Katy Trail State Park

Katy Trail State Park. Eastern Terminus. , Welcome to Katy Trail State Park, one of 87 state parks and historic sites managed by Missouri State Parks. Whether you are beginning or ending your journey, Machens is the eastern terminus of the park. From this point, the Katy Trail stretches 240 miles west across the midsection of Missouri, connecting more than 30 communities and cities., The Katy Trail follows the now-historic corridor of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad (MKT or "Katy"), constructed between 1870 and 1893. The MKT contributed greatly to the economy of mid-Missouri by encouraging development of several towns along its route such as McKittrick, Mokane and Pilot Grove. The railroad became the lifeblood of many communities by importing manufactured goods from around from around the world, and exporting local commodities such as corn, hay, livestock, coal, shoes and pottery. Railroads provided quick and convenient transportation and even delivered the mail., Today, trail users can rediscover the railroad heyday as they journey over truss-and-trestle bridges, ride past restored depots and visit towns and villages where trains once traveled. Yet there is much more to experience than the culture of railroads. Throughout history, Osage Indians, members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and Daniel Boone and his family traveled portions of this corridor. Later, steamboats carried goods and passengers on the nearby Missouri River. Today's visitors will still encounter remnant prairies, bottomland forests, towering bluffs, and rich agricultural lands as they travel Katy Trail State Park from end to end., Generally, Katy Trail State Park is 100 feet wide and offers a 10-foot-wide trail surfaced with crushed limestone. Private land borders most of the park. There are 26 official trailheads, six additional parking areas and four fully restored depots. The park is open during daylight hours.