sdmc530

I am spending a week in Jefferson City, MO and its right next to a trail head for the Katy trail. Has anyone ridden this portion of the trail going east or west? I am going to bring a bike with me but not knowing about the trail is my CX bike more appropriate or can I use my road bike? There is conflicting info online about this.

I am excited to ride the trail but looking for a little bit more first hand info. If anyone has ridden the Katy is it better or worse surface than the Mickelson Trail in SD? I have been on that lots of hours and its not always packed limestone as advertised but still an amazing trail to ride.

Ignoring price what hotel there is good? My company is paying so anything under 170 is fair game, hoping to get a great hotel.

Any other suggestions about Jefferson City would be great...



thanks!!

Pop N Wood

The Katy trail is the gold standard of rail trails. Very well maintained, hard packed crushed gravel. Rode it a couple of years ago on a gravel bike loaded with paniers, 700x38 tires. CX would be preferred but it could be ridden with a normal road bike. Might need to slow down and come out of the saddle on some of the cross roads. Some can get a bit washed out.

Not sure on hotels, think we stayed some miles east of there. The Katy trail guide is very informative. Jefferson City is the capital, must be some nice places there.

veloz

Rode the Katy in Sept 2019. Jeff City has a spur going into it with a cool bicycle ramp to get you onto & over the huge bridge. State museum there is great and worth a couple hours time, nice bike shop in town too. Wife and I camped in Hartsburg the night before. Following night we camped at the Blufton Barn and Jeff City was right between those two camps. This was just after the floods had receded, trail was still officially closed but we did it anyway with a few detours. Lot’s of sand from the flood but we rode from Sedalia back into Illinois on 35mm tires, fully loaded. I'd take a CX for sure.

ofajen

It’s less than 9 miles from my house to the junction with the Katy Trail, so I ride it all year long. This time of year the trail surface is pretty dry and firm, so I even ride it on smooth tread 32s with no problem. I use an old steel frame road bike and a CX is about ideal.

FYI, from Jeff City, the portion upstream towards Rocheport and Boonville has several lovely sections where the trail runs right next to the river. Heading downstream towards Tebbetts and Mokane, the trail runs along Highway 94 for 27 miles before you get a section where it runs close to the river.

Either way, it is a great trail with good surfaces, plenty of shade and towns along the route with places that cater to cyclists.

Have fun. Who knows? I might pass you on the trail!

I work a lot in Jeff City but don’t stay there in hotels much. I do know there is a very new Courtyard by Marriott just a couple blocks from the trailhead when you cross the river and reach town. Nice enough when I’ve been there for meetings.

Otto

sdmc530

thanks all!! I will bring the CX bike.

Thanks for the Marriott tip, I like new joints over old. I don't care too much about cost, I am not footing the bill .



I looked at the elevation profile and it looks like it goes up hill very gradually going west but doesn't look like much of a rise. I hope to ride both ways if weather allows and get a taste of some decent miles both ways.

Rogerogeroge

I've ridden the Katy twice, the second time we stayed at the Hilton in J-City. It's a full service hotel with a restaurant and bar, It's not far off the bridge, and you get to ride by the Capitol building. They don't mind you rolling dusty bikes through the lobby and on the elevators.

Yes, there's a looooonng 1<% grade heading west.

Katy Trail and Rock Island Trail Elevation Charts (bikekatytrail.com)

sdmc530

thanks for the info. I am between the Hilton and Marriott right now. Both look like good places to stay. But if the Hilton is used to bikes already I will probably go that route.

The grade looks not bad, can't be any worse than the black hills. There are some brutal climbs on that trail.

indyfabz

Brutal as rail-trains go. I hit it after doing Spearfish Canyon then up a second climb and down to the Engelwood Trailhead. Started the climb south of there and thought WTH? Then there was a climb from Mystic towards Hill City. Met a group of kids with a chaperone. They had started in Deadwood and were now walking up that climb. No way they got to Hill City before dark. I bombed the descent into town and it was nearly dark when I arrived. Hoping they beat the massive hail storm a couple of hours later.

sdmc530

YES, deadwood to hill city is a monster! Funny you say that we rode out there last week and I took my 10 year old and he rode it like a champ! Got to Redfern rest area for water and was just done...I said its all down hill to hill city now...he was like you better not be lying and there better be ice cream! It was a tough but great day ride.

Hill city to the bottom is much better but still a great trail. Spearfish canyon is awesome too. I have biked the needles highway too, that was a dog. Thought I was going to die.

pics from last week:

indyfabz

I rode a Needles loop from Custer clockwise. Easier climbing that direction, but I was knackered at the end. And that was with only one pannier with some rain gear and my pump.

sdmc530

Yes, clockwise is the only way i think I can make that route. We usually start at Sylvan lake and go around. Its a monster still!

indyfabz

I started at Fort Welikit Campground on SD 89, not that far from the center of town, and rode up to Sylvan Lake.

Heh. Found the map I made post-tour:

Dashboard · Ride with GPS

Looks like a lot of downhill, but that climbing that starts around mile 16 eventually eats into you. Despite that long downhill (about 1/3 of the entire loop mileage) you still come out with 100' of elevation gain/mile over the entire route. I had not planned on doing this loop during my time out there, so I didn't know what expect. I remember thinking "Where the hell did this climbing come from?" Stopped at Legion Lake Lodge and had a nice lunch that included a spinach salad with goat cheese and strawberries.

sdmc530

You did great until the goat cheese part yuck! Nice job!

bbbean 

The Capitol Plaza offers a Katy rider deal and has storage for bikes on the premises if you don't want to store in your room.They're close to teh river, the capitol, and just a quick hop to the Katy.

What are you doing in Jeff City?

sdmc530

thanks for the tip, I am going to look into that.

I have to travel there for Training with the MO State Police. I am doing a NTC course. So I should get two afternoons of riding in I hope maybe 3 if the weather cooperates.

bbbean 

Enjoy. The Katy is nice and the capitol is worth an hour or two for the art alone, much less the history. If you're interested in food, music, or nightlife, Columbia is a 45 minute drive, and has plenty to offer. Jeff City can be sort of slow when the legislature is out of town.