Washington, Missouri near the Katy Trail

Washington is not directly on the Katy Trail, but quite a few Katy travellers are drawn there by its close location, its quaint shops and many other businesses, and a riverfront bike path.  Although the town is only 4 miles from the trail (closest to Dutzow and Marthasville), it can only be reached by crossing a narrow bridge across the Missouri River, which has no shoulder and no bike lanes.  If you have access to a car, we recommend driving over to visit this charming town.  If a bike is your only mode of transportation, you may want to see if one of the B&Bs there will pick you up at the trail, if you spend the night as their guest.  Cycling across the bridge is not recommended.

Getting To Washington

By trail: From Dutzow, take the highway that cuts through town (94) southwest.  Turn left at the intersection with highway 47, and follow highway 47 south to the bridge and Washington.  This section of hwy 47 has a gravel shoulder which may be appropriate for mountain bike or hybrids, depending on the rider's comfort and experience riding next to highways.  It is a 2-lane highway with a 55 MPH speed limit.  The Missouri River bridge, as discussed above, has no shoulder and a speed limit of 40 MPH. By train: Amtrak's route across Missouri stops in Washington, and "roll on" bikes are allowed on this route.  See the Katy Trail Amtrak Guide for more details. By car: From St Louis, take hwy 44 southwest to exit 251, which is hwy 100.  Head northwest on hwy 100 for 18 miles.  If you're coming from hwy 70, take exit 240, which is hwy 47.  Go south on hwy 47 for 25 miles.

Other Washington Missouri Resources

• Regional map showing the Katy Trail, and surrounding towns near Washington
• Washington Missouri on MapQuest
• Washington Missouri restaurant listing
• Washington Missouri Historical Society & Museum