The Freedom Bridge near Mystic is one of 100 trestle bridges you cycle across on the Mickelson Trail
By Norman D. Ford
The Freedom Bridge near Mystic is one
of 100 trestle bridges you cycle across on the Mickelson Trail
Here is good news for Americans living in the Midwest who are looking for a safe and enjoyable bicycle tour. Since 2002, I have toured 4 famous bike trails, all free of motorized traffic and with overnight accommodation en route in comfortable motels or B&Bs. The Trails are located in South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri.
All are Rails-to-Trails conversions, and they are described below in the following order. Just scroll down on this page to locate them.
These are among America's longest rails-trails conversions. Each is now operated as a State Park and is extremely safe and well-maintained. Each night I stayed at a comfortable motel or I could have tent-camped or stayed at a romantic B&B.
BUT. . . biking these Trails isn't quite as simple as pedaling from one village gasthaus to the next along the bike paths of Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Along much of the Katy Trail, for instance, most overnight accommodation, supermarkets and restaurants are located on the South Bank of the Missouri while the Bike Trail runs along the North Bank. And not only are most bridges absolutely unsafe for bicycling but so are most of the towns on the South Bank while many of their motels are difficult to access safely by bicycle.
But there ARE Solutions to these and most other problems! And they're described in the Strategy for successfully cycling each Trail in the reports below. Being railroad beds, nearly all Trails are fairly level with gentle grades and are suited for FITNESS-ORIENTED families. ( Fit, I repeat FIT youngsters of 8 or 9 have pedaled some of these Trails riding a loaded touring bike.) Bikes can be rented at bike shops on most Trails but I still recommend bringing your own trusty steed with pump, spare tubes, bottle cages , rear rack and tool kit if you can.
Spring or Fall is the best time to go. Since some Trails are located not too far apart, it's possible to drive with your bike from one Trail to another and cycle both Trails on the same vacation. Here are brief outlines of a few such possibilities.
Colorado Rockies--South Dakota's Black Hills. It's just a comfortable one day drive from the wonderful network of paved bike trails through the heart of the Rockies at Frisco, CO to South Dakota's Mickelson Trail, crown-jewel of America's rails-trails conversions. For detailed reports lookup Biking and Kayaking at Frisco, CO on our home page menu and scroll down to Touring the George S. Mickelson Trail below.
Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta Trail --Minnesota's Root River Trail. It's just a 30-mile drive from Onalaska on the Wisconsin Trail to the Root River Trail in Minnesota. Together they can provide 6-10 days of superlative cycling through some of America's most unspoiled riverside scenery. Each of these Trails is described below as Cycling Minnesota's Root River and Harmony-Preston Trails and Exploring Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta State Park Bike Route.
Exploring Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta State Park Bike Route--Touring Missouri's Katy Trail. It took me 1.5 days to drive from the Wisconsin Trail to Clinton at the west end of the Katy Trail. For good measure, consider adding in Minnesota's Root River Trail.
Whichever Trails you decide to cycle, here is the know-how you'll need to ensure a pleasant and hassle-free tour.
The Root River and Harmony-Preston Valley State Trails they call it, a pair of connecting trails with a combined total of 60 smooth, asphalt-paved miles through the heart of Minnesota's spectacular Bluff Country. Yes, it's another premier rails-trails conversion and while most of it IS laid atop a former railroad bed, no one here seemed to know which rail line built or ran it.
It's actually two trails. For 42 miles, the Root River Trail meanders through hardwood forests and soaring limestone bluffs beside the scenic Root River and it leads through half a dozen 19th Century villages , each with a turn-of-the-century Main Street where traditional cafes serve homemade pie and coffee. . . while a few old-style shops still have tin ceilings and squeaky wood floors.
I saw more small town life and traditional Old Amish culture along the Harmony-Preston Valley Trail. A spur trail which connects with the Root River Trail, it adds another 18-miles of paved and scenic cycling along more rivers and creeks and across a few hills to end at the farming village of Harmony. Depending on your strategy, this combined 60-mile trail system can provide 2-4 days of serene, superlative and enriching cycling.
Moreover, both trails are free of motor-driven vehicles and provide a wonderfully relaxing departure from speeding traffic and stress. As tourist brochures point out, in this whole section of Minnesota, no town has more than 3,000 population and 5 cars at an intersection is considered a traffic jam. Along the trails, I saw wild turkey, deer, orchards, sink holes and blazing fall colors and I cycled past tall silos and massive barns, some of pegged timber construction. With its century-old Main Street facades of brick and stone, the town of Lanesboro is a showplace of Victorian homes and art galleries.
Best of all, it's just 30 miles by car from Onalaska, on Wisconsin's Elroy-Sparta Trail, to Houston at the eastern end of the Root River Trail. Thus it's easy to cycle both these rewarding trail systems during a single vacation of 6-9 days. Scroll down this page for a full report on the Elroy-Sparta Trail (listed as EXPLORING WISCONSIN'S ELROY-SPARTA STATE PARK BIKE ROUTE.)
Maps & Guides to the Root and Harmony-Preston Trails
Historic Bluff Country Inc., PO Box 609, Harmony MN 55939; phone 1-888-229-4258; or website at www.bluffcountry.com Will send free Trail Map & Directory to Root River & Harmony-Preston State Trails, which is a folder with detailed trail map, also listing campgrounds and some lodgings, Visitor Centers, and kayak-canoe rentals. Also distributes free booklet Historic Bluff Country Back Roads which also lists lodgings.
Dept of Natural Resources (DNR), phone 651-296-6157, or website www.dnr.state.mn.us . Has info and maps for the Trails including a free Internet download of the Root River/Harmony-Preston Trail Map.
Minnesota Dept of Tourism, click on www.exploreminnesota.com/lodging for accommodation listings for every town in MN. Type in city name and hit GO button.
Minnesota Bike Trails & Rides,522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre MN 56378 or click on www.mnbiketrails.com. For $5 will send a 64 page newsprint guide to all MN bike trails with many ads for trailside accommodation.
For advance trip planning, it's essential to have the Bike Trail Map & Directory to the Root River & Harmony Preston State Trails. You can obtain the map in minutes by downloading it from the DNR website www.dnr.state.mn.us .
Strategy For Touring The Trails
The Trails are roughly 8-10 feet wide and smoothly paved. Unlike most other rail-trails, you can ride a road bike with tires as small as 700 x 25. Since most cyclists will have a car available to carry luggage, you can travel light and free of panniers; and you don't have to be superfit to cycle both trails one-way in 1-2 days.
For cyclists driving from Wisconsin, I suggest starting at Houston and cycling the first day on the Root Trail to Lanesboro for overnight, a distance of 31 miles. Next day, cycle the rest of the Root Trail west to Fountain, and return to Isinfour Junction. Branch off here on to the Harmony-Preston Trail and ride to Preston and Harmony, a total of 37 miles.
However, the strategy I used was this. I drove to Preston and made my base for 5 nights at the Trailhead Inn where my luggage stayed throughout the trip and I cycled lightweight and without panniers.
On Day One: I cycled from Preston to Isinfour Junction and Fountain, then back to Preston, an easy ride of 24 miles.
On Day Two: I cycled from Preston to Harmony and back to Preston, a hillier ride of 25 miles.
On Day Three: I drove to Lanesboro, parked at the Trailhead and cycled on the Root Trail to Isinfour Junction and back to Lanesboro, then on to Peterson and back to Lanesboro, a total of 36.5 miles. I then drove back to Preston for overnight.
On Day Four: I drove from Preston to Peterson, then cycled east on the Root Trail to Houston and back to Peterson, a ride of 35 miles. I then drove back to Preston.
Preston and Lanesboro are the only towns with significant overnight accommodation and only Preston has conventional motels (two). Of these, Trailhead Inn seemed the most reasonable. The only bike shop is at Lanesboro. Rental bikes are available at Lanesboro and Preston but frankly I recommend bringing your own bike if you can. Best time for cycling the Trails is Spring (May 1-June 15) and Fall (Labor Day-October 21).
A DAY-by-DAY LOG OF MY TRIP
I arrived by car at Preston the evening before the trip.
PRESTON. A small farming and trout fishing center. The Tourist Office is at junction of Hiways 52 and 16, phone 507-762-2100, website www.prestonmn.org ; the office has street and Trail maps. The Harmony-Preston Trail head (toilet, parking, bike rentals) is in a park beside the South Root River and has a tall historic elevator built in 1890. The supermarket is 3 blocks west. There are several local campgrounds. The two motels are::-
M. Trailhead Inn, at Trailhead. at-door parking, phone 507-765-2460; www.trailheadinn.com. Affordable but make phone reservation before arriving.
M. Country Trails Inn, jct hiways 52 and 16. phone 888-378-2896. www.countrytrailsinn.com. More expensive.
DAY ONE: Preston to Fountain and Preston, 24 miles. From Preston Trailhead, I cycled down the Harmony-Preston Trail beside the Root River, a delightful 5.5 mile ride through the hushed silence of a riverside forest. At Isinfour Junction (picnic tables) I switched to the main Root River Trail and pedaled for 6.5 miles gradually uphill through another silent, isolated stretch of forest and into Fountain.
At Fountain, the Trailhead is in a park (toilets, tables, parking) next to this small Midwestern town and I spent half an hour exploring the streets, lined by traditional frame houses, some a century old. Returning, I coasted back downhill to Isinfour Junction and pedaled back to Preston beside the South Root River. A wonderfully refreshing ride it was! But if you feel this is too easy for one day, consider combining my Days One and Two into a single day's ride of 49 miles.
DAY TWO: Preston to Harmony and Preston, 25 miles. From Preston Trailhead, I cycled east across the South Root River and through the County Fairgrounds. Then the Trail took a sharp bend south and headed along Camp Creek which it crossed repeatedly on a series of former steel railroad bridges. A few years ago, the Creek flooded and damaged these bridges but they've since been repaired and raised in height.
Soon, the Trail turned away from the level railroad bed and began a stair-step climb up a series of low hills. Each hill took the Trail higher until it finally emerged from the woods onto open prairie. Finally, the Trail ran beside Hiway 16 and ended at the Harmony Trailhead. Altogether, I estimated the total elevation gain from Preston to be around 300 feet.
HARMONY: an agricultural village full of farm machinery. its Main Street is lined by a row of brick-fronted shops, including a restaurant. Near the Trailhead is the Visitor Center for Historic Bluff Country Inc., well stocked with Trail maps and literature. Besides a couple of B&Bs, some sources list:-
M. Country Lodge Motel, 525 Hiway 52, 800-870-1710, email ctrylodg@means.net, 24 units, 3 blocks from Trail. However, I did not actually see it.
Returning to Preston was an easier downhill version of the same ride. Trail descriptions warn of steep hills on this section. Provided your bike has low climbing gears, however, these hills are unlikely to bother a fit, experienced cyclist. And as usual, cycling a trail in the reverse direction is a whole, new visual experience.
DAY THREE: Lanesboro to Inisfour; Inisfour to Lanesboro and Peterson; Peterson to Lanesboro. Today began with a short car drive from Preston to Lanesboro, largest community on the Root River Trail.
LANESBORO: a showplace of restored Victorian homes with a colorful Main Street lined by 19th century brick and stone facades, Lanesboro is a flourishing art center full of art galleries, antique shops and cafes. I found ample parking beside the dam that once powered the town's flour mills. A short ride east on the Trail led to the DNR Trail Center in the former railroad depot. Beside Trail maps, they hand out a Lanesboro Historic Street Map showing a self-guided tour you can take by bike or on foot past 32 of the town's most historic buildings. Many, I found, are now occupied by B&Bs. And the town is completely encircled by wooded hills and limestone cliffs.
Lanesboro's large bike repair and rental shop is on the east side of Main Street near the Trail. Cycling around the streets, I saw no sign of a conventional motel, just a host of delightful but pricey B&Bs. You can see a list of accommodations at www.exploreminnesota.com/lodging (type in Lanesboro as city name). One cycling couple told me they stayed at affordable rates at the:-
M. A Guest Hus Motel, a 6-unit "motel" in a house 4 blocks from the Trail. 507-467-3512.
Below Lanesboro, the Root River Trail
provides frequent views of the crystal-clear Root River
Pedaling under huge trees beside the swiftly-flowing Root River to Inisfour was another scenic treat, made even more enjoyable by cycling back to Lanesboro the same way. But instead of stopping in Lanesboro, I pedaled on through more miles of verdant riverside forest and into the scattered riverside village of Whalan, population 60. Leaving the river occasionally to cut across cornfields, and up and down an oaccasional low hill, the Trail wound gradually downhill and into the village of Peterson.
PETERSON: this former 1860s railroad town is now just a quaint hamlet. I found a historic Main Street with a restored depot housing a small museum. A block away is:-
M. Geneva's Hideaway, with 2-bedroom suites with kitchens, reasonably-priced for groups. 507-875-7733. Near Trail, also has ice cream shop.
Cycling back the same way to Lanesboro provided a whole new perspective of the route I'd just ridden. Then from Lanesboro, I drove back to Preston with my bike in the car. Total: 36.5 miles.
DAY FOUR: Peterson to Rushford and Houston and back to Peterson, 35 miles. From Preston, I drove Hiways 16 and 25 into Peterson and parked. From Peterson, it's just 5 miles on the Trail to Rushford, the last 2 miles close to Hiway 16.
RUSHFORD: a pleasant town of 2,350 population, Rushford is surrounded by wooded bluffs. The Trailhead is at the well-maintained Depot which houses an info office and toilet. A supermarket is close by as are two small B&Bs.
Restored Trailhead
Depot beside Root River Trail at
Rushford
The Trail leaves Rushford through town streets then commences a 12-mile run partly beside the Root River and partly through deep forests and cornfields. Though the map warns of "Relatively steep hills in this area" the only small-chainring hill I encountered was at 6 miles from Rushford. Here the Trail climbs for half-a-mile to meet Hiway 16 atop a hill (elevation gain about 125 feet). Today, September 28 with a temperature of 45 degrees F, I met few other cyclists before noon. But there were long stretches of wooded hills near the Trail with trees bursting into fall colors.
HOUSTON: the Trail terminates in Houston Nature Center Park, surrounded by prairie and wetland plants and recycled bike art. In this small agricultural community, I found a small food store and restaurant and two B&Bs.
After a snack, I cycled back the same way to Peterson. From there I drove back to Preston with my bike in the car. In 4 days, I had cycled both the Root and Harmony Preston Trails in both directions. Obviously, strong cyclists could bike the Trail both ways in 2 or 3 days. But most cyclists I met on the Trail were in the 50-plus age group, and it's for riders like these that this info is intended. If you're in this category, whichever strategy you decide on, it takes close to 4 days to bike both Trails in both directions.
Other Bike Trails in South Eastern Minnesota
With additional time, here are several other rewarding car-free trails with a few hours drive of the Root River Trail.
Central Lakes Trail, unpaved, 55 miles.
Glacial Lakes State Trail, partly paved, 22 miles.
Heartland State Trail, partly paved, 51 miles, famous.
Lake Wobegon Trail, paved, 35 miles.
Sakatah Trail, partly paved, 39 miles.
A 109-Mile Cycling Adventure Through The Scenic Black Hills
and Historic Gold Rush Country of South Dakota
Back in the 1890s, Burlington Northern Railroad pushed its 109-mile "High Line" route through the heart of South Dakota's rugged Black Hills. Built to serve the gold mines and raucous towns of the 1980's Gold Rush, the line was rushed to completion in an incredible 210 days, including construction of nearly 100 wooden trestle bridges and 4 rock tunnels.
In 1983, the last trains rolled over Burlington Northern's High-Line. And eventually, in 1998, the entire track--including bridges and tunnels--became the Gorge S. Mickelson Trail, one of America's premier Rails-Trails conversions. Currently it is admistered and operated by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks.
Today, the Mickelson Trail offers a 109-mile cycling adventure through a mountain wonderland moulded from some of the world's most ancient rocks On gentle grades--rarely exceeding 3 percent--the car-free Trail meanders beside swift creeks and beaver dams and under dark, jagged cliffs and through pineclad valleys where ghost towns mingle with several modern communities filled with comfortable motels and trendy restaurants.
Along the way, the Trail passes close to Crazy Horse Memorial, a monumental sculpture of the Lakota-Sioux chief hacked out of living rock. And farther north, the Trail hugs the famous Homestake Mine, America's largest gold mine that ceased operation only in 2001.
Here and there, it runs for a few miles beside a major highway. But for most of its length, the Trail spans an isolated National Forest region rich in gold mining and railroading history.
Mickelson Trail--The Best Strategy For a Bicycle Tour
About ten feet wide and composed of hard-packed dirt with a scattering of pea-sized gravel, the Trail is fenced and is marked by wooden Mile Posts (MP). Some sections run through private land and the Trail can be accessed only at official Trail Heads (TH), each accessible to cars. Each TH has a parking area nearby and most (but not all), have toilets, a picnic table and a cistern with pump to supply drinking water during the hot summer months. Occasionally, cyclists must dismount to pass through gates which mark the boundaries of private land.
Although the Mileposts are numbered from South to North, most cyclists ride the Trail from North to South. That way, there is more downgrade than upgrade and it fits in better with the Trail's overnight accommodations. Tent camping is generally discouraged alongside the Trail. So whether you tent-camp or stay at motels, there are only 4 Trailside towns with motels and campgrounds.
Trailside Towns With Overnight Accommodation
From North to South, they are:
MP 109. DEADWOOD, pop 1,500, el 4,533 feet, and northern terminus of the Trail, has several reasonably-priced motels plus a campground and supermarket.. From Deadwood, the 49-mile ride to Hill City, the next motel town, begins with an unbroken 15-mile upgrade to an elevation of 6,240 feet. Then comes a gentle 18-mile downgrade followed by a fairly easy 6-mile upgrade and a final 9-mile downgrade into Hill City. Except at Lead, near Deadwood, no other significant accommodation exists along this nearly 50-mile stretch.
MP 60. HILL CITY, pop 800, el 4,974 feet, has a variety of rather pricey modern motels, a supermarket, and camping available. From here. the 15.5-mile ride to Custer takes you over an 8-mile long upgrade then on a 7.5-mile downgrade into downtown Custer.
MP 44.5. CUSTER, pop 2,000, el 5,303 feet, with a choice of older and somewhat less costly motels near the center plus a supermarket and campgrounds. Except for two easy upgrades totalling some ten miles, the rest of the 44.5-mile ride to Edgemont is either downgrade or flat.
MP 0. EDGEMONT , pop 1,000, el 3,495 feet, and southern terminus of the Trail, has one sizeable, reasonably-priced older motel and a food store.
Cycling The Mickelson Trail in 3 Days
Since almost all cyclists travel to the Black Hills with their bike in a car, almost everyone nowadays will have a support vehicle available. Lacking a volunteer driver, groups of 3 or 4 cyclists can each take a turn driving while the others cycle.
Assuming you and your group stay at a Deadwood motel the night before starting, here's how you might cycle the Mickelson Trail in 3 days.
DAY ONE: Deadwood-Rochford-Deadwood. Leave your luggage in the Deadwood motel for a second night. Drive car with bikes and cyclists by road to Rochford TH , on the Trail at MP 82.6. From here, cyclists pedal back to Deadwood over the highest point on the Trail then enjoy an easy 15-mile descent. Meanwhile, car and driver return by road to Deadwood where all meet at the same motel for a second night.
DAY TWO: Deadwood-Rochford-Hill City-Custer. Car and driver plus all luggage, cyclists and bikes drive back to Rochford. Here, cyclists begin the 48-mile ride on the Trail through Hill City to Custer (approximately 14-miles of which is upgrade, the rest downgrade). Car and driver continue by road to Custer and meet the cyclists for an overnight stay at a Custer motel.
DAY THREE: Custer to Edgemont. Cyclists ride the 44.5 mile, mostly downgrade Trail to the Edgemont motel where they meet their car and driver with the luggage.
Under this plan, cyclists ride the entire Mickelson Trail unencumbered by panniers or heavy luggage, all of which is carried by car. And you can stay every night at a comfortable motel.
It's easy to modify this itinerary if you're traveling without a support vehicle, or on your own, as I was.
DAY One: From Deadwood, ride the Penny Motel van shuttle to Dumont and cycle back downhill to Deadwood. Leave your car parked at a safe place in Deadwood for the duration of your bike tour..
DAY Two: Ride the same shuttle from Deadwood to Dumont and cycle with luggage on bike to Rochford, Mystic, Hill City and Custer for overnight, a total run of 48 miles of which 14 is upgrade and 24 downgrade. (If this sounds too strenuous, you could ride only as far as Hill City this day, then continue to Custer the following day, and to Edgemont the next day, making a total of 4 days. ) However, most fit, experienced cyclists can ride a loaded touring bike from Dumont to Custer in one day, since nearly two-thirds of it is easy downhill riding.
DAY Three : Cycle with luggage on bike from Custer to the motel in Edgemont for overnight.
That leaves you in Edgemont with your car in Deadwood. Perhaps as I did, you can pay a friendly pick-up driver to take you and your car back to Deadwood. Or you might cycle the same route in reverse back to Deadwood (adding several days). For cyclists on their own without a support vehicle, I strongly advise making an advance reservation at all motels, regardless of season.
One other alternative for solo cyclists with a car is to cycle the Trail in 20-mile sections. Each day you drive out to a different TH and cycle a roughly 20-mile section of the Trail, returning the same way to your car. Each night you stay at the nearest motel. This way you cycle the Trail in both directions in approximately 5-6 days.
Names and phone numbers of all motels etc are given in the Trip Log below. Mention of a motel is for information only and does not imply a recommendation. Just about all motels are easily accessible by bicycle. However, you should know that rates are highest between June 15 and Labor Day while most motels raise their rates for Friday and Saturday nights. You can easily fit in a 3-4 day trip between cheaper Sunday and Thursday nights. Many motels also give a 10 percent discount to holders of AARP and, often, AAA cards. If you're planning to make reservations as you ride, be aware that cell phones are not dependable in this country of few towers and many hills.
Rooms in many newer motels like Super 8s are accessible only through an interior corridor which is inconvenient and cumbersome for cyclists to negotiate. Better are motels with "at door" parking right outside your unit, still commonplace in older and less expensive motels.
Although the Mickelson Trail is smooth and free of rocks, some short sections are paved with larger and deeper gravel that makes pedaling harder. Don't expect anywhere to equal the speed you can make on a paved road. Ideally, I suggest a mountain bike with a 26x1.75 tire in front and a 26x1.5 tire in rear. Otherwise, two 26x1.5 tires are fine. Nowhere do you need the standard 26x1.95 fat tire. I did meet some cyclists riding road bikes with 700x32 or 700x35 tires but most would have preferred a mountain bike. Wear a helmet, many don't.
Casinos and gaming machines are everywhere. Most motels and even supermarkets have a few. THs are not patroled, so avoid leaving valuables in a parked car.
State Park Rangers
on bikes patrol Mickelson Trail, checking
passes and offering help if
needed
All trail users 12 and over need a trail pass, either a day pass at $2 or an annual pass at $10. I found it more convenient to buy an annual pass than spend time each day purchasing a $2 pass. They are available at larger THs and at Visitor Centers in Trailside towns.. The central part of the Trail is patrolled by a Parks Dept employee on a mountain bike. Besides offering emergency repair and Trail info, he may also ask to see your pass. Lacking one, you may be asked to pay a stiff penalty.
Maps And Guides To Mickelson Trail And Black Hills
Most of the maps etc mentioned above are also available at Tourist Offices in Trailside towns. The key map you need is the "George S. Mickelson Trail" map and brochure published by SD Dep't of Game Fish and Parks. The large Trail map shows all mileages and THs with brief descriptions of the route and a contour profile showing all upgrades and downgrades plus thumbnail maps of the Kirk-Sugarloaf loop, Hill City, Custer and Edgemont. You'll also need the Black Hills Area road map showing all roads that access THs.
Street Maps & Accommodations Listings For Trailside Towns
When To Go?
Spring or Fall are Best. That is, between May 1 and June 15; or from Labor Day to October 10, when temperatures typically range from 37-45 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 55-80 during the day. Even in cool weather, you can sweat while pedaling up the long upgrades, typically 5-10 miles or more in length. And you can easily get chilled riding down these same long grades.
Moreover, wide temperature swings can occur within minutes, especially at higher altitudes. So plan to carry adequate water and wear layered clothing, with warm gloves, sweaters and tights included. Above all, carry efficient raingear, preferably a jacket-and- pants rainsuit with rain hat and waterproof gloves. Even in summer, rain at high altitudes can be chilling and cause hypothermia.
Prior to cycling the Mickelson Trail, I spent a few days touring the magnificent system of paved bike trails through the heart of the Rockies based on Frisco, CO. (For full details, click on our report "Biking and Kayaking at Frisco, CO." on home page menu.) From Frisco, it was just a 9-hour drive to Deadwood, SD, my starting point for the Mickelson Trail.
Which means that by driving between Frisco and Deadwood, both the Colorado and Mickelson trails can be easily combined to form a wonderful, car-free cycling vacation-- providing over 14 days of awesome cycling on two of America's most rewarding bike trail systems--with every night in a comfortable motel or on a campground if you prefer.
I found Deadwood an elegant 19th Century town of Victorian brick-and-stone architecture, its Main Street lined by gaming saloons once frequented by characters like Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. Promoted as a Last Frontier of the Old West, Deadwood is full of tourists, parking is difficult downtown, and motel space is hard to find at weekends (so advance reservations are advised). .
From here on, these abbreviations are used: M = Motel, and CG = Campground. Among Deadwood's less expensive motels are:-
M. Penny Motel, 818 Main St. 605-578-1842. www.pennymotel.com. Hostel and motel accommodation for cyclists with at-door parking plus daily car shuttle service to Dumont TH.
M. Gold Country Inn, 801 Main St. at door parking, opposite Penny Motel. 605-578-2393.
M. Budget Host Jackpot Inn, at-door parking, 2 miles south on US385 and directly on Mickelson Trail. 605-578-7791. www.budgethostjackpotinn.com.
M. Super 8, 1 mile south on US385, interior corridors, 605-578-2535. www.deadwoodsuper8.com.
CG. Whistler Park Campground, near Deadwood TH. 800-704-7139. Tent sites.
Driving on paved roads, it took the shuttle vehicle a mere 28 minutes to reach Dumont TH, a cold , bleak spot on a windswept hilltop with extensive parking, water, toilets and an enclosed cabin with wood-burning stove, all sheltered by a grove of golden aspen trees. The Trail was across the highway and soon I was pedaling gradually uphill through a forest splashed with more golden aspens. It was just 1.5 miles to the highest point on the Trail at 6,240 feet. During the 15-mile descent from here into Deadwood, the Trail would drop 1,700 spectacular feet--and there wasn't a dull moment anywhere.
Hardly needing to pedal, I coasted down for six miles through a forest of spruce into Englewood TH. Then the Trail curved around through several rock cuts to reveal a series of stunning panoramas of the huge Homestake gold mine and the town of Lead spread out below. Diverging from the railbed, the Trail twisted and turned past Sugarloaf TH to where a spur trail branches left off the main Trail. You can ride this branch trail for a mile up a hillside into the mining town of Lead.
Here, next to the graveyard in the center of Lead, I found Lead TH, complete with shelter, toilets and signs explaining the history of Lead and the Homestake Mine. A well-established town of 3,000, Lead has its own hospital, library, park, sports center and even an opera house. And a huge mill stands atop a mountain of tailings with a Visitor Center and I found an interesting Mining Mussum on Main Street.
Back on the main Trail at MP 100.3, another spur branches right and plunges down a steep, narrow trail. Called the Kirk-Sugarloaf Loop, it offers a short cut down to Kirk TH below. But en route, it descends a grade of 17 percent. And the average touring cyclist would be well advised to skip it and to stay on the main Trail instead. Adding in these two spur trails, gives the Mickelson Trail a total distance of 114 miles.
Kirk TH at MP 105.3, toilet only, is site of Kirk Power Plant which supplied electricity to Lead and the Homestake Mine. Leaving here, a massive bare, black mountain loomed ahead and soon I was pedaling next to this monolith created by a century of tailings spewed out from the Homestake Mine overhead.
Approaching Deadwood the
Mickelson Trail skirts the famous Homestake
Gold Mine poised atop a mountain of
tailings spewed out by the mine during
a century of operation
Approaching Deadwood, the Trail runs beside US385. The final 1.5 miles are paved into Deadwood TH which is right at the old railroad depot with ample parking and a supermarket next door. Also here is Deadwood Bike Shop, www.deadwoodbicycles.com. From here, it's a short half-mile ride down Sherman Street and over to the Penny and Gold Country Motels on Upper Main Street. Arriving back, I arranged to leave my car on the Gold Country's parking lot until the following Friday. To do this, I had to make a reservation for the next Thursday night.
DAY TWO: Dumont TH to Custer TH, 48 miles.
It was 37 degrees when the shuttle put me off once more at Dumont and I donned all of my warm clothes for the 18-mile downhill run to Mystic. For several miles the Trail led through open meadows beside Highway 17. Then it swung away from the road and meandered between pineclad hills next to the wetlands and beaver dams of Rapid Creek.
Through the most beautiful section of the Trail, I coasted effortlessly past abandoned mines and through Tunnel D--like the Trail's other tunnels, less than 50 yards in length and easily traversed without a flashlight--and on through groves of flaming aspen into Rochford TH at MP83. Beside Highway 17 and next to the local fire department station, the TH is equipped with shelter, toilets and water. It's just a short ride on 17 into Rochford, population 25. A Gold Rush town back in the 1870s, Rochford burned down in 1897 and never recovered. Today it's a ghost town where a few dilapidated buildings cluster around a church, a curio shop and the Moonlight Gulch Saloon which serves meals and drinks. A sign pointed to "Rochford Bike Rental and Shuttle, open weekends, 605-584-3868, email: r-riders@hills.net".
On again, the Trail continues down through a scenic valley , passes the former Stand By Mine and at MP 77 plunges through Tunnel C to enter Mystic TH at MP 75. With its shelter, toilet and water cistern, the TH is easily the busiest place in Mystic, once a thriving logging and mining community but now a tiny hamlet scattered around a church built of logs.
From here, the Trail starts up a steep hillside overlooking a series of pools created a century ago by the Castleton dredge mine. Then it crosses the long Freedom trestle bridge and runs on through Tunnels B and A to the Dougherty Gulch shelter. Over more trestle bridges and through more rock cuts the Trail winds on up to Redfern Shelter, poised at the top of the 6-mile upgrade. Off to the south, I could see Harney Peak, at 7,242 feet, highest point in the Black Hills.
Then it was another easy 9-mile downhill run all the way beside Highway 17 and into Hill City. The Trail crosses US385 to enter town and you ride along Railroad Avenue past the 1880 Train Station and Rushmore Bike Shop into Tracy Park and Hill City TH.
HILL CITY. At the south end of town and at MP 60, the TH has a large shelter with tables, toilets, water and extensive parking. Most motels are operated by large modern chains, have casinos and are apt to be pricey.
M. Harney Peak Motel, 221 Main St. 605-574-2544. Older, smaller and right in town.
M. Comfort Inn, near TH. 605-574-2100. www.choicehotels.com. Basement bike storage, mostly interior corridors.
M. Gold Spike Inn, north end on 16. 605-574-2577. Some at-door units.
M. Holiday Inn,, north end on 16. 605-574-4040. Plush with interior corridors.
M. Super-8. 202 Main St. 605-574-4141, at north end, interior corridors..
The Trail leaves Hill City behind the Comfort Inn and winds gradually uphill through cool pine forests for 8 miles, often within sight of Highway 16/385. At MP55 is Oreville Shelter where a trail branches off for a quarter mile to Oreville Campground, only National Forest campground on the Mickelson Trail.
At MP 51, at the top of the 8-mile upgrade, is a turn-off to Crazy Horse Memorial. Begun in 1948 by sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski, work is still in progress. Cyclists may ride up the private road to the Visitor Center (museum and cafe) for a $3.50 toll (cars pay $9 and up). Otherwise, the sculpture is clearly visible from the Trail.
Only a mile beyond is Mountain TH with shelter and water. From here, the Trail descends a pleasant downgrade for 7.5 miles through meadows and pine forests, with a final loop through Custer and into Harbach Park and Custer TH (MP 44.5).
CUSTER. An early day Gold Rush town, now a major Black Hills tourist center. The TH is just a block from Mount Rushmore Road, the main street, with its supermarket and several older, less pricey motels. The Visitor Center, well stocked with maps, is at the TH and issues trail passes. Also near the TH is Trailside Bike Shop, at the Mica Depot, 605-573- 5526, www.trailsidebikes.com. Most motels have at-door parking and they include::
M. Custer Motel, 109 Mt Rushmore Rd. 605-673-2876. Inexpensive.
M. Chief Motel, 120 Mt Rushmore Rd. 605-673-2318. www.gwtc.net/~chiefmot.
M. Rocket Motel, 211 Mt Rushmore Rd. 605-673-4401. www.rocketmotel.com.
M. Mile-Hi Motel, 244 Mt Rushmore Road. 605-673-4048.
M. Travelodge, 244 Mt Rushmore Rd. 605-673-4048.
CG. French Creek RV Park, near TH. 605-673-3727. has some tent sites.
I stayed at the Chief Motel but later, noticed that the Custer Motel across the street had a sign offering units for only $29 (in mid-September)
DAY THREE: Custer to Edgemont, 44.5 miles.
From Custer, the Trail ascends through scenic woods, crosses US385 and drops gradually down to White Elephant TH (a former feldspar mine, parking only) beside US385 at MP35.7. Then I cycled gradually downhill beside US385 to Pringle TH at MP32.
Surrounding Pringle TH (shelter, toilets) is the rambling, rundown village of Pringle, littered with old cars and heavy equipment but with snacks and possibly meals available at a couple of beer joints. And so the Trail wound on through pinewoods and meadows and past old mines and quarries to Leon Quarry Shelter, on a hilltop among the pines at MP22.5. Next, the Trail crossed US385 and wound over a treeless prairie into Minnekahta TH (shelter, toilets) at MP16.
(Note: from isolated Minnekahta TH, it's possible to drive 12 miles east on US18 to Hot Springs, a Victorian town of stately sandstone buildings with a huge indoor warm water pool, mineral baths and therapeutic massage treatments. Also here are several reasonably- priced motels and there's a KOA CG nearby. Cycling on US18 is not recommended.)
From Minnekahta TH, I cycled gradually downhill through open range country and past several ranches into the wooded Elk Mountains. Coasting steadily dowqngrade, I rode through a deeply-excavated cut spanned by the Chilson Bridge carrying Road 185. Next came Sheep Canyon Shelter and I pedaled across what was once a 700-foot long bridge crossing Sheep Canyon (but now stabilized with an earth fill). The Trail then looped down a hillside with far-flung panoramas of Edgemont and the high plains beyond.
For the final 3 miles, the Trail is sandwiched between US18 and an active Burlington Northern track.
EDGEMONT is a typical high plains railroad town and the Trail follows a series of paved and unpaved city streets (marked by signs) to the TH at the City Park at south end of Main St. BUT. . .Edgemont is a busy rail town where 60 freight trains pass through daily and trains are often left parked and blocking streets in the middle of town while crews are changed. Thus the signed Trail is often blocked by stopped trains. I found it better to simply cycle a half mile south on the wide shoulder of US18 and take the turn-off into Edgemont.
Edgemont has a small food store, a city campground at 800 Second Avenue with tent space (605-662-7334), and a motel:-
M. Rainbow Motel, 500 A St. 605-662-7244. 30 older units with at-door parking, inexpensive.
And it was at the Rainbow Motel that my Mickelson Trail Tour ended.
Other Possible Black Hills Bike Rides
A short distance east by car from Custer are two paved and challenging superscenic roads that are often cycled by fit, experienced riders during off-season weekdays. These are strenuous mountain rides and I strongly suggest scouting these roads by car before cycling them. Short but narrow tunnels discourage all larger vehicles and the constantly turning, twisting, roller-coaster roads limit speeds to a maximum of about 35 m.p.h. However, there are no shoulders. .
NEEDLES SCENIC HIGHWAY (Road 87) is a dramatic mountain road past pointed granite spires. Halfway through is Sylvan Lake Lodge and store. The lake is rimmed by high, steep rock formations.
IRON MOUNTAIN ROAD, a few miles east of the Needles Road, is a similar 17-mile mountain road that leads north to Keystone. An exciting and challenging bike ride but check it out first.
THE CENTENNIAL TRAIL, 111 miles long, runs through the Black Hills parallel to the Mickelson Trail and about 20 miles east. Frankly, it's more for mountain biking buffs than the average touring cyclist. A map brochure is obtainable from Black Hills National Forest, 25041 North Hiway 16, Custer SD 57730 (605-673-9200) and from other Black Hills Visitors Centers and info sources.
For a rainy day diversion, those with a car can explore other Black Hills travel targets including Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Jewel Cave National Park, and Spearfish Canyon (cycling through this canyon not recommended).
Touring Cyclists emerging from
Tunnel #3 on the Elroy-Sparta Bike
Trail
In fall 2002, I cycled 230 miles through the heart of Wisconsin on the now-abandoned bed of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. Until 1947, trains rumbled daily over this same route and through the 4 cavernous rock tunnels which cyclists still must traverse.
Today, thanks to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the main rail route has become a Wisconsin State Park Bike Trail. At each trailside town and village, the original depot has been renovated and transformed into an information center with toilets and picnic tables for cyclists.
Altogether, my trip took six days and I spent each night in a comfortable motel at a town or village beside the Bike Trail. Starting at Reedsburg, WI my route led past miles of pristine wetlands and forests and over scores of wood-planked bridges that crossed wilderness rivers and oxbow lakes. At Elroy, I branched off for a side trip through wooded hills to historic Camp Douglas and back.
Then came the longest section, the 32-mile Elroy-Sparta Trail, which led through 3 monstrous tunnels, one three-fourths of a mile in length. At Sparta, a giant replica of a cyclist atop a high-wheeler loomed above the road near my motel. On through Onalaska, the Bike Trail ran beside the Mississippi to the picturesque old river town of Trempealeau. Finally, came a six mile ride around Trempealeau Wildlife Refuge where huge flocks of wild swans, geese, and ducks plus many bald eagles thrive in backwaters of the Mississippi.
Along the way I cycled through a score of Midwestern towns and villages with traditional main streets a century old. The Bike Trail was car-free and relaxing and it tunneled under canopies of colorful foliage. The only sounds came from frogs, crows and the ubiquitious black squirrels and each night I saw a stunning red and yellow sunset. Apart from a few easy grades, there were no hills. Tall trees sheltered most of the route from wind.
What You Should Know
The Bike Trail actually consists of 5 different sections, all of which connect as follows:
There are also individual motels and B&Bs elsewhere along the route. While motel rooms were easily obtained on weekdays in September, just about all rooms were full on weekends. During the last weekend in September (Cranberry Festival) and the first two weekends in October (Oktoberfest) almost all trailside accommodation was fully booked weeks in advance. At any time, however, I recommend phoning ahead and making a reservation; it's always possible that some motels mentioned here may be closed or go out of business.
Campgrounds or tent camping areas are available at most towns en route but I saw no hostels of any type. Overnight parking exists at or near most larger depots and in compounds at some bike shops.
Except for the paved Omaha Trail, the rest of the Bike Trail has a smooth surface of crushed limestone which remains hard in all but the most prolonged rains. The entire Trail averages 7-9 feet wide and is well signed, with stop signs wherever it crosses a road.
The best itinerary?
My route was as follows (overnight stops in upper case):
But that isn't the only way to go. Many people prefer to drive to Sparta and leave their car in safe parking. Their bicycling itinerary is then:
By either itinerary, you return by bicycle over the same route back to your starting point. And unless you can supply your own car shuttle, or pay for one, that's about the only way to get back to where you started. Like most of America, rural Wisconsin lacks public transportation, especially anything that carries bicycles. (Shuttle services are listed later.)
You might also start from Trempealeau or Onalaska. But whichever way you go, you cover the same route and distance. So here is a brief description of my own itinerary with tips to help you along the way.
DAY 1: Reedsburg to Elroy and Camp Douglas, 36 miles.
Especially in towns like Onalaska or La Crosse, some motels listed in Bike Trail literature cannot be safely accessed by bike from the Trail. At Reedsburg, I stayed at the Reedsburg Motel, 1133 Main St., (608-524-2306) an older, inexpensive motel a short ride from the Depot via quiet backstreets. Other, pricier motels are nearby.
Like all larger depots, Reedsburg Depot is open daily during the biking season, May 1 to October 31, and is staffed. It has toilets, even showers, and carries a full set of Trail literature and books plus street maps (www.reedsburg.org or 800-844-3507). Each staffed depot also sells two passes which you'll need: a multi-day $10 State Pass good for all State Trails; and a one-day $1 pass good for the Omaha County Trail. Nearby is Baraboo River Bike Shop with rental bikes, repair service and kayaks for rent on the Baraboo River (try kayaking for good upper body exercise)
The 400 Trail begins beside the depot and crosses several streets on its way out of town. Once in the country, I found myself cycling beside the Baraboo River amid rich wetlands and oxbow ponds. Eight miles out I stopped for coffee at one of two Trailside cafes in the historic farming village of La Valle. Next came Union Center Depot and near it is the inexpensive Garden City Motel.
Approaching Elroy, the Trail parallels Highway 82. About a mile from Elroy, clearly visible and easily accessible from the Trail, is the large Valley Inn Motel and Supper Club, pricey but currently the only motel near Elroy (608-462-4330). The 400 Trail then enters Elroy (restaurants, cafes, food store) and at the staffed Elroy Commons Depot I switched to the Omaha Trail.
The Omaha Trail leaves Elroy across a covered bike-pedestrian bridge and through a series of quiet streets. Once on the Trail itself, I found it paved with seal-coated gravel which resembles asphalt but is not quite as smooth.
Soon I was pedaling gradually uphill through a narrow, wooded valley towards the Trail's tunnel. Built by hand in 1876, the tunnel bores through solid rock for 875 feet. Inside the tunnel, the Trail was paved with smooth tarmac and riding through presented no problems. At the other end, I found a meadow with rest rooms, picnic tables and a hand-operated water pump.
From here, the Trail sloped gradually downhill to the hamlet of Hustler and its cheese factory. Another flat 3-mile ride led to Camp Douglas. Tall bluffs and rock pinnacles overlook this historic village. Among the frame buildings lining Main Street are a food store and restaurants.
Following signs, I cycled down a narrow dirt lane to the inexpensive K&K Motel (608-427-3100). And I strongly recommend phoning ahead to make a reservation at this and all other motels where you plan to stay. Sometimes, motels or B&Bs can be closed for repairs or go out of business.
DAY 2: Camp Douglas to Elroy and Sparta, 46 miles
This was a 4-tunnel day. From Camp Douglas I returned down the Omaha Trail (and through the tunnel) to Elroy Commons Depot, then biked through the 3 longer tunnels on the Elroy-Sparta Trail. This being a Saturday, there were many cyclists, ranging from people in their 70s to couples with children and family groups. Over half wore helmets but only one in five sported a club jersey with shorts.
There was a gradual uphill grade approaching each tunnel with a similar descent the other side. The longer tunnels were filled with swirling mist that had crept in during the night and which obscured the daylight at the other end. Thus I strongly recommend that each rider carries a powerful flashlight. Almost everyone walked through the tunnels. Tunnels #1 and #2 are each about 1,700 feet long while Tunnel #3 is roughly 3/4-mile and pitch dark in the middle.
Leaving Elroy, the Trail passes farms and cornfields and under canopies of trees to reach Kendall village, site of Trail Headquarters and a motel and supermarket. Between Tunnels #1 and #2 is the village of Wilton. And between Tunnels #2 and #3 I stopped in at the village of Norwalk. All have restaurants, cafes and a food store.
Today's final ten miles led through wooded hills to Sparta Depot (www.Bike-Me.com or 800-354-BIKE). Also on the Trail at Sparta is GT Bicycle Store, with rental bikes and fast repair service. From the large, staffed depot, it's a short ride north on fairly quiet Ideal Road to Main Street where you can easily access 3 motels.
They are: Best Nights Inn, where I stayed, (608-269-3066 or 800-201-0234); Budget Host (608-269-6991 or 800-283-4678); and Scottish Inn (608-269-3138). From these motels, it's a few blocks on foot to the large, well-stocked Jubilee Supermarket.
DAY 3: Sparta to Trempealeau, 40 miles.
For 14 miles, from Sparta to West Salem, the La Crosse River Trail runs beside an operating rail line. Freight trains and an occasional passenger train sped by at intervals. En route, the Trail passed through several miles of wilderness prairie. Then at West Salem, it crossed Main Street and I stopped in at a coffee shop.
Tunnelling below huge trees, the Trail led on through the outskirts of Onalaska to the large, staffed Onalaska Depot. Check in here if you need a street map showing motel locations. In Onalaska I found only 4 motels that could be conveniently accessed by bike. They are:
The Shadow Run and Lake Motels are about a mile north of the depot on Hiway 35 which runs atop a bluff about 50 feet in elevation above the Great River Bike Trail. As you cycle north on the Trail, watch for a footpath which leads up to Hiway 35 opposite Shadow Run Motel. Hiway 35 is two-lane with shoulders and you can ride north about one-fourth mile to Lake Motel. Shadow Run is probably the best bet for cyclists but I saw no food stores near.
From Onalaska Depot, signs direct cyclists across Hiway 35 and along several backstreets down to the Mississippi bank where you meet the Trail proper. The trail runs north through woods beside the Mississippi, passing the footpath up to Shadow Run Motel.
After several miles, the Trail turns inland and crosses a series of rivers, lakes and prairie reserves--a wilderness ride through unspoiled Wisconsin. Seventeen miles from Onalaska, the Trail reaches Trempealeau Bike Parking Area located beside Hiway 35. Traffic was light when I cycled the wide highway from here for one mile to Trempealeau. This quaint, picturesque village is clustered on a hillside overlooking the Mississippi. Here I found a food store, two motels and a century-old hotel.
Accommodations were as follows:
You can also tent camp 4 miles north at Perrot State Park. All are listed on Trempealeau's website at www.trempealeau,net
.Trains run regularly along the shore so you might ask for a room facing the other way.
DAY 4: Trempealeau to Trempealeau through Trempealau Wildlife Refuge, 14 miles.
You can rejoin the Bike Trail near Trempealeau and head north. But I enjoyed pedaling along the scenic paved road beside the Mississippi for 4 miles to Perrot State Park with its forest of tall trees and extensive campground. From the park, a spur bike trail takes you back to the Great River Trail and you ride it north for two miles to its end at Marshlands Exit. From here on, you ride a dirt road which you share with occasional cars.
This one-way road loops for six miles around the Wildlife Refuge before rejoining Great River Trail for the ride back to Trempealeau. Also available at Marshlands Access is a short out- and-back ride of 1.5 miles each way. It crosses the Refuge on a road atop a levee beside a wilderness river.
I then continued around the loop road. About halfway around, a bird viewing platform overlooks a backwater of the Mississippi, full of floating plants and dead trees, where large flocks of ducks, geese and wild swans are usually feeding. Through a public telescope here, you can also view bald eagles in the trees.
Farther on around the loop, I came to a side road marked River Access Dyke which provided another two mile (each way) side trip down to yet another backwater of the Mississippi.
Then the loop road rejoined the Great River Trail and I pedaled back to Trempealeau on the Bike Trail.
DAY 5: Trempealeau to Onalaska and Sparta, 40 miles.
The same as Day 3 in reverse.
Day 6: Sparta to Elroy and Reedsburg, 54 miles.
Via the same Elroy-Sparta and 400 Trails described in Day 1 and 2.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Most staffed depots carry a dozen or more helpful brochures for cyclists, including map-brochures for each of the 5 Bike Trails and another for Camping and Lodging Information east of Sparta and west of Sparta. They also sell the Rails to Trails Conservancy guidebook; and they carry the free Wisconsin Biking Guide to some of the state's 800 miles of rails to trails; plus the annual edition of Bike Trails.
These depots are also branches of the local Chamber of Commerce and will usually mail you a complete set of free literature and road maps on request. Or you can get similar free information by emailing or phoning Travel Wisconsin (800-432-8747 or www.travelwisconsin.com).
For free On-Line booking contact On-Line Motels, Inns and B&Bs at www.lodging-wi.com and request their free annual Wisconsin Lodging Directory.
Shuttle services for the Elroy-Sparta Trail are available at Trail Headquarters in Kendall (608-463-7109) Or try Out-Spokin' Adventures , 409 Court St., Sparta WI 54656 (800-4WE-BIKE or 608-269-6087 or www.outspokinadventures.com ) which offers shuttle service or van support anywhere along the Bike Trail system for tours up to 7 days; and also rental bikes.
For info about the best bike tire sizes to use, see under MORE INFORMATION at end of the Katy Trail report.
In October 2002 I spent six days touring Missouri's Katy Trail State Park by bicycle. This car-free Bike Trail is built on the abandoned bed of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT) and it is one of the longest rails-to-trails conversions in America. It also forms the first 100 miles of the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail.
From St. Charles MO at the east end to Clinton MO at the west end is 225 miles of flat, easy cycling on a hard but unpaved trail. It leads past silent wetlands, lush forests and occasionally, below limestone bluffs towering as high as 250 feet above the trail and draped in red and green creeper. Disappointingly, most of the way, the Trail does not run close to the Missouri River. Instead, it travels inland past tall trees, cornfields, green pastures and farms with faded red barns.
At roughly ten mile intervals along the Trail, I encountered a timeworn village or hamlet with a reconstructed railroad depot with toilets and parking for cyclists. These small communities were full of early day railroad Americana. Old grain elevators, Victorian homes and centuries-old store fronts were all silent reminders of a bygone era.
In between, I discovered impressive natural sights ranging from Pierced Rock Natural Bridge to Indian pictographs and the view of Missouri's state capitol across the river in Jefferson City. Overall, I found it a rewarding, relaxing and enjoyable tour on a well-maintained, car-free Trail.
But There's a Catch
If you're thinking of pedaling from motel to motel, WHOA! In all the literature and books I read about the Katy, none warned that while the Trail runs along the Missouri River's north bank, almost all the motels, B&Bs, restaurants and supermarkets were all located in 3 towns along the south bank. And that the bridges that cross the river to these 3 south bank towns are all too narrow to bike across. Morever, once in these south bank towns, most motels are on busy, truck-thronged roads or freeways that lack shoulders and are difficult for cyclists to access.
The 3 south bank towns are Washington, Hermann and Jefferson City. Motels may also be difficult to reach by bicycle in Boonville, Columbia and Sedalia, other popular overnight stops.
If you are really determined, you might reserve a room for each night in the few small hotels and B&Bs that exist along the north bank. But in spring or fall, the best time to tour, food shops in north bank villages may open only on weekends while most villages have no food shop at all. I met cyclists so low on food that they were living on bread and jam and energy bars. Nor are there any public campgrounds on the north bank, only a few private ones. However, most larger villages do have a cafe or a bar that serves food.
The Solution!
Most cyclo-tourists travel in a group of 4 or more and they take turns driving a minivan, truck or SUV that can carry all the bikes and riders. At the end of each day's ride, the vehicle meets the group at a north bank trailhead and shuttles them across the narrow bridge to their motel on the south bank. And vice versa next morning.
Alternatively, it may be possible to reserve a room in a motel or B&B that offers a special shuttle rate for cyclists. For example, for $49 a night per person, the Ramada Inn at Jefferson City would have a van meet you at the north bank Trailhead, bring you across the bridge to the motel in Jefferson City, and take you back to the Katy Trail next morning. But the Ramada Inn, and most other motels, are all located on a busy, narrow road without shoulders and once in the motel you must rely for food on its restaurant, or you might manage to walk to a another restaurant nearby.
Or if you are willing to pay the price, you can, at some towns, phone for a shuttle van--or even a taxi equipped with a bike rack--to come and shuttle you to your south bank lodgings. If you go this route, I recommend carrying a cell phone.
In nearly all towns on or near the Trail, I found that most motels were inaccessible to cyclists. Yet they were all listed in bicycle literature. While romantic B&Bs near the center of towns can be accessed more easily, rates are often scalping.
The only practical way to tour the Katy is with a support vehicle. If you do try to cycle only along the north bank, carry plenty of food and have advance reservations. And unless you have your own vehicle, forget about trying to access an ATM machine.
So What's The Best Itinerary?
Bearing in mind the caveats just described, I suggest the following itinerary:
Note: moderately-fit cyclists could combine Days 1 and 2 and ride from St. Charles to McKittrick in a single day, a recommended step, 61 miles. Days 5 and 6 might also be covered in a single day.
A DAY BY DAY LOG OF THE TOUR
DAY 1: St. Charles to Dutzow (and Washington), 35 miles.
St. Charles' two historic areas of Frenchtown and Main Street are near the starting point of the Katy Trail. Also near the Trailhead is the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau at 230 South Main St, a staffed facility with a full set of Trail maps and free literature. Click on their website at www.historicstcharles.com or call 800-366-2427 and ask them to mail you a complete set of Trail maps, literature and a St.Charles street map.
Lodgings believed to be close to the Trailhead (check proximity to Trailhead when phoning) include: Ramada Inn--314- 947-7212; Fairfield Inn--314-946-1900; Baymont Hotel--636-946- 6936; Budgetel Hotel--314-946-6936; and Charles Inn--314-946- 9705.
Leaving St. Charles, the Trail heads out along Missouri's Wienstrasse (Wine Road), so called because of the many wineries established here by German settlers in the 1800s. Next, I passed the scenic limestone bluffs of Weldon Springs Wildlife Area. At Augusta--a picturesque community poised on a bluff--is a bike shop with rentals plus other shops worth a look. Augusta Inn B&B overlooks the Trail.
Dutzow Trailhead is jumping-off place for a car shuttle to Washington, 4 miles south across the river. Depots like Dutzow, with highway connections to south bank towns, often display business cards with motel and shuttle service phone numbers. From Dutzow, Highway 47 leads across a very narrow bridge (unsafe for cyclists) into Washington.
If you can skip Washington, I strongly recommend doing so. The center is a ghastly nightmare of gaudy, tasteless drive-ins, fast food eateries, gas stations and similar mass-produced emporiums of our polluting car culture. The Lewis & Clark Inn is near the center at 6054 Highway 100 (636-239-0111). Also here somewhere are the American Inn and Super-8 Motel (636-390-0088).
DAY 2: Dutzow to McKittrick (and Hermann), 26 miles.
If you need breakfast, you'll find a Deli only 25 yards from Dutzow Trailhead. Four miles west beside the Trail is Marthasville with several B&Bs and a wonderful bike shop (repairs, rentals) called Scenic Cycles www.scenic-cycles.com ) run by ardent cyclists Terry and Cathy Turman. When I bought a copy of the Katy Trail Guidebook here, Cathy updated the book with stick-on notes while I was talking to Terry.
The Trail heads west from here with low-wooded hills on one side and Hiway 94 on the other. The next village, Treloar, has probably seen better days. Then I pedaled into McKittrick Trailhead. Right beside it, McKittrick village winds uphill to Meyer's Hilltop Farm B&B, actually a fine country inn (573-486- 5778). A few hundred yards south of McKittrick, at the junction of Hiways 19 and 94, is an Amoco gas station with a sizeable convenience store.
From here, Hiway 19 leads south for several miles then crosses a very narrow bridge (unsafe for cyclists) into the historic German town of Hermann. Look on the McKittrick depot for cards listing shuttle services into Hermann. For Hermann is one place you don't want to miss.
Full of wineries, antique shops and historic buildings with stone-faced arch entries and balconies, Hermann is certainly the most interesting town on the Katy Trail. Pick up a street map and sightseeing brochure at the Visitor Information Center (www.hermannmo.com or 800-932-8687) and explore the colorful historic blocks.
Many of Hermann's more than 40 B&Bs are accessible by bicycle but rates tend to be high. More affordable is Hermann Motel (573-486-3131) or Vinchester Inn (refrigerators and microwaves) at 800-511-1622. Lodgings that offer a cyclist's shuttle are listed on the city's free accommodations brochure. Theres an Amtrak station right in town and several campgrounds.
DAY 3: McKittrick to North Jefferson (and Jefferson City), 43 miles.
From McKittrick it's only a few miles to Rhinelander and one of the Trail's most scenic sections. Between Rhinelander, Bluffton and Portland, the Trail is bordered by towering bluffs reaching as high as 250 feet. After riding beside a smaller river, I finally emerged on the banks of the Missouri at Portland village.
Masses of tangled vines poured down from tall trees as I cycled on to Mokane. Several brick buildings still line Main Street but Mokane is practically a ghost town today. More lush glades of trees lined the Trail as I pedaled on beside Hiway 94 into Tebbetts Trailhead.
Here besides the tall grain elevators in this sleepy village I found the Turner Katy Trail Shelter, offering youth hostel type bunk bed (no mattresses) lodging at nominal rates. I was told here that the shelter, operated by Jefferson City YMCA, will open on request for one or more cyclists by calling 800-575-2322.
Twelve miles farther west I arrived at North Jefferson Trailhead. Here a spur trail leads a mile south to a park pavilion with telephone. This is where you phone for a shuttle over the narrow (unsafe for cyclists) bridge across the Missouri River into Jefferson City. Among various shuttle options, you can call Yellow Cab (573-636-7101). Make sure they send a van or a taxi with bike rack.
This is a large city and unsuited for biking. For more info, call the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 573-632-2820 (or click on their website at www.visitjeffersoncity.com ) and request that they mail you a a street map showing motel locations and a complete set of other trail literature.
Among inexpensive motels are the Budget Inn (573-636-6167) and Motel Six (573-634-4220). For the cyclist's special shuttle rate at Ramada Inn, call 573-635-7171. Consult free accommodations listings for other lodgings that may offer an inclusive shuttle rate. Also here is an Amtrak station.
DAY 4: North Jefferson to Boonville, 49 miles.
Out of today's first 20 miles, only two miles ran beside the Missouri River. The rest of the way I pedaled past flat cornfields and through deep woods full of trees with rakish, twisted limbs covered by tangled vines and creepers.
At the picturesque village of Hartsburg, I stopped to see the handsome church, the bike shop with antique store front, and the 110-year old Globe Hotel. Innkeeper Jeanette Crawford showed me through the charming old hotel with its 16 vintage rooms. Each guest is given a bathrobe to visit the shared bathrooms. Few visitors suspect that Hartsburg was badly damaged by a river flood in 1993.
The next Trailhead is at McBaine and here another bike trail branches north for 9 miles on a former MKT railroad bed into the thriving college town of Columbia. Known as the MK&T Fitness Trail, it leads into the heart of Columbia and ends at the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-652-0987 or www.visitcolumbiamo.com ). The staff here assured me I could find a room at any of half a dozen B&Bs in the area but most motels lie far out along I-70 and Hiway 63, in a congested area difficult to reach by bicycle.
The only motel accessible to bicyclists appeared to be the Campus Inn (577-449-2731). To get there, pick up a street map at the Visitors Bureau and follow quiet backstreets to Hill Street then through the car-free University campus.
Back at McBaine, the Katy Trail continues west through what many consider is the most beautiful section. For six miles approaching Rocheport, huge limestone bluffs tower above the trail, many covered with green and red verdure. For part of this section, the Trail runs beside the Missouri River. Then the Trail passes under an enormous steel bridge that carries I-70 and it enters the popular bikers' rendezvous of Rocheport.
I found this quaint village right beside the Trail, its big Trailside Cafe and terrace filled with touring cyclists. Next door is a large bike shop with rentals. The village itself reaches back through streets of historic homes lined by antique shops, cafes, a few B&Bs and a bookshop stocked with 500 Missouri titles. Tip: most stores here may close Mondays and Tuesdays.
Leaving Rocheport, I biked across a bridge and into a deep, dark tunnel 245 feet long, the only tunnel on the Katy Trail. From here on, it was flat all the way to New Franklin where tall grain storage silos surround the Trailhead. During a quick ride around the village, I saw interesting century-old homes and a historic business district with a modern convenience store.
From New Franklin, I biked across the Missouri River on a long, modern bridge that has a separate bike path 8 feet wide. At the end of the bridge, a paved bike path turns sharp right and leads past the gaudy Isle of Capri gambling casino and into Spring Street. Here I found the Boonville Depot with its Visitor Information Office (660-882-2721). Also here is Boonville Trailhead with parking and toilet.
Most Boonville motels are 3 miles south of town near 1-70 and are accessible only by riding up a long hill on traffic-thronged US87. Instead, I picked up a street map and followed quiet streets to Sambart Road which leads out to Hiway 5 close to the modest but adequate Homestead Motel (660-882-6568). One of Missouri's oldest towns, Boonsville's historic Main Street Area features many classical turn-of-the-century homes.
DAY 5: Boonville to Sedalia, 35 miles.
At Boonville, the Katy Trail leaves the Missouri River. Flat cornfields and lush forests give way to green pastures, dairy farms and rolling terrain. Leaving town, I pedaled gradually uphill past a golf course. Trees still bordered the Trail. But I found fewer cyclists here than farther east.
At Pilot's Grove village, eleven miles out, I stopped in at a convenience store. Then through a mix of woods, fields and farms, the Trail rolled on to Sedalia.
Here the Trail ends at a rustic parking area on the outskirts of town. From here, I rode 3.5 miles along quiet residential and county roads to Sedalia Depot near the heart of town. The route was well-marked by Katy Trail signs. At the Depot I found the staffed Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Office with maps and lodging information (800-827-5295 or www.visitsedaliamo.com ).
Well preserved Depot
at Sedalia Trailhead also houses Tourist
Information Office
Just two blocks from the Depot is a large Price Chopper supermarket. The only lodging I could find that was readily accessible by bike was the Bothwell Hotel (660-827-2213) a quality hotel five blocks away in the Historic Area. The Bothwell offers a special cyclist rate and permits bikes in rooms.
If you're willing to walk your bike part way, you might also reach the economical Sho-Me-Kort Motel (660-826-2488) located on US65/Limit Avenue, another appalling car and truck-jammed thoroughfare without sidewalks and best described as a "Hell on Wheels". Sedalia also has an Amtrak Depot.
DAY 6: Sedalia to Clinton, 35 miles.
From Sedalia Depot, the Trail leads south through a residential area, crossing at least a dozen streets, some quite busy. The Trail here is open to equestrians but I did not meet any. At Green Ridge Trailhead I stopped for coffee at a convenience store.
Nine miles beyond I pedaled into Windsor, a pleasant town of well-kept homes with lawns and shade trees plus Harold's Supermarket, several convenience stores and eateries, and the small Windsor Motel (666-647-2151) on the east side of town. Everything here was bike-accessible.
Next I passed through Calhoun, a village with a town square. The rest of the way to Clinton, the Trail stayed close to Hiway 52.
Clinton Trailhead is in the north part of town and you can ride to the downtown square via a short, paved bike trail then through residential streets. The Chamber of Commerce Information Office (800-222-5251) is in the original Depot building which occupies a corner of the historic town square. It may be open only on weekdays. Here you can obtain a street map and accommodation listing (the one I got was out of date and omitted several good, recently-built motels).
Unlike most other Trail towns, you can bike to several of Clinton's motels. Among them are the new and reasonably-priced USA Inn and Budget Inn, both at the intersection of Hiways 7 and 13 (and not far from the Trailhead). Also here are a Day's Inn, Super-8, and the Best Western Colonial Inn plus the older and economical Mini Money Motel. Camping may not be available near town.
MORE INFORMATION
Beside the sources already quoted, the Missouri Division of Tourism (573-751-4133 or www.visitmo.com) at Jefferson City can mail you a complete set of Trail literature. Ask for the Katy Trail State Park Map, the booklet "All Aboard Katy Central" covering Sedalia to Herman, and "Gateway to the Katy Trail" covering Hermann to St. Charles, both with listings of lodging on both banks of the Missouri.
Another good Internet source is Katy Trail State Park ( www.katytrailstatepark.com). Their website describes the Trail in 4 sections with detailed listings of bikeshops, campgrounds, eateries and lodgings and with printable maps of each Trailhead along the Trail.
BikeKatyTrail.com is an easy-to-use Web resource for the entire Katy Trail, listing detailed maps, accommodations, food stores, eateries and bike shops plus an interactive planner to help plan your trip. Between St. Charles and Boonville, this site focuses on the North side of the river rather than crossing the narrow bridges into Washington, Hermann or Jefferson City on which cycling is dangerous.
Most info sources carry a complete set of trail brochures plus "The Complete Katy Trail Guidebook" by Brett Dufur. Priced at $17, this book will certainly enrich your Trail experience. To ensure getting the most recent edition, you can mail-order it On-Line at www.pebblepublishing.com or by phone at 800=576-7322.
Before coming to Missouri, I recommend emailing, phoning or writing to each Convention and Visitors Bureau along the Trail requesting a street map, accommodations listings and any other literature and maps about cycling the Trail.
About The Trail
From St. Charles to Clinton is 225 miles. But don't be surprised to see the mileage at St. Charles displayed as 39.5 and at Clinton as 264.6. These totals include an as-yet-undeveloped section of 39.5 miles reaching beyond St. Charles to Machens. The trail averages 9 feet in width and is covered by a crushed limestone surface with a scattering of fine grit. While normally quite hard, it can soften somewhat after a heavy rain. In any case, count on traveling at a slower pace than on a paved road.
Best tire sizes are 700 x 32 or 26 x 1.5. However you will see people riding everything from 700 x 23 to 26 x 2.25 just as you will see every kind of bike from recumbents to tricycles, town bikes, hybrids, comfort bikes, folding bikes, mountain bikes and road bikes plus every kind of trailer.
The season runs from April 15 to October 31. Since this area was settled by Germans, expect heavy demand for accommodation during October weekends (Oktoberfest, of course). Falling leaves in late fall can cover the Trail, slowing bike speed.
Each day in the east I passed 200 or more cyclists, and up to 500 on weekends, and as few as 25 a day in the west. But I never felt crowded. At each road intersection, there are barriers to keep motor vehicles from entering the Trail. The barriers have a gap just wide enough to cycle through. Since it's a State Park, the Trail is also well marked throughout.
Getting Back
Amtrak trains run twice daily in each direction between St. Louis, Washington, Hermann, Jefferson City, Sedalia and Kansas City. I met several cyclists who planned to return on the train with their bikes. Along the Missouri, all trains run on the south bank and stations are usually near the town center. For info, click on www.amtrak.com
Another possibility is to rent a U-Haul truck or van and drive your group back.
Shuttle Services
At depots along the trail, I saw cards advertising Creason's Shuttle (located in Hermann) at 573-694-2027 . Their former website www.katytrailinfo.com . may no longer function.
Katy Trail Shuttle Service, 125 First Capital Drive, St. Charles MO 63301 with phone number 636-497-5812 and website www.katytrailshuttle.com offers full shuttle service daily in season between St. Charles and Clinton.