The Katy Trail is a Missouri state park, a recreational Rails-to-Trails trail that runs 240 miles in the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad right-of-way.  The trail largely follows the northern bank of the Missouri River along a spectacular bluff line; it is the longest Rails-to-Trails trail in the US.  It is open to cyclists, hikers, and joggers year round, from sunrise to sunset.  Its surface is crushed limestone, also known as chatt or limestone pug.  The nickname “KATY” comes from the phonetic pronunciation of “KT’ in the railroad’s abbreviated name, MKT.  Sections of the Katy Trail are also part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the American Discovery Trail.

While Sedalia, Missouri, has a rich history, several things were most impressive.  First, Sedalia served as the end of the trail for cattle drives from Texas, and was depicted in the television show, Rawhide.   Of course, along with cowboys and railroad workers came brothels, lots of them.  Second, Sedalia was home to Scott Joplin and his ragtime music.  Sedalia is also home to the Missouri State Fair, and as such, the large fairgrounds provide ample parking for regional and national RV rallies.  We have many friends who were born and/or raised in Sedalia and it was good to visit their hometown.