The Katy Trail is the old Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, rebuilt as a state park. Crews called the line the Katy from the KT mark on the timetable. Freight ran along the Missouri for about a century. The Missouri route from Machens in St. Charles County to Sedalia shut down in 1986.
Missouri State Parks took the right-of-way under the National Trails System Act. Ted and Pat Jones donated money to secure it. Construction started in 1987. The first section opened at Rocheport in 1990. The trail is now about 240 miles, from Clinton to Machens. It is the longest developed rail-trail in the country. In 1995, 165 miles of it became an official segment of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.
The St. Charles trailhead sits on the riverfront at Frontier Park, a short walk from Historic Main Street. From Frenchtown you can walk onto the limestone. Farther west, in New Town or off Veterans Memorial, the trail is a drive. Measure the walk from the porch to the trailhead before you pay for "Katy access."
Why people stay
- A long ride starts at the river.
- Main Street and the trail share a weekend. Dinner is on the way back.
- Frenchtown keeps a smaller, older grain next to that access.
- Guests can ride with you and still understand the town.
- Weldon Spring, Defiance, and Augusta sit west on the same limestone if you want a longer day.
Homes here
Homes for sale St. Charles MO near the trail are a different product from a cul-de-sac that only names it. Homes for sale Frenchtown St. Charles MO are the closest fabric. A St. Charles realtor will measure the walk. The St. Charles and west guide covers Main Street, Frenchtown, and the corridor.