KATY trail in Missouri

I rode part of the KATY trail in Missouri last fall. What a great scenic trail! It's not a difficult ride, so it's great for people who aren't road warriors or hard core mountain bikers. The trail is made from the old Katy train line that went across Missiouri from Sedalia toward Jefferson City and on to St. Charles. The footing is crushed rock (limestone?), very easy to ride on with my hybrid (while pulling two kids in a trailer). It does kick up some dust though, so keep that in mind. There are occasional bathrooms with water fountains (most with phones) on the route.

The state of Missouri is beginning to market the trail which is a good thing. There are some great hotel package deals which allow you to stay at a hotel in a city and get a free shuttle to the trial head should you so desire. Amtrak also offers bike service to Jeff. city and other locations on the trail so you don't even need to drive a car to get there.

The Interactive Katy Trail 2.0
http://katytrail.showmestate.com/

Katy Trail Guide http://www.scenic-cycles.com/katy_trail_guide.htm

Katy Trail State Park - Visual Journey...Missouri
http://www.visualjourney.com/mo/Katy.htm

There are some extremely quaint towns on the trail; nice places to stop for something to drink or for lunch. Great antique-ing too, if that is your thing. There are lots of B and Bs which you can tap into if you decide to take a more leisurely pace or go the scenic route. I know you can camp along the trail as well (I stayed with friends, so I didn't get a chance to investigate the housing options).

Both Luna Tours and Women Tours run group outings on the the Katy. Check their websites for more info.


Jane