Experience the Katy Trail
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EXPERIENCE THE Katy Trail
“Voices on the Trail” Blog
Experience the beauty of the Missouri River Valley from the Katy Trail.
“The Katy Trail is so immense that it, almost, defies description. Stretching from just west of St. Louis to not far from Kansas City, it traverses virtually all of Missouri.”
– Dan Burkhardt
Photo Credit: Andy Mayberry
As the powerful Missouri River wound its way from Montana to its confluence with the Mississippi, it created a spectacular and fertile valley west of St. Louis. The Katy Trail provides a way to see the Missouri River valley – with its limestone bluffs, sweeping river bottom farms, woodlands, and historic railroad towns — from a perspective like no other.
This trail, the longest developed “Rail-to-Trail” project in the entire United States, was once the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad nicknamed the M-K-T – or “KATY” for short – and converted into a crushed limestone path for all to enjoy and cherish.
Our Katy Trail
Although many have ridden its entire length, most people have what they think is “their” segment of the Katy – a stretch that they return to frequently to ride or walk and enjoy the Missouri countryside. While we are advocates for the entire 240 miles of the Trail, the segment we consider “ours” is the 74 miles of the Katy Trail that runs from Hermann to Machens, through the area we call Missouri River Country.
miles of trail spanning the state of Missouri
miles of Missouri River views
trailheads
fully restored railroad depots along the way
miles of The Country Store Corridor from Peers to Treloar
See You Out There!
Getting Out on the Katy Trail
It’s easy to get out on the trail! Wondering where to start? Here are some resources!
- Get inspired to hit the trail by checking out the gorgeous views and cool map of the full Katy Trail at Visit Missouri.
- Drive out any time for an easy half-day trip. Visit us at Peers Store, the Peers Prairie, and the Treloar Mercantile – the bookends of our 3.5-mile Country Store Corridor.
- Find a trailhead anywhere along the Katy Trail, and plan a trip using the mileage counter at BikeKatyTrail.com. They also have an interactive trail map, an active forum for questions about trail conditions, and a list of trailside towns with their services, attractions, and accommodations.
The Story of The Katy Trail
In the early 1980s, Edward D. (Ted) Jones of Williamsburg, Missouri experienced a bike ride on a “rails-to trails” project in Wisconsin. Inspired, Ted thought that Missouri and Missourians would greatly benefit from a similar project. What is now the Katy Trail was at that time the abandoned KATY railroad, complete with rails and ties. Over the next several years, Ted and his wife Pat worked with local, state and national organizations — both corporate and governmental — to begin the creation of the Katy Trail. His personal generosity and perseverance ultimately resulted in the opening of the Trail at Rocheport in the spring of 1990.
Today, the Katy Trail State Park gives all of us an opportunity to enjoy the natural scenic beauty of the Missouri countryside.
