Missouri River. It weaves through forests and fields, beneath leafy canopies and past towering bluffs as it connects Machens and Clinton near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. More than 20 small towns are located on or near the trail. Along the way, the Katy Trail invites cyclists, walkers, runners and even horseback riders on a journey to explore the nature and history of the Show-Me state. Twenty-six trailheads and four fully restored historic depots offer easy access on and off the trail. You’ll find a wide variety of restaurants, breweries, wineries, shops, and overnight accommodation along the way. The trail is open year-round but the best time to visit is in the spring when the forests are flowering or in the autumn when the hillsides are ablaze with fall color. Horseback riders are welcome on the 34.7-mile section from Clinton to Sedalia and on a 15.3-mile stretch between Tabbetts and Portland. If you’d like to ride with others, Adventure Cycling offers week-long guided inn-to-inn tours (https:www.adventurecycling. org).
www.traillink.com/trail/katy-trail-state-park/
Katy Trail State Park, credit Aaron Fuhrman
Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, Idaho If you were to go by the reviews, this 73-mile paved run across northern Idaho’s scenic panhandle would probably rate as America’s favorite rail trail. Here’s a sampling from among dozens of comments on the website: “Favorite trail of my long biking career…” “This is my top five of all time bike trails…” “Views were amazing… loved every minute of it…” “My new favorite trail…”
Katy Trail, Missouri Protected and managed by the state of Missouri, Katy Trail State Park spans nearly the full width of the state and is the country’s longest continuous rail-trail. Built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas- Texas Railroad (usually called the Katy or MKT), the trail, composed largely of crushed limestone, stretches 239 miles, much of it alongside the
Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, credit Lisa James
RAILS TO TRAILS
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025 | 10
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