The KATY Trail State Park is the longest developed rail-trail in the country. It follows the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT or Katy) and is 225 miles long with 25 trailheads and two fully restored depots. It runs from Clinton, MO to St. Charles, MO. This is nearly the width of the entire state.
I found a map on the Internet......kind of small but it shows all the stops. We had seen part of the trail in St. Charles and now we were going to walk part of it at McKittrick, MO which is just across the Missouri River from Hermann.
This is the trailhead at McKittrick. There were several bikers getting ready to join the trail at this point. For those who bike and hike....a really wonderful place.
This is what the sky looked like most of the time we were in Missouri.....blue, full of clouds, with rolling prairies or fields or plaines below depending on where we were.
The bridge across a small river.
The Loutre River. You can seen the tunnel where we went under the highway just beyond. Rail-trails are great....nice and straight and level for either biking or hiking. Probably not a good idea to carry a camera if you really want to get exercise.....I stopped about every few seconds to take a photo of something! LOL
Looking at the river
There were a bunch of these fish right below us near the bridge.
I should have saved some of these sky shots for Friday (SkyWatch Friday) but wanted to keep things in order. I liked the sky reflecting on the water.
Lots of small "critters" on the way. Widow Skimmer female.
Saw several damselflies that I will not try to identify.
Strangely enough, I never see Red-Headed Woodpeckers at home, but everytime I go on a trip, I seem to find them! This was the second one for this trip. This one was making short flights from this tree.....bug catching I assumed.
He was in a tree right over my head making the angle a bit steep for photos.
Their color is so distinctive and plain compared to the other woodpeckers with their spotty feathers.
Catalpa tree. I think they look like green beans hanging from a tree :-)
Mike spotted 3 of these little toads....I probably would have walked right on top of them.
Flowers along the path.....vetches? I know the pink is Crown Vetch, and the yellow looks very similar.
Buckeye Butterfly
Small blue butterfly....Eastern Tailed?
A very ragged butterfly.....no idea what it is.
Another meadow flower shot.
Queen Anne's Lace
A barn in the distance
As we were leaving we drove by this old church that someone seems to be turning into living quarters......notice the lack of steeple.......
......a short distance away in another yard....the steeple! Now a gazebo, I guess! So funny.
I found a map on the Internet......kind of small but it shows all the stops. We had seen part of the trail in St. Charles and now we were going to walk part of it at McKittrick, MO which is just across the Missouri River from Hermann.
This is the trailhead at McKittrick. There were several bikers getting ready to join the trail at this point. For those who bike and hike....a really wonderful place.
This is what the sky looked like most of the time we were in Missouri.....blue, full of clouds, with rolling prairies or fields or plaines below depending on where we were.
The bridge across a small river.
The Loutre River. You can seen the tunnel where we went under the highway just beyond. Rail-trails are great....nice and straight and level for either biking or hiking. Probably not a good idea to carry a camera if you really want to get exercise.....I stopped about every few seconds to take a photo of something! LOL
Looking at the river
There were a bunch of these fish right below us near the bridge.
I should have saved some of these sky shots for Friday (SkyWatch Friday) but wanted to keep things in order. I liked the sky reflecting on the water.
Lots of small "critters" on the way. Widow Skimmer female.
Saw several damselflies that I will not try to identify.
Strangely enough, I never see Red-Headed Woodpeckers at home, but everytime I go on a trip, I seem to find them! This was the second one for this trip. This one was making short flights from this tree.....bug catching I assumed.
He was in a tree right over my head making the angle a bit steep for photos.
Their color is so distinctive and plain compared to the other woodpeckers with their spotty feathers.
Catalpa tree. I think they look like green beans hanging from a tree :-)
Mike spotted 3 of these little toads....I probably would have walked right on top of them.
Flowers along the path.....vetches? I know the pink is Crown Vetch, and the yellow looks very similar.
Buckeye Butterfly
Small blue butterfly....Eastern Tailed?
A very ragged butterfly.....no idea what it is.
Another meadow flower shot.
Queen Anne's Lace
A barn in the distance
As we were leaving we drove by this old church that someone seems to be turning into living quarters......notice the lack of steeple.......
......a short distance away in another yard....the steeple! Now a gazebo, I guess! So funny.(I think there will be two more posts to finish this trip off...we saw a lot in three days!)
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11 comments:
Love the three fish together, they remind me of a barber shop trio for some reason! (-: Red-headed Woodpecker has to be one of my fav USofA birds! Stunning! You got some great shots Mary.
I am almost tired from this hike,but it is so worth it.Thanks for the wonderful experience.I am so happy you took your camera and made all those stops.We would get along just fine on walks like this.:) The scenery is gorgeous.
Blessings,Ruth
I don't know where to begin...so much here. The gazebo looks a little top heavy to my eyes....always wondered what it would be like to turn a church into a home. I have been to a quilt shop in an old church...it was nice.
I would love to tour the church when they are finished...and I love the photo above it.
As for red headed woodpeckers...I had not seen one in ages, till either last summer or the summer before, and now I see them quite often...just not times I can photograph them though.
That Katy Trail sounds wonderful. IF I biked (and I don't these days), I'd love to bike that trail.... You captured so many beautiful things along the way (birds, flowers, butterflies, etc.)... Loved your pictures, Mary.
Hugs,
Betsy
Such beautiful pictures Mary - I love them all. A x
Jenny: Funny! If they were singing it was a gurgle :-) I like the Red-headed, too and am glad I find them on trips, since I never see them at home.
Ruth: Yes, it's been a long hike :-) I tend to walk pretty slow when I'm looking at stuff.
Rose: I thought the steeple looked so funny there. I've seen a lot of old schools turned into homes, but not a church very often.
Betsy: Biking is suppose to be better for the knee than most things because it isn't load bearing....however, I'm sure that depends on the knee problem. We have a stationary recumbant bike :-)
SJ Anne: Thanks!
Mary, you have a bit of everything here for everybody!
I can't imagine how difficult it must have been to remove that steeple! I agree with Rose, it looks a bit top heavy for a gazebo.
You've helped me identify a flower I photographed recently - a purple Crown Vetch. Thanks! =)
I always smile when I see red-headed woodpeckers...makes me think of my grandpa. He had a wooden doorknocker that was made to look like a RHW, and I would always play with it when we would visit. I'm sure the adults got tired of my game rather quickly! LOL!
I forgot to say -
Yes, your bridge does look very similar to the one I posted. =)
Lindy: I thought it looked rather weird as a gazebo, too. Maybe it is temporary and they plan to put it back on...who knows! Glad I helped with the vetch. I was really taken with how much our bridges were alike :-)
My oh my, you did have a great trip. Love all your pictures Mary.
Thanks for the time you spent posting all these.
B.
Wonderful photos from your trip. I love all the butterflies and dragonflies. And the redheaded woodie is beautiful. Great sightings!
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