Touring - 27" tire recommendations?

I'm new to bike touring and am planning some multi day test trips along the Katy trail (I'm at the trailhead in Saint Louis) as soon as the weather breaks. If all goes well, I want to do a long tour this summer.

The thing is that the Katy Trail is an old, converted railway line that's made mostly of fine gravel with some rough patches. I'm thinking it would be better to go with knobby tires but wonder what the forum thinks? I could also use some recommendations on general road touring tires in 27".

My bike is a mid 80's Schwinn Voyageur touring bike if that helps.
Thanks! -HH

You could do it but it will be very bouncy. I'm in St Louis also. I have a friend who rode on it with a road bike and narrow tires so it can be done. If you really want to use the Voyageur, consider getting some of those 27 by 1-3/8 inch knobby tires for it. Harris sells them. See below.
Maureen

40-630 27 x 1 3/8" Club Roost Cross Terra $24.95 http://sheldonbrown.com/images/addtocart_button.gif (http://harriscyclery.net/page.cfm?PageID=49&SKU=TR2117) Very Aggressive knobby tread, blackwall, 40-65 psi
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/images/TR2101.jpg 35-630 27 x 1 3/8" Panaracer Tufflex TRB19 $29.95 http://sheldonbrown.com/images/addtocart_button.gif (http://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=1401)
Traditional block tread street tire, all black.
Actual width 32 mm, widest "street" tire available in the 630 mm (27 inch) size.
Super quality, made in Japan.
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/images/trb19.jpg

For general road riding, I don't have many miles yet, but I like the Panaracer Pasela TG tires I bought for my 1986 Voyageur.

I do agree that for gravel rides like the Katy trail, I would look at the 1 & 3/8 tires.

Th Katy trail can easily be ridden with almost any tire. The fine limestone gravel packs down and although dusty it is not very rough at all. I have ridden it several times in various parts with 700 c road bike tires that were smooth with no problems. Once I got a flat from a small sharp piece of gravel - my only problem.

I've put over 5000 miles on my Specialized Armadillo without a single flat.
27 x 1 1/4 (http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=35634)

The Continental Ultra Gatorskin in 27X1-1/4 is a nice tire. It holds up well and should work fine on that surface.