6 Days on The KATY Trail

Just finished 6 days on the Rock Island Trail and KATY Trail. I parked the car in Lee's Summit and rode to Kirkwood to take the Amtrak back to the car. It was 5 full days of 50-60 miles per day and a sixth day under 20 miles to get from the trail to the train. I lucked out with the weather. The first day was still pretty wet from the storms of the previous week. A few bridges were out and had some minor detours. When the trail is wet it can be a little soft and slow going. It's an interesting thing riding on railroad grades with constant pedaling. My highlights were the amazing camping along the route in Windsor (KATY Rock Junction), New Franklin (KATY Roundhouse), and Hermann (Waterfront Park). The food along the route was also top notch, special shout out to the Meriwether Cafe in Rocheport and the Tin Mill in Hermann.

I opted to connect the suburbs rather than the downtown's of KS and STL, as I didnt want to navigate parking, riding downtown, and more expensive hotels. Free long term parking in Lee's Summit and finishing on a Sunday afternoon in the fabulous Kirkwood were both chill and perfect for me.

Day 1 – Lee's Summit to Windsor – 63 miles – Camped at KATY Rock Junction
Day 2 – Windsor to New Franklin – 60 miles – Camped at KATY Roundhouse
Day 3 – New Franklin to Jefferson City – 50 miles – Baymont Hotel
Day 4 – Jefferson City to Hermann – 49 miles – Camped at Riverfront Park
Day 5 – Hermann to Chesterfield – 58 miles – Hampton Inn Hotel
Day 6 – Chesterfield to Kirkwood – 17 miles – Took afternoon Amtrak back to Lee's Summit

Full Route: https://ridewithgps.com/collections/9499405