Katy Trail State Park:
Missouri
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Description:
The Katy Trail State Park is the nation's longest rail-trail project—nearly 238 miles of scenic trail built especially for walkers and cyclists and stretching from Clinton east to Machens, in St. Charles County. Equestrians are allowed to use the western section from the state fairgrounds in Sedalia to Calhoun only.

The trail occupies a segment of rail corridor that once carried trains of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (a.k.a., the Katy). In 1986 the railroad ceased operations along this route, literally paving the way to creating the extraordinary recreational opportunity it is today.

The Katy Trail passes through some of Missouri's most scenic areas. In particular, much of the trail follows the mighty Missouri River, which feature amazing bluffs. In fact, the segment that passes between St. Charles and Boonville is an official portion of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The trail includes other landscapes as well, such as forests, wetlands, valleys, remnant prairies and rolling farm fields. Despite the changes in landscape, the Katy Trail is relatively flat.

The Katy Trail is part of the American Discovery Trail and is designated a Millennium Legacy Trail. The trail is open only during daylight hours only. Many of the towns along the way offer services to trail users, and you'll find many access points.

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Parking & Trail Access:
Directions to Katy Trail trailheads:

St. Charles Trail Head at mile marker 39.5 -- from I-70, take exit 229 for 5th St. Turn left at S. 5th St. Slight left at Boone's Lick Rd. Turn right at E. Chauncey Rd.

Greens Bottom Rd. Trail Head at mile marker 45.7 -- from MO-94, turn south onto Jungs Station Rd. Turn east (right) onto Greens Bottom Rd.

Weldon Spring Trail Head at mile marker 56 -- from MO-94, follow highway sign and turn south to trail head.

Defiance parking lot at mile marker 59.1 -- immediately southeast of MO-94 in the community of Defiance.

Matson Trail Head at mile marker 60.6 -- immediately west of MO-94 in the community of Matson.

Augusta Trail Head at mile marker 66.3 -- from MO-94, turn south onto Jackson St. Turn east (left) onto Main St. Turn south (right) onto Public St.

Dutzow Trail Head at mile marker 74 -- from Hwy. 47, turn northeast onto MO-94. From MO-94, turn northwest (left) into trail head immediately south of community of Dutzow.

Marthasville Trail Head at mile marker 77.7 -- from Hwy. 47/MO-94, turn north onto First St. Turn west (left) onto Depot St.

Treloar Trail Head at mile marker 84.4 -- from MO-94, turn north onto Koch Creek Rd./Rt. N.

McKittrick Trail Head at mile marker 100.8 -- from MO-94, turn north onto Hwy. 19. Turn east (right) onto Main St. Turn south (right) onto Sterling St.

Portland Trail Head at mile marker 115.9 -- from MO-94, turn south onto Market St.

Mokane Trail Head at mile marker 125 -- from MO-94, turn north onto Rt. C.

Tebbetts Trail Head at mile marker 131.2 -- from MO-94, turn north onto County Rd. 485.

N. Jefferson Trail Head at mile marker 143.2 -- from Hwy. 54, turn west onto Rt. W/Cedar City Dr. Turn north (right) onto Oilwell Rd. Turn east (right) onto Katy Rd.

Hartsburg Trail Head at mile marker 153.6 -- from Hwy. 63, turn southwest onto Rt. A.

McBaine Trail Head at mile marker 169.5 -- from Hwy. 63, turn west onto Hwy. 163. Turn south (left) onto Rt. K.

Rocheport Trail Head at mile marker 178.3 -- from I-70, take exit 115 to Rt. BB, to Rocheport. Turn south (left) onto Pike St. Turn east (left) onto First St.

New Franklin Trail Head at mile marker 188.2 -- from Hwy. 40, turn north onto Hwy. 5. Turn east (right) onto E. Mokane St. Turn south (right) onto Howard St.

Boonville Trail Head at mile marker 191.8 -- from Hwy. 5, turn south west onto Spring St. Turn lsouth (left) onto 1st St.

Pilot Grove Trail Head at mile marker 203.3 -- from I-70, take exit 98 for Hwy. 135 south, towards Pilot Grove. Turn west (right) onto Roe St. Turn north (right) onto Main St.

Clifton City Trail Head at mile marker 215.4 -- from Hwy. 135, turn onto Rt. BB.

Sedalia Trail Head at mile marker 229 -- from Hwy. 50, turn north onto Engineer Ave. Turn east (right) onto E. 3rd St.

Sedalia Fairgrounds parking area at mile marker 229.9 -- from Hwy. 50, turn onto Hwy. 65 S. Turn west (right) onto Rt. Y. Turn south (left) onto Clarendon Rd.

Green Ridge Trail Head at mile marker 239.2 -- from Hwy. 65 S, turn west onto Rt. B. Turn south onto Hwy. 127.

Windsor Trail Head at mile marker 248 -- from Hwy. 65 S, turn west onto Hwy. 52. Turn north (right) onto Rt. 2.

Clinton Trail Head at mile marker 255.5 -- from Hwy. 52, turn north onto Olive St.

Calhoun Trail Head at mile marker 264.6 -- from Hwy. 52, turn onto Green St.
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Reviews: [3 trail ratings]
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First Ride on the Katy
By hidoyle in September, 2011
My neighbor and I just rode the Katy trail from Dutzoa, MO to Sedalia, MO. We boarded AmTrak in Sedalia, MO and got off in Washington, MO. then rode our bikes to the trailhead and proceeded back to Sedalia.

All in all it was a great ride altho I did have a couple of flats along the way from thorns that were left in the trail from mowing and trimming branches. There were plenty of water stops, rest rooms and places to stop and eat along the way but you needed to take advantage of each place because some of them were a few miles apart.

In Boonville, MO, we stayed at Hotel Frederick (http://www.hotelfrederick.com/)and ate at Glenn's Cafe, what a treat that was. Let them know you are riding the Katy Trail and they will take great care of you. On the trail from Boonville, MO to Sedalia, MO you pass through Pilot Grove, MO. Depending on the time you get there, the grocery store across the street may or may not be open, it was closed when we got there. Make sure you fill your water bottles at Pilot Grove because we never found any water at Clifton City and it's a 24 mile ride to Sedalia from Pilot Grove. For me, 3 24oz water bottles wasn't enough, course, having a flat tire 5 miles out of Sedalia didn't help either.

Take your camera as there are several photo stops along the way. Would I do it again? Sure, but I think more planning on my part would be helpful.
Katy Trail Ride
By macumazahn in April, 2011
Have ridden the trail from Windsor to Sedalia, this is a good trail but has several inclines and has the highest point on the trail, had to get off the trail in Sedalia to find a place to eat, needed a Garmin to find the place to eat, this trail is a lot of open ground and a good test of your biking abilities, it is well maintained and easy to navigate, the next day we rode a 10-15 mile round trip out of Rocheport, wish we had started here, a wonderful town with several places to eat right off the trail and a bike shop with bikes to rent if you don't have one of your own, Rocheport sports the only railway tunnel on the trail and the scenery there is well worth the trip, the trail has 100 foot cliffs on one side and the Missouri River on the other, be sure to bring a camera and plan extra time to stop to take it all in, we are going back this year during Memorial Day weekend to start at Rocheport, and spend much more time there than we did before. I would suggest this as a model for those who are starting or working on trails. It has really excited my future interest in bicycling and riding the Rails to Trails.
My little corner of the Katy
By thundercloud in November, 2010
I have the good fortune of living less than a block away from the Katy Trail. Unfortunately I do not use the trail due to being disabled by arthritis. If I were younger and enabled I'd be using it almost every day.

My wife up until a year ago used to be a part time short order cook at the Mokane Bar and Grill. She always enjoyed talking with the trail users whenever she had the time. Some of her most pleasurable experiences there came from trail users.

There was a lot of opposition to the trail in the beginning. I have not heard much bad talk about it lately. I'd like to remind trail users to respect property rights and to always try to be friendly with the locals. Myself if I am driving along and see bikers on the road headed into Mokane I always try to wave at them. The vast majority do not wave back but that is because they are concentrating on the road. Some (very few) have seen me wave only to give me a suspicious look and bike on. Perhaps the theme song from 'Deliverance' was playing in their mind. Some folks give me a perplexed look and then wave back. I like that. I like to remind folks that our way of life out here is different from theirs.

I've never met a trail rider I have not liked. The same goes for my wife. At one time I considered buying a small plot of land here and making a campground out of it. Unfortunately businesses that depend on the trail in this area do not stay open for long. That fact and the fact that our town floods frequently caused me to change my mind.

I wish good luck and happy trails to all users of the MKT trail
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