through solid rock. There are lots of places to rest, clean rest rooms and water available.

mikesK5018FB

Did the entire trail and I highly recommend it. I do recommend a mountain or hybrid bicycle not the trail for skinny tires. The facilities along the way are numerous and well kept - nicest latrines I have ever seen. Every area that you pass through has many things to offer as you ride through.

photojo13

Except for crossing the Mo river, there is not a lot of great scenery between Boonville and Rocheport until you are nearly to Rocheport. Just west of Rocheport there is a beautiful railway tunnel. Rocheport has friendly people, restrooms, cafés and is a fascinating old river town to poke around in for awhile. East (South) of Rocheport the trail is more scenic. If you want to sit and watch the river you can be mesmerized by the relatively swift current, the occasional boat, and sometimes the wildlife and waterfowl. The I-70 bridge is a nice30 minute hike if you are walking. Along the way there are bluffs with wildflowers in spring and summer and beautiful hardwood leaves in the fall. There is also the old spring that in the past provided water for steam trains. Generally the trail between Rocheport and Jefferson City is easier to ride than most other parts of the trail. Though I have visited many times over the past 30 years I always find something new and interesting. This is one of my favorite ways to spend leisure time wether I have a day or an hour.

786pc

mileage between Boonville and Rocheport was pretty hot, with little shade and not much variation in view (ploughed fields, mostly).Rocheport to McBaine had beautiful views of the river and lots of shade.

67charlesd

Property well kept up and the courtesy of those in attendance was very helpful. Location and parking was also very good.

RTS0919

We tried the trail going from Hermann to Mokane. The trail is tiny gravel from an old railroad track. Be warned if not on a mountain bike you will be slow going 10-13 mph and a very jarring ride. It drizzled the whole time and so some areas were very soft and any grooves in the surface would pull your wheel in and make it a bit hectic to maneuver. There were tracks from some type of motor vehicle maybe trail maintenance. Those tire tracks were the worst to deal with. The little trailhead stops were rider friendly. And other riders were friendly. Trail surface was just not what we had expected. We read reviews but not one mention of the things we just commented on. Have fun ride safe.

papawildcat

My wife, brother-in-law and myself just came off a 5 day trip on the Katy. We started in Clinton on Fri. afternoon and finishing in St Charles at noon on Tues. It was a great experience of sharing the outdoors, learning the history of the area, getting a good workout and meeting many wonderful people on the trail and in the many small towns and B&B's along the way. A well maintained trail and awesome scenery make for an outstanding experience. Too bad it doesn't go even farther on the MKT route of old. Biking the whole trail or just some sections will be an experience all will enjoy. The Katy Trail website is a fantastic resource.

The_Milkmanchris

I love this part of the state-wide park. The trail between Boonville and Columbia is a great place to get some excercise and enjoy nature.

AngieS811

Katy trail is awesome. I think it's something that should be adopted clear across the USIt would allow more people to get out and get some exercise.