Biking the Katy Trail Along the Missouri River
Mileages for all levels, wine and beer for any palate on a Katy Trail bike vacation
Sandstone cliffs outside Rocheport, MO, contrast the Katy’s flat rail-trails.
Welcome back to our 12 riders recently returned from the Wilderness Voyageurs Katy Trail Bike Tour! Starting in Clinton, MO, riders cycled east for six days on an inn-to-inn style bike tour. With beautiful scenery, delicious meals and fun excursions out of the saddle, our 12 riders became a tight-knit group of new friends by the end of their adventure vacation!
Beginner bike trails with daily ride options for all levels
The Katy Bike Trail is the longest rail-trail in the country! This means the path we traveled on was once a railroad corridor and has since been converted to a flat pathway paved with crushed limestone. Coupled with the trail’s geographic location, the Katy provides a gentle, low-gradient trail for riders. Although the Katy is a novice-level trail, there is something for riders of all levels. We had riders with less experience who happily completed the minimum daily mileage option and advanced riders who took advantage of additional riding options to increase their saddle time. Whether riding the minimum or the max, the sun rising on the Missouri River and the trail-side sandstone cliffs made for a beautiful riding backdrop!
All the vacation with none of the stress or hassle
Riders lounging on the patio at Schoolhouse B&B on Day 2.
Does riding your bike across a state conflict with your idea of a vacation? We designed this tour to take riders inn-to-inn, stopping in the coziest of towns which, oh so conveniently, house local vineyards, breweries and bistros. Stretching our daily mileage and appreciating trail beauty was easy, knowing a mouth-watering menu and comfortable lodging were waiting on the other end.
A Wilderness Voyageurs’ bike vacation is not piles of pamphlets, endless phone calls with automated receptionists, long drives with no leg room, gas station food, hotels with no vacancy, missing the tour bus, etc. When we say vacation, we mean it! We take care of all shuttle and transportation logistics and hotel and dinner reservations. After reaching each day’s destination, riders enjoyed some R&R on the idyllic veranda at Schoolhouse B&B in Rocheport and went wine tasting at one or all of Hermann‘s seven award-winning wineries.
Riders enjoying a trail-side lunch spread, compliments of the SAG wagon.
We provide just as much on-trail support as off-trail! While one guide rides alongside the group, we always have our Support and Gear (SAG) vehicle close by for any on-trail support that’s needed. The SAG wagon houses extra snacks, energy drinks, the day’s lunch spread, and extra wet or cold weather gear. It also carries spare bike parts and entire bikes in case of mechanical glitches. After Day 4’s 46-mile trek from Jefferson City to Hermann, the SAG vehicle picked up a couple riders who needed to give their tired legs some TLC. After resting up and an ice cream detour, they were back on the trail, riding strong. The days may hold an unexpected surprise or two but the SAG wagon is always there to mend any hiccup and keep the trip running smoothly.
Biking vacations beyond the Katy
Getting back on the road after touring the Wesley Memorial Gardens in Georgia.
Have you already explored Missouri and the Katy Trail or or are you looking for a different kind of scenery on your bike tour vacation? Here’s a look at some of the other tours you can do!
Explore Appalachia on other classic Pennsylvania rail-trail tours like the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage and the annual Rail-to-Trails Sojourn. Looking for a way to extend your cycling season into colder months by visiting warmer venues? Bike the Chesapeake Bay in October for seaside vistas and fresh crab dinners or take a bike tour through Georgia‘s Gold Coast in November and see the variety of wildlife in a unique habitat. Are you a history buff who enjoys cycling? Immerse yourself in an ageless culture on our Pennsylvania Dutch Country Bike Tour or see the battlefields where American history was written on our Gettysburg and Civil War Bike Tour. Whatever your destination preference, we’ll do the behind-the-scenes work so you can let your hair down and blow in the wind!
Want to experience a rail-trail vacation for yourself? Reserve your Katy Trail Bike Tour today for our Sept. 28 or Oct. 5 departure!
Like what you’ve seen? Check out more Missouri Katy Trail Tour photos on our Pinterest board.
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Blog content was written by Tara Nathan.
If in Ohiopyle, stop in and see us at Wilderness Voyageurs, 103 Garrett Street, Ohiopyle, PA 15470
Or give us a call at 1-800-272-4141
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