Scratch The Vacation on the Katy Trail
 

We were leaving with the tandem in the morning for Kansas City, where we would pick up a friend who was driving us to St. Louis. From there, we planned to make our way back on the Katy to Clinton, or perhaps on to KC on the roads.

Given the current flood predictions, we have scratched those plans.

Now we plan to head out to Colorado and have been scrambling to make a reservation or two.We're thinking a few days in Denver, riding the bike trails and seeing the sights, then a day or three in Glenwood Springs, including an overnight tour to Aspen and back. If we feel the need to roam, we'll do a day or two in Grand Junction or perhaps a few days in Moab.

My motto is....there's always a room somewhere (I just might not like the price).

Suggested routes for day tours are welcome from all you Colorado folks.

The Katy's flooded? Have you got a link?

I don't think it's flooded just yet, but the predictions don't look good. Prediction is 4 feet above flood stage in Booneville in three days. I spent a day and a half stuck on the floor a drilling rig in South Texas once, while I watched my new Suburban get flipped on it's side. I don't take a chance with flood waters.

http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/river.php?wfo=eax&wfoid=18687&riverid=203276&view=1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1%2C1&toggles=10%2C7%2C8%2 C2%2C9%2C15%2C6&pt[]=143355&pt[]=142050&pt[]=141570&pt[]=144165&pt[]=143476&pt[]=141703&pt[]=142023&pt[]=144123&pt[]=141863&pt[]=143539&pt[]=143436&pt[]=141917&allpoints=143990%2C145585%2C145025%2C145026%2C144876%2C145027%2C143234%2C143184%2C145519%2C1 45640%2C144217%2C142150%2C142780%2C142853%2C145202%2C141586%2C144582%2C143543%2C144796%2C144098%2C14 4240%2C141320%2C141614%2C142968%2C144183%2C142574%2C143478%2C142193%2C142760%2C142003%2C142610%2C142 396%2C144496%2C147345%2C141899%2C143355%2C142050%2C141570%2C144165%2C143476%2C141703%2C142023%2C1441 23%2C141863%2C143539%2C143436%2C141917%2C143009%2C142688%2C142640%2C143925%2C143734%2C142729&data[]=hydrograph&data[]=impacts&data[]=sitemap&data[]=crests&submit=Make+my+River+Page!

Never seen such a long link.

Colorado rivers are flooding, but nothing like east of us. Some of our mountains have 300% of normal snowpack, which is melting rapidly due to high temps this week, The Glenwood Canyon bike path is under colorado river water. The Yampa river in Steamboat is out of its banks. However, my guess is that the Rio Grande trail from Glenwood to Aspen is OK.

Denver is fine for bicycling. Here is a somewhat outdated (doesn't show the lates additions, etc.) map of the major Denver area trails.

http://www.ourwebs.info/denverbikemap1.jpg

I would suggest any of the trails. Chatfield State Park, Bear Creek Trail, Cherry Creek Trail and State Park, the Platte River trails - all are fine I personally don't enjoy the C470 trail, but that is because I am spoiled. It follows C and E 470 for many miles and most has just been resurfaced. The Highline Canal is hardpack fines, more leisurely and quite beautiful in areas. It goes 67 miles.

I would stay off the Ralston Creek Trail (slow and disjointed) and the Sand Creek trail - some ugly parts, not really finished.

the Highline is all paved,except the part S of Colorado blvd..
Bud

Mono-we'll be in Glenwood Springs a couple night doing BTC the last week in June.

Dnvr-we're supposed to use the Canyon Trail on the ride over to Frisco!!!! Will we need paddles???

I don't know - they say the Colorado River today was stupendous. How long? ********************

Which is where I always go and I believe to be the prettiest part.

Heavy Snows Delay Trail Ridge Road Opening for Memorial Day Weekend Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park ill not open for the Memorial Day Weekend</STRONG>. The amount of winter snowpack that faced park snowplow operators when plowing began, combined with recent storms, have hampered park snow plowing efforts. Last week's snowstorm produced 17 foot drifts above Rainbow Curve on the east side of the park. There is more snow along that section of road now than there was on May 5. Park plow operators on the west side of the park are dealing with significant snow accumulation, drifting and rock slides. Longtime park snowplow operators indicate this is the most snow they have encountered, this late in the season, in almost 30 years.

I never ride there, but we we walk a lot, S. of Quincy...
Bud

Bummer, but cool that you have alternatives!

My wife and I are headed to the katie trail next week for 4 days. I hope it is cleared up by then!

This is the third year we've decided to delay a spring Katy Trail trip due to weather or water conditions. Current conditions listed at: http://mostateparks.com/park/katy-trail-state-park

We used to live at Holly and Orchard, right near the Orchard/HLCT parking lot. My daily ride was from my home to the canal trail, etc. I could go from my home directly to the HLCT with no road corssings, due to Greenwood Village spending about $1 million on an underpass at Holly and Orchard. We used to take almost daily walks from Orchard to Belleview up to Quincy. Sometimes we parked in the Quincy parking lot and walked from there.

The Area I am in in the UK is almost at drought conditions but that means that we can expect some Flooding occasionally. Summer thunderstorms will arrive and all that rain arriving at once on hard baked ground will just run off the surface and cause a problem. The state the gardens and countryside are in at present- we need rain and plenty of it- but can guaranty that when the moisture arrive- there will be too much of it.

I would not count on it getting better in Missouri any time soon. The Missouri River in Nebraska and Iowa is huge and getting higher by the day. They are releasing record amounts of water from upstream dams and all the water we are getting in Omaha is headed to Missouri. They are expecting record high water levels in Omaha until at least August.

Our friends are arriving in Sedalia tomorrow. I will get a report from them. On Tuesday we are meeting them in Jefferson City and riding to St. Louis. I'm hoping the path is clear enough for us to ride. The anticipated river levels on the Katy Trail website links are within acceptable levels. Hope they are right. We are a little nervous about this.

Colorado's cdot site (just google cdot road conditions) reports when the glenwood canyon trail closed a mile around was closed for weeks , just this week they closed dotsero to no name rest area (it also will report trail ridge road and mt evans road)

Looks like the Katy could be predicted to be closed in part later in the year. I'm hoping for less rather than lots of damage. As most of you know the rail beds were built low with as little grade as possible. The only place for that to happen would be the river bottoms. The mighty MO will strike again. In the future it will cause me some travel route changes no doubt. Good luck on the CO trip. We expect pictures!

Check here at NOAA for the flood level. http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydro...,1,1,1,1,1,1,1" Parts of the trail are closed due to washout repairs. Parts of it may be OK. Maybe the first part around Clinton will be open longer.

Rode 40+ miles today on the trail. It is HOT. We rode between Jeff City and Rhineland and some roads in between. The trails are in good shape, but the owner of the B&B where we are right now says that in 10 days the water that is being released up north will be here and the entire area here will be under water. She went to a flood levy meeting today and they expect the same level of water that they had in 93. Her first floor will have about 2 feet of water. She showed us the water mark from 93. WOW! This week the riding is good, but hot.

if u want to get out of the hot come further west to colorado at noon today in denver i passed a bank temp clock and it was 55 degrees
and up in summit county between frisco and copper they are plowing the bike trail where an avalanche has blocked the trail

It appears high waters damaged the glenwood canyon trail even after the water recedes repairs will need to be made
http://www.postindependent.com/artic...ntProfile=1074

We made it to St. Charles, our destination. Hot ride but really fun. Met a lot of people and most impressive were the Road Scholars, a group of cyclists 55 yo and up. One lady was 86!