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Welcome to The Katy Trail
Bed & Bikefest
in Historic Rocheport, Missouri
Located in the Heart of Katy Trail Country
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About Rocheport,
Missouri
Rocheport was voted the #1 Daytrip Destination by readers
of The Kansas City Star. Located an easy two hour drive from Kansas City & St.
Louis, Rocheport has become a popular daytrip and weekend destination.
Often called the Scenic Gateway to the Katy Trail,
Rocheport offers cyclists, hikers and walkers a beautiful stretch of Katy Trail
State Park to enjoy.
The Katy Trail State Park is America's longest
Rails-to-Trails Project, spanning 225 miles of classic Missouri river country
scenery.
In addition to natural beauty, Rocheport offers great
gourmet restaurants, nationally recognized antique shops, art galleries, several
bookstores, gift shops, and more.
The small town (population 208) offers an ideal walking
experience, with shops, restaurants, the trail and accommodations all within a
six block area.
The historic district includes many fine examples of early
river town architecture.
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Scenic Gateway to the Katy Trail
Mile Marker 179 on the Katy Trail
The Katy Trail passes through
the
old MK&T train tunnel in
Rocheport. |
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The
Rocheport Community Hall
on
Third Street. |
Lewis and Clark camped six miles downriver from here in June of 1804 and described
pictographs near what is now the east entrance of the M-K-T tunnel.
The town was established in 1825 and quickly prospered. Rocheport hosted the state Whig
convention in 1840, and by 1849 river traffic increased to 500 steamboat landings.
Rocheport was the site of guerilla fighting during the Civil War and changed hands many
times.
Rocheport is on the National Register of Historic Places as is the main house at
the Katy Trail Bed & Bikefest. Its current population is 208.
Visit the Rocheport area website at
www.rocheport.com
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About the Katy Trail State Park
The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad (the Katy) came to Rocheport in 1893 and
operated here until 1986. Then some local visionaries planted the seeds for the bicycle
path which now occupies much of the abandoned M-K-T rail corridor in Missouri.
Katy Trail State Park is one of the premier hike/bike paths in our country,
and Rocheport is in the most spectacular part of the trail.
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A few hundred yards west of the Katy Trail Bed & Breakfast
you can ride through the only tunnel on the entire M-K-T system. And less than
one mile to the east you will be at the base of 200 foot cliffs and at the edge of the
Missouri River. Trailside Cafe & Bike Rental offers rental
bikes from one hour to all day. Call for more information: (573) 698-2702, or
visit their website at
www.trailsidecafebike.com. As Mark Twain once said, "Get a bicycle. You will not
regret it if you live."
Learn more about the Katy Trail State Park at
www.bikekatytrail.com |
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Explore the Missouri River with
Mighty Mo Canoe Rentals
Float the Missouri River,
Then Pedal
Back on the Katy Trail!
Enjoy a guided canoe & kayak tour
of the Lewis & Clark Trail in
Mid-Missouri! Trips depart from the Pebble
Publishing Bookstore in Rocheport from spring through
late fall each Saturday at
1 p.m. By reservation only.
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Learn more about how the river has changed since the days
of Lewis & Clark. Explore sandbars (in season), and listen to readings from
Lewis & Clark's journal entries from 1804 as they traveled up the Missouri
River. Trips last about 4 hours. Take our shuttle back to Rocheport or we
will meet you with your bike and you can pedal the 6.6 miles back to
Rocheport, along the prettiest stretch of the Katy Trail State Park in
Mid-Missouri. Visit
www.mighty-mo.com
to learn more or to sign up! Or
call (573) 698-3903. |
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Visit the Pebble
Publishing Bookstore in Rocheport
Browse more than 300 Missouri-related books,
videos and curriculum aids! Lots of Lewis and Clark and Missouri River
books! Publishers of The Complete Katy Trail Guidebook
and Exploring Lewis & Clark's Missouri.
www.pebblepublishing.com
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