Friday, November 24, 2017

Clinton to Calhoun - Katy Trail State Park


The southwestern end of the Katy Trail State Park is in Clinton, Missouri. The trailhead is located on the northeast side of town near the interchange of Missouri routes 13 and 52. Southwest of the trailhead, the trail continues for another 2000 feet to its end at E Sedalia Avenue.

We biked from the trailhead southwest to E Sedalia Avenue and back to get warmed up and then headed toward Calhoun. The trail parallels Missouri 52 the entire 9.4 miles to the Calhoun trailhead access trail. Including the short ride to the end of the trail and back resulted in 10.1 miles of biking on this segment. We biked this section in October 2017 at a leisurely pace of about nine miles per hour. The trail descends about 40 feet over the 9.4 miles between the Clinton and Calhoun trailheads.

The gravel access trail to the Calhoun trailhead and parking  on N Olive Street is short, but rather steep. Some riders might consider walking their bikes.

Both trailheads have restrooms with running water available from April 1 until November 1 annually. In addition, the Clinton trailhead has a bicycle maintenance station with a bike stand, wrenches, and an air pump. Both parking areas are gravel.

Southwest end of the trail

Clinton trailhead

Bike maintenance station

Points of Interest

Caboose MKT 206

Clinton trailhead parking

Farmers Elevator & Supply

Wide open spaces of the Osage Plains

Tallgrass prairie restoration area

An unnamed stream flows under Missouri route 52

Looking back at a bridge over an unnamed stream


West Fork Tebo Creek

Downstream side of the bridge
 
Upstream side of the bridge and previous bridge pilings
 
Biking through a green tunnel
 
Foundations are all that remain

Sand Creek bridge
 
Sand Creek
 
Calhoun Grain Elevator

Calhoun Trailhead

History of coal mining in Henry County
 
Picnic area

Horse trailer parking area


Entry to the park is free. The trail is open from sunrise to sunset for walking and bicycling. Equestrian use is also permitted from Clinton to Sedalia.

The Katy Trail State Park website is https://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park.

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