Originally Posted by aggro_jo

Being local, I can say your best bet is stay on the east side and then cross the Miss on the Alton Ferry. The great river road is really neat and the trail is on top of a levee right on the river. Take it to Alton then grab the Ferry. From there, it is only a few miles to the Katy that will take you to St Charles and beyond. (The Katy is almost complete beyond what the maps say and you can cross a field and pop onto it after a few desolate road miles after the ferry). There is no "good" place to cross the Miss on the other side of the city. Chain of Rocks is another good choice on the North side but the riverfront trail is nothing special and can be a little seedy. If the Katy is soggy, you alway have the option of riding Hwy 94 that winds along the river and crosses the Katy numerous times.