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    Busch Greenway

    5.0 (1 review)

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    Katy Trail

    Katy Trail

    4.8(25 reviews)
    12.2 miSt Charles

    Beautiful trail with great access and not crowded in early May. Many birds (including a turkey.)…read moreRent bikes right on the trail in St Charles from the Bike Stop Cafe.

    For my thousandth review, I had to pick somewhere special and to me, there's nowhere more special…read morein the state of Missouri than the Katy Trail. My friend and I rode this trail in its entirety; just over 240 total miles of trail spanning Clinton, MO to Machens, MO east to west, and the three and a half days out here were paradise. The trees recently bloomed (mid-May) and formed a shaded tunnel for several miles along the ride. Aside from the occasional rural highway to cross, you'll ride free of cars in peace on this classic rails-to-trail state park. I don't know if it's the constant endorphins from riding, the unique sights and smells of nature, or just the unknown adventure of heading across the state by bike, but this equated to one of my favorite trips I've ever taken in my life. For the next trip, we're taking Amtrak straight to Sedalia so we don't have to get dropped off, plus, who doesn't love traveling by train? I want to break it down day by day below, as well as shout out to some great local spots that we found along the way. But first, trail details if you're planning a trip: It's crushed limestone, which can be dry and dusty some years, or a bit sloshy during others. I have a road bike but opted to take a cross bike for this one with 35 mm tires. While the trail packs down very well and is ridable from nearly any bike, I highly recommend at least 30 mm or wider tires. No need for mountain bike tires, but at least something wide enough to be more comfortable as you log miles. Day 1: We were dropped off at Clinton and had a destination of Boonville; all told it was around 78 miles with a break halfway in Sedalia. The Clinton stretch is a bit boring compared to the rest, with looser gravel and not a ton of scenery. Sedalia was a nice change of pace and we broke from the trail to find Kehde's BBQ in an old MKT train car, along with Ozark Coffee which is by far the best cup of coffee in Sedalia. There's a stretch after Sedalia with no trailheads, no water, no nothing, so plan accordingly. We finished our first day by staying in the historic Hotel Frederick in Boonville, ready to set out and get river views for day 2. Day 2: By far the most epic day. The bluffs as you approach Rocheport are towering and unlike most of Missouri's somewhat limited scenery. The Rocheport tunnel is amazing and you've got to get a photo there, and then shortly after you'll find Meriweather Cafe... the best spot along our trip. Not too far after that is the landing with music, Thai food (Chim's) and scenery. We dodged some thunderstorms in mid-May, but were able to get into our hotel at Jeff City right before the skies opened up. Day 3: Jeff City is not my fav, so we waited out storms and headed through a workmanlike, dodgy part of the trail. It got better as we got further away from Jeff City, and the sun popped out and the trail met the river again. Scenery slowly changes as you approach Hermann, MO, famous for all their wineries and festivals. Crashed at an AirBNB in the middle of nowhere that night, and got up before the sun to finish the trail on the final day. Day 4: My friend and I were up and out by 5:45 a.m. so we could make our train back to KC. Beautiful early morning ride through the country, then into Weldon Spring and a nature preserve just outside St. Louis. This was a beautiful stretch, but it starts to feel more suburban the closer in you get which feels weird after nothing but nature. We made it to St. Charles, took photos with the Lewis & Clark statues, and crushed some food at Bike Stop Cafe. All that was left is a somewhat odd 13 miles of loose track out to Machens, a total map dot. Not sure why the trail goes here, but we had to finish it all so we did it just this once. It would be a much more natural ending, or beginning, to situate in St. Charles as there are tons of places to stay and eat, plus a classic river landing. We got picked up from a scheduled shuttle with Bike Stop Cafe and they took us out to the Kirkwood Amtrak, about 45 minutes away for $80. We hopped aboard the train (only an extra $10 per person for bikes, but they can only accommodate 4 per train so make reservations) and took it back to Union Station back home in KC. This place is a win-win-win: A major win for cyclists/hikers/nature enthusiasts, a win for cars who hate cyclists on the road (c'mon man), and a win for Missouri as it showcases the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the entire US. They take good care of it overall, but I'd love to see some more water stops along the way as you really need to ration it at times. The Katy really is a special place, and whether you set out to do the whole thing, ride a day with friends to a winery/brewery, or take the fam to explore, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Typically when I take trips, I want to get AWAY from the state I live in, but having this one in my back yard makes for an unforgettable trip and one I'm hoping to make into an annual tradition.

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    Katy Trail
    Katy Trail - Morning ride to Defiance.

    Morning ride to Defiance.

    Katy Trail - Nuclear Power Plant Warning, Callaway County

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    Nuclear Power Plant Warning, Callaway County

    Bangert Island - River view

    Bangert Island

    4.0(3 reviews)
    11.0 miSt Charles

    My first time biking Bangert I was alternately delighted and frustrated. A bicycle allowed me to…read morecover the entire island, something I've never done on foot. Every time I came to a path fork I took the trail heading away from the interior. So, it was a delight to cover the perimeter and finally explore areas I hadn't been in before. However, the lack of trail markers--even at the forks--meant much of the time I had little idea where I was. The trail map was no help and only by checking the sun's position and knowing where the river was did I have an idea of the general direction I was headed. That was frustrating. I kept thinking how a walker wouldn't know where they were, nor how far they were from the next fork that could take them back to Bangert's entrance. Beyond that, the island's trails are fairly easy. Paths nearest the River Road and along the north are solid and mostly flat. Trails along the river are sandy with frequent dips and switchbacks. I began by heading north toward Interstate 70 and its traffic roar. Once I made the turn south and biked further from the bridge the noise subsided and the ride became more serene. However, the trail also got narrower. Trees close in and it's easy to snag a handlebar or pedal. There were a few small tree trunks across the trail--part of the fun of mountain biking--but most were level with the ground. A few trunks showed recent evidence of large trees having been cut to allow the path to run between the sections. Carey in what you need: There are no facilities of any sort here.

    Would love to give this a 5 star review, but went on the Slough Loop Trail and got about a mile…read moreinto the "loop" and hit a dead end with lots of downed trees and heavy brush covering the trail, with no real way to get around. Had to backtrack and try another trail. That trail was open with no dead ends. Hopefully St. Charles County parks will clear the downed trees this winter and open all the trails once again for Spring 2022. Anyway, nice overlook of the Missouri River just south of the I-70 Blanchette Bridge. The trails are mostly wooded with several spots that have views of the river.

    Photos
    Bangert Island
    Bangert Island - Overlook of the Missouri River

    Overlook of the Missouri River

    Bangert Island - A bench overlooks the Missouri on the River Trail.

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    A bench overlooks the Missouri on the River Trail.

    Busch Greenway - mountainbiking - Updated May 2026

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