You Are Here - Scott Blvd. Katy Trail State Park Trail Head - Columbia, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 54.967 W 092° 23.971
15S E 552058 N 4307639
The city took the Katy Trail Station..made it a trail head, then later, made it a great park with bike challenge course, and all sorts of distractions...
Waymark Code: WM120J6
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/24/2020
Views: 1
County of park: Boone County
Location of trailhead: Scott Blvd., Jay Dix Station, Katy Trail State Park Trailhead, Columbia
Site erected by: Missouri Department of Natural Resources
"These approximately 5 acres located just southeast of the intersection of the MKT Trail and Scott Blvd. have been developed into an open field that can be used as a soccer practice area. A 34-car parking lot was constructed off Scott Blvd. to serve this area as well as providing access to the MKT Trail. The MKT Trail connects to the County’s portion of the MKT trail at this access through an underpass that leads to the west side of Scott Blvd. The County’s portion of the trail is 4.2 miles and connects to the cross-state KATY Trail." ~ Scott Blvd. Access
When the railroad decided to cease operation on its route from Machens in St. Charles County to Sedalia in Pettis County in 1986, it presented the chance to create an extraordinary recreational opportunity -- a long-distance hiking and bicycling trail that would run almost 200 miles across the state.
The opportunity for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to acquire the right-of-way was made possible by the National Trails System Act, which provides that railroad corridors no longer needed for active rail service can be banked for future transportation needs and used on an interim basis for recreational trails. Because of a generous donation by the late Edward D. "Ted" Jones, the department was able to secure the right-of-way and construct the trail. In 1991, the Union Pacific Railroad donated to the state an additional 33 miles of rail corridor from Sedalia to east of Clinton. Additional purchases and donations have been added. Today, Katy Trail state park is open for 225 miles from St. Charles to Clinton and is operated by the Department of Natural Resources as part of the state park system.