Parts of Katy, MKT trails remain closed after spring flooding

Multiple areas of the Katy Trail remained closed Tuesday after several weeks of flooding left parts of the trail damaged.

Missouri State Parks said it does not have a timeline as to when these will be fixed because each section has its own unique issues.

The department said it is currently working on two of the locations near Moniteau and Rocheport.

Drew Lemberger, owner of the Mount Nebo Inn in Rocheport, said business has been down 40 percent this month compared to last year. “A lot of our out-of-state visitors aren’t going to come until they know that trail is kinda complete, and they can bike with no hassle,” Lemberger said.

Lemberger is offering free shuttles for customers around the detours.

“At least they appreciate us trying to do something to make it work while the trails are being repaired,” he said.

He is hopeful for a good fall season. Lemberger said he has already seen an increase in people back on the trail after the floodwaters receded.

Part of the MKT trail in Boone County, which feeds into the Katy Trail, remained closed west of Scott Boulevard.

A large biking event that uses the stretch of the MKT that is closed is the Boone County Dawdle, scheduled for Aug.10. An organizer of the event, Camellia Cosgray, said they have been in communication with Boone County and expect the trail to be open by the event next weekend.

County officials did not respond to requests for comment about the trail repairs.

“We’ve been kind of monitoring the situation, the flooding was long enough ago that we’ve had our fingers crossed, everything is going to be fine,” Cosgray said.

Ticket sales were slow initially, but ride organizers now expect to sell out.

“For a little while people were nervous about it because it’s a little hard to know what the state of the trail is,” Cosgray said.

LIST: Katy Trail closures statewide

MM 27 to MM 36, Machens Trailhead to east of St. Charles Trailhead MM 62.6 to MM 64, west of Matson Traihead MM 66.4 to MM 67.8, west of Augusta Trailhead MM 96.9 to MM 97.1, at Case and slightly west MM 116 to MM 137, west of Portland to near Wainwright detour MM 153 to MM 162.9, west of Hartsburg to just east of Cooper’s Landing MM 178.5 to MM 181.4, between intersection of Moniteau St. and First St. near Rocheport to Davisdale MM 189.9 to MM 191.1, from County Rd 345 to Boonville Bridge East of MM 227.1, east of Sedalia Trailhead