Katy Trail State Park, Rail trail in Missouri, United States
Katy Trail State Park is a former railroad corridor in Missouri that stretches about 240 miles along the Missouri River and now serves as a walking and cycling path. The surface consists of packed limestone gravel that runs through farmland, riverside forest, and small communities.
The corridor once belonged to the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, which stopped operating in the 1980s. The first section opened in 1990 near Rocheport, and the entire route to Clinton was finished by 1999.
The name comes from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, which people also called the MKT or Katy line when it carried freight and passengers across this region. Along the path, you still see old depot buildings that now serve as rest stops or small museums.
Access is available through 26 trailheads distributed along the entire length, each with parking and information boards. Several sections are close to towns that offer accommodations and supplies.
This park is the longest continuous recreational trail on a former railroad line in the United States, covering nearly the entire width of Missouri. At some points, the path runs through old railway tunnels that date back to the days of train operation.
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