A Short Guide to the KATY Trail
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- A brief overview of tips and recommendations for biking the beautiful KATY trail. For more info, there are two fantastic websites:
bikekatytrail.com
katytrailmo.com
Please join me for a 5-day ride:
A Katy Trail Bike Tour (Full Ride) May 2023
• Video
It's a great trail full of beauty and history. I hope you get to enjoy it some day!
#bikepacking #biketouring #katytrail
Your review was spot on Bryan. When I watched the video and saw you got off the train in Warrensburg, I knew you were in big trouble if you were going to ride Highway 13 to Clinton. Next time get off the train in Lee's Summit and take back roads to Pleasant Hill (not 7 Highway) and catch the Rock Island Spur of the Katy Trail to Windsor. Currently the Rock Island goes from Lee's Summit to the sports complex in Kansas City but it is not finished between Lee's Summit and Pleasant Hill. As always, make sure you have enough food and water.
Thanks, Kurt. Will do. Felt awfully lonely on 13 that day. 😂
what’s the probability of that rock island extension? I hear it’s dead then I hear it’s already approved. That would be an awesome loop.
Also, how is the gap section from Arrowhead to Pleasant Hill? Is it busy, dangerous?
I didn’t research it enough but it seems like a lot of riders just take a shuttle from St Charles to Clinton. Pretty easy.
And just for the record, the trip from Machens to St Louis was worse than 13, imho.
@@RideAlongAdventures You are correct the loop would be awesome and I hear the same exact thing on and off. I live in Lee's Summit and was thrilled when they opened Lee's Summit to Arrowhead and Pleasant Hill to Windsor. I read recently that Edward Jones Foundation is funding an overpass on the Rock Island Trail over existing rail line out of Pleasant Hill. Currently you have a mile detour on roads. Part of the problem with the Rock Island between Lee's Summit and Pleasant Hill the tracks are still in use.
There are multiple ways of getting from the Amtrak Station in Lee's Summit to Pleasant Hill on less traveled roads. If I was to leave today I would get on 3rd Street (just south of the station) and go a block east to Douglas St then south to the north outer road of 50 highway it is called Blue Parkway (nice shoulder). East on Blue Parkway until Blackwell Road (you have multiple roundabouts leading up and into Blackwell). Go south on Blackwell under 50 highway until it dead ends at Oldham Parkway and head east until Smart Road and go south to 159th Street. Go east on 159th Street until you get to the Old MoPac Trail which takes you into Pleasant Hill. The signage for the Rock Island/Katy Trail is pretty goon once you are in Pleasant Hill. It might be 12-15 miles from the train station to Pleasant Hill.
I have always parked, or had a vehicle waiting for me in St. Charles so I just doubled back from Machens. I have heard of a safe route from Machens going into Illinois and taking a trail south into St. Louis but have never tried.
Always looking forward to your next adventure. Mine will be the Ohio to Erie which I am looking forward to, as I too lived in Ohio and close to the Little Miami Trail.
great tips. Putting this trail on m y list. Thanks for the post.
Have fun!
Great video and good seeing you again. My wife and I met you at Cooperlanding and had a good time talking with you. We had the barky poodle. Currently I'm watching another of your videos planning next summer rides.
Brian!!!!! The wild man Alaskan! 😂 good to hear from you. I hope you’re well. I mentioned you in my longer Katy video and your inspiration. What a pleasure to meet you two. I’ve been out a lot since May, seeing a lot more of the country. Retirement has been excellent so far. Please give my best to your wife. Hope our paths cross again some day.
Great review and delivery, Bryan. Thanks.
Gord
Thanks, Gord.
1:25. You can get off Amtrak at Lee's Summit, have a shorter and safer ride to Pleasant Hill trail head, then southeast on the Rock Island Trail to Windsor.
Thanks. Looks like good advice! 👍🏻
Thanks. Nice job
Thanks, Jon. Such a great trail.
Getting excited, I've watched the full tour twice now on the TV!!
Hope you guys have a blast!
Hi Daddy B! Gonna be doing this for the first time over Labor Day weekend, but I've decided to go easy and start in Sedalia on Sunday morning, hoping to get to the St Louis area by Monday afternoon.
- Red
Awesome! Have fun. Just curious: how are you getting from the trail to St Louis? Or are you stopping in St Charles?
@@RideAlongAdventures St Charles then cross the river into Earth City, then bus-assist (aka city bus has bike racks) from there on out.
Thanks for this information. I want to ride the Katy Trail and use our RV to overnight. My husband will bike a little and then return and move the RV ahead of my travels. Hoping some of these little towns will allow an RV at the depots.
Glad it was helpful! Might want to check bikekatytrail.com for specific town info. Hope you have a great time!
Thanks for your insight and sharing your knowledge. Although it may be quite some time before I'm able to get to the Katy trail, I some day hope to do so. And I will certainly use your tips!
I really really enjoyed this one. So beautiful.
Thanks for the infos. Doing the Katy the last week in June,the Erie canal in august and the big one,the East coast Greenway in September. Retirement is GREAT.
One nice weekend I will do the pine creek trail in PA. I want to thank you for all the nice videos. I am new to bike packing but love it.
This past summer I did the Mickelson trail in South Dakota and it was wonderful. I finished the 2023 year doing the GAP and C and O. It was outstanding. Thank you again and regards from Ocean City NJ.
Awesome!!!! That’s a packed year ahead! Wow.
Thanks for the vote for the Mickelson-I hope to get out there this year as well. Safe travels.
This is a great Katy Trail guide video, thanks for putting this together. I'm considering the Katy trail later this year or if not then next year for sure. The plan is to start from Kansas City and ride to St. Louis. I have to rely on Amtrak because that's what I'm gonna take to get there. Thanks again for the video.
Thanks, Thomas. Best wishes on the ride. Your recent video totally inspired me to come back and ride around Florida.
Very helpful video. I’ll be riding the KT in three weeks. This will be my first bikepacking trip. I decided to use the shuttle from the St.Charles bike shop. I really enjoy your channel.
Thanks, Mike. You’re in for a real treat. Great trail. Let me know how your shuttle works out. I think I want to give that a try in the future. Have a blast, dude.
What is the charge.for the shuttle? And what did you do for parkjng?
The final cost for the shuttle depends on the number of passengers in the van. There was two of us on the shuttle, I paid $110.00.@@buzzman4860
Lord willing, October 9th to the 14th. The B.A.M. Katy Trail.
I want my 237-mile sticker!
Hope you have a blast!
I just rode the Katy trail....absolutely wonderful! I rang the bell in Machens, then back to St. Charles. The next day, instead of catching the train in St Louis, I went to the town of Herman and caught the train there and back to Arizona. For sure, I will do the Katy trail next year. Fun fun and the people were so friendly.
That is awesome! Congratulations.
Any recommendations for cycling adventures in Arizona? I'd like to get out there this winter and ride.
Great trail 😊
Absolutely. Gorgeous.
I thought Pilot Grove was the best free camping spot ⛺️
Next time I plan on doing Rock Island Spur 🚴♂️😎
Absolutely agree. Those people were so friendly. I don't recall the officer's name but he was so nice, making sure I was ok, felt safe, etc. Yeah, me too--if/when I go back, I'm going to start on the spur.
Great video! Any problems finding potable water along the trail, or did you pick that up at Dollar General as well? 😄
Thanks, JJ. lol. I don’t recall water along the trail. I tend to fill up at restaurants or convenient stores. But on the eastern portion of the trail, those stops were pretty spaced out.
Water is available at most but not all trail heads. I did not have any issues finding water
@@RideAlongAdventures
My Plan is to ride Kansas City to the east. I would like to take Amtrak from St Louis to Kansas City. My only stumbling block is getting back to the Amtrak St Louis station safely. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks. Oh, and most Ubers or Lyfts can't get my bike onboard.
Yeah, that’s tricky. I rode down to St Louis from Machens. Not great. I’ve heard riding from St Charles to St Louis is better but I don’t know firsthand. There are shuttle services in St Charles that could get you there. I’ll do some digging around and get back to you.
Check this out: bikekatytrail.com/share-a-ride.aspx
I’d have to imagine they do trips to the city.
Is it possible to "credit card" the Katy trail?
That’s a really good question. My gut says definitely on the eastern half. The western part might need some extra planning because some of those towns are really small. Check out bikekatytrail.com. If you stick to the bigger towns, you’ve definitely got hotel options.
Do you not recommend peddling to St. Louis out of fear of having your bike stolen? 🤣
Those were some of most tense miles I’ve traveled. Next time I’ll just stop in St Charles.
@@RideAlongAdventures St. Charles is great. St. Louis county is also pretty nice. The city? Nah.
Have you had a chance to see the MR340? The Katy trail goes along many of the stops for it. Would be cool to watch from the trial
@mosulmedic7048 wow. That looks extremely cool!!!!!!!!
@@RideAlongAdventures I just did my second one a few weeks ago. It's a fantastic time
@mosulmedic7048 ok, I gotta look into that. Sounds like a fantastic adventure.