JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MARCH 7, 2018 – Registration is now available for bicyclists who would like to participate in the 2018 Katy Trail Ride, a ride on the nation's longest developed rail trail. The annual week-long bicycle ride will take place June 18 to 22, and will travel across Missouri on Katy Trail State Park.
Sponsored by Missouri State Parks and the Missouri State Parks Foundation, this scenic bicycle ride will go approximately 237 miles from St. Charles to Clinton. The 2018 Katy Trail Ride will allow bicyclists to experience the entire Katy Trail State Park, which takes travelers through many of Missouri's rural communities, along open fields and between the Missouri River and its bordering bluffs. Daily mileage ranges from 37 to 64 miles. Stops will include Hermann, Jefferson City, Boonville and Sedalia.
Participation is limited to 350 people, and the deadline for registration is May 1. The registration fee includes breakfast and dinner daily, outdoor camping spaces each night, hot shower facilities, gear shuttle, support stops and a Katy Trail Ride t-shirt and water bottle.
Transportation between Clinton and St. Charles on June 17 or June 22 will be available, along with round-trip transportation from Columbia to St. Charles on June 17 and from St. Charles to Columbia on June 22 for an additional fee.
The Katy Trail Ride takes 350 bicyclists through the many rural communities that border the trail, boosting the local economy. Riders purchase their lunch in a different community each day and several choose to stay in local hotels or bed and breakfasts rather than camp. Organizers also pay local establishments or organizations to provide breakfast and dinner daily to the participants and volunteers. Many businesses have developed in these small, rural communities since the trail was established, and they rely on trail users for a big part of their success.
For anyone who would like to help with the ride, organizers are looking for friendly volunteers to load bicycles, assist participants at the registration and information booths and support stops. Volunteer information and applications are available at https://mostateparks.com/2018ktride.
For more information about the ride or to register, visit https://mostateparks.com/2018ktride, email katytrailride@gmail.com or call Missouri State Parks toll free at 800-334-6946.
For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit https://mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.