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Reply to Machens
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kim from independence, mo on 4/11/2007 5:16:58 PM:
We are biking the trail at the end of May starting in St. Charles. We were thinking about having our ride drop us at the Machens trailhead and then ride to St. Charles where we're staying. But how do you get to the Machens trailhead? Is there an address? Anyone know.

 
J&K from Drexel MO on 4/11/2007 7:12:23 PM:
I'm not sure where, but someone has posted a lengthy comment as to how to find the Machens trailhead. You'll have to look back through the old comments. Happy hunting!

 
Ray (webmaster) on 4/11/2007 10:20:25 PM:
Until the DNR gets the extension officially finished and puts all the facilities in place, the trail's end in Machens may be a little hard to find. In this thread, go down to about the tenth message for some helpful hints from DougK on how to find it.

And here DougK (our resident Machens expert) describes the extension to Machens.

In this thread, Arkie finds Black Walnut much easier to find, and here the Geezers on Bikes concurred.

 
kim from independence, mo on 4/11/2007 11:11:25 PM:
I thought surely there was a road or (even better) an intersection near the trail head. Hoping it was not just sitting in a field... Not looking for a parking lot, just a spot to be dropped off and start biking to St. Charles.

Thanks for the posted links. They provide some help. Now need to find myself a map that shows the streets. If anyone has more recent or specific info, please add! Thanks!

 
kim from independence, mo on 4/11/2007 11:23:48 PM:
Seriously needing some help here. The "Salle" Road mentioned in one of these links cannot be found in Machens, MO. At least not in Google maps or Mapquest...

 
missouri resident on 4/12/2007 7:08:29 PM:
kim, from independence.

i just pulled machens on microsoft streets and trips. it looks on here like you go north or east on 94 out of st. charles. should take you right to it. it's near the intersection of machens road and 94. where you get on the trail, no idear. hope this helps and happy bikin.

 
DougK from Troy on 4/12/2007 8:58:58 PM:
Kim,
Head east from St. Charles on Hwy 94. Stay on 94 East until you get to the town of Machens (don't blink or you'll miss it). Turn right at Salle, the second right after the green Machens sign. Follow that road to the railroad tracks. You should be able to see the trail and/or trailhead through the trees. There's no parking there so Black Walnut might be a better option if you plan on parking a vehicle.

Unlike Dutzow, they don't serve people on a plate at Machens, sorry Ray, couldn't resist.

 
kim from independence, mo on 4/12/2007 9:08:23 PM:
Awesome, really appreciat the help! We're doing a slow tour (east to west) of the Katy at the end of May to beginning of June. We did the west to east last fall in 5 days, and this time we are taking 7 days so we can spend some time taking pictures, and seeing the towns along the way.

 
Arkie on 4/13/2007 8:47:29 AM:
When I was last at Machens the farmer on the south side of the BNSF track had a steel cable that he had stretched across the road to prevent anyone from crossing the RR. When I was there prior to that trip the cable had been down. There is enough space at the kiosk to park several cars but unless the access is aboslutely certain you could run the risk of being "locked" in

 
Sue from DesPlaines, IL on 4/14/2007 11:08:57 PM:
I would not recomend trying to park at the Machens kiosk. There is no official parking area and if you are one the trail you will get a ticket. If you are off the trail, you are on private property. Therefore there really should be no vehicles in or around the Machens kiosk other than the farmers vehicles who have a lease agreement to cross the trail just east of the squeeze gates. As for the cable that stretches across the road, that was put up by the Railroad company after the local farmer pointed out that the county road ends just before the tracks and that the Railroad company owns the road as it crosses the tracks.