Katy Trail

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"In 1986 the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (nicknamed the Katy) stopped running between Sedalia and St. Charles. This created the opportunity for an extraordinary recreational facility. Ten years later the Katy Trail officially opened to hikers and bikers. Link to Missouri State Parks/Katy Trail The Katy Trail meanders through a wide variety of Missouri's most scenic landscapes. On the park's western end, Sedalia offers dozens of events each year. Just a few include the State Fair in August, a Native American Pow-Wow in July and the Scot Joplin Ragtime Festival each June. Near the middle of the trail's path across the state, smaller towns like Boonville, Arrow Rock, Rocheport, and Hartsburg also host memorable events throughout the year. Columbia, home of the University of Missouri and the areas largest city, is located just off the Katy Trail, connected by the MKT Fitness Trail. In April, Boonville hosts the Big Muddy Folk Festival. Arrow Rock's Lyceum Theatre puts on several shows every summer. Rocheport hosts its Frog Jumping contest in September; and of course the river town of Hartsburg holds its Pumpkin Festival each October-- and they also feature a winery. Jefferson City, the state capital, is not far from Hartsburg with plenty of its own opportunities to relax, celebrate, or learn about Missouri. Further from the trail but very worthy of the detour, is Fulton. This mid-Missouri town is home to Westminster College, with a church designed by Christopher Wren on the campus; it is where Winston Churchill gave his "Iron Curtain" speech during World War II and where the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev told the world the Wall was falling almost 50 years later. As the Katy Trail leaves central Missouri and winds its way along the river bottoms towards St. Louis, it enters Missouri's Rhineland, or Weinstrasse, where both small and large vineyard continue Missouri's wine-producing tradition. Hermann is the hub of Rhineland. With nine wineries in and around the town, dozens of bed and breakfasts and its hosting of Octoberfest Weekends every year, Hermann is becoming a popular destination for trail users."