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Reply to First timer on Katy Trail
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SpinmasterChip from Bella Vista, Ark. on 4/21/2018 12:23:03 AM:
My wife and I are planning to ride the Katy Trail around July 4. We were looking to Amtrak from Sedalia to Jeff City and bike it back over 2 days. What can anyone tell me about the ride back, places to stay overnight, cool places to stop, etc. I'm wanting to go ahead and reserve places to stay and get our Amtrak tickets done in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for any advice/info. And if you know of any B&Bs, that is what we'd prefer.

 
Anonymous on 4/21/2018 4:45:10 PM:
Rocheport and Boonville are both around the halfway point for you. Depends on if you are going to start out the day you arrive in JEF, or layover there that night and start fresh the next morning. If you are heading right out then Rocheport will probably be better, although Boonville is doable. Others will advise on B&B’s but there are several nice ones in Rocheport and a great restaurant. Boonville has a very nice restored hotel.
The ride: Flat from JEF to Boonville. Several short stretches along the river. The Thai food at Cooper’s Landing is worth the stop. Boonville south will have some grades. Not steep because it is a RR but noticeable both up and down. From Pilot Grove to Sedalia is very remote in most places. Heavily wooded in spots. Parts are near a river that sometimes floods. It rarely affects the trail though. Be sure to have spare tubes and possibly a spare folding tire. The trail between JEF and SED is for the most part well away from roads and civilization. If you have a major mechanical problem no one is going to be able to come and get you if you are between trail heads. There has been some trail reroutes north of SED north of the rr tracks. Consult google maps. You will probably want to go to the Amtrak station instead of heading for the trail visitors center (old Katy station) since your car will be there. This will affect your road selection when leaving the trail. The Katy trail guide book is worthwhile.

 
Corky on 4/21/2018 8:59:24 PM:
Your in for a treat. IMO this is the finest rail-to-trail in the nation. The section of the trail you are doing is, again IMO, the most beautiful the trail has to offer. You will be riding thru farm land, bluffs and occasionally alongside the Missouri river. You will notice that each depot will have reader boards with history of the area and upcoming section of trail. You will also see reader boards along the trail with information about Lewis and Clark historical sites and POI. About 3 mi. from Hartsburg on the left side of the trail is a wooded canal that will sometime have trees gnawed down by beaver. Something you don't see everyday. There is a little country store in Easley. The woman that owns it was the artist of the first KATY trail guide. Coopers Landing like mentioned above has some great Thai food(don't let the trailer detour you). They also have food and drinks inside the building. Cash only. Leaving Coopers in the camping area on the left of the trail just before you cross the bridge is a guy that carves out canoes from trees. Says he is related to Lewis or Clark(don't remember which). Once you cross the bridge to the right of the trail is Boat Hing. Couple things you don't see everyday. Leaving McBaine about .6 mi out you come to a paved crossroad. If you look left down the road you will see the 350+ yo Burr Oak tree. Something you don't see everyday. This one is a tough find. About 1 mi - 1.5 mi from Rocheport on the bluff wall about 15-20 ft up is a carved KATY stamp in the wall. Bridge north of the Boonville depot for pedestrians/bikes only gets you out over the Missouri river. Old jail just off the trail in Pilot Grove. Heads-up, there is no water at the New Franklin depot. You have to go up the hill N. to the Caseys. There is no water at the Clifton City depot. 26 mi between Sedalia and Pilot Grove with no access to water. Safe travels and enjoy.

 
Anonymous on 4/22/2018 9:06:25 AM:
Water: As a backup i carry a small (pocket size0 water filter. These were designed for remote undeveloped areas of the world. They will make ditch water safe to drink.

 
Jim from St Thomas on 4/22/2018 2:12:22 PM:
Is there any reason you couldn’t start in Sedalia and go east? You could do the 50 or so miles to Rocheport the first day and have the hardest part of the ride out of the way. The second day you would have an easy 35 miles on, what many believe to be, the prettiest part of the trail. Also, heading west from Boonville the trail runs more or less southwest increasing your chances of running into a headwind.

 
Anonymous on 4/24/2018 7:13:44 AM:
Agree. Slightly downhill, usually a tailwind, well spaced stops starting in SED. After Pilot Grove it is all downhill to the MO River and flat after. Lunch option in Pilot Grove. Spend night in SED after your drive, many inexpensive motels, get a good start the next morning. Even if you drive up and get right on the trail you are getting the hilly part out of the way first and after PG it is easy. Check the Amtrak schedule though.

 
Anonymous on 4/25/2018 6:04:37 PM:
However, riding to your car leaves you with an open schedule rather than trying to meet up with an Amtrak train. Westbound should work for you. After Pilot Grove trees should shelter you from wind. The only consistent grade is from Boonville up to Pilot Grove and it is not bad. After that it is rolling as the RR drops down to cross creeks then goes back up, so same up and down either direction.

 
Jim from St Thomas on 4/25/2018 10:15:06 PM:
When I suggested starting in Sedalia I assumed they would they would leave their vehicle in Jeff City and take the train to Sedalia and ride back.